CHAPTER XL.

Waikato Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2030, 11 July 1885, Page 1 (Supplement)

CHAPTER XL.

" Paranoa," said the girl, " you have conquered and we are your captives." " Not you, Orinora," he replied, " I am your captive. All that mind can oonceive or heart desire shall be yours." " The conqueror should be merciful," pursued Orinora. " Why not save the lives of these innocent men ? My father saved the life of yours once in the days gone by." " It is impossible," ho quietly replied, his faoe flaming up with all the evil passions of bin dreadful nature. " They must die, because we cannot live in the same world, and blood alone oan wash out the wrongs I have suffered from Aranoah." " These men have not harmed you," said Orinora, " and did not John Morden take pity on you as an orphan and rear you up as his own child ? " " All that he then did he has since wiped out ; he must die. One of these men loves you, you love him ; he must die. The others are as his brothers, and if they remain they will be too strong for us— they must die. But it is not their lives you are asking," he added with sudden passion, looking upon Orinora evilly ; "it is the life of the man you love, Herbert. He shall die, Orinora, as eure as Aohernar shines, before the Bun has set." Orinora clasped her hands convulsively. "But supposing," she continued, "that these men could leave the island never to return, what objection could there be to giving them life when it seoured your safety and gave you— me?" " They have & way to escape," said Paranoa, a sort of fear coming into his heart. "My father tells me they are but as ourselves, except they have white skins ; that all their magic is simply the knowledge of something we do not know, but which he will ■how us. How oould they leave the island, except they had wings, and flew like the birds?"