CHAPTER XVIII.

Waikato Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2051, 29 August 1885, Page 5 (Supplement)

CHAPTER XVIII.

THE BI'ELL WORK 3. la one moment a star has fallen from heaven ; in ono moment a nation has been almost dostroyed by earthquake; in one moment burning floods of lava have buried a beautiful city ; in one moment a great tidal wave has swept over the land, leaving it desolate ; in one moment Lord Carsdale fell from the heights of indifference, where he bad lived so long, into the depths ot love, whore life was a torment. He looked up into her faoe when the countess introduced him, and that one look was fatal ; he loved her in that one instant with a love that was his doom. He did not; know it; ho would never have owned to it ; ho would have been the first to deny it rao9t bitterly, and he would hate believed in his own denial ; but all tho same, it was most perfectly truo that one glance had undono him ; and indeed few men looked into that brilliant, laughing faoe with impunity. It was simply peerlesaly perfeot. Perfect beauty i8 often cold and without expression ; Lady Ethel's was not. Who shall paint her or tell what fiho looked like, as she raised ber dark eyes with a smile and gl&nced with fearless pride at the young lord ? Ho wondered afterwards that he had not knelt at her leet, and cried to her that her beauty had conquered him. Ho loved her; ho wondered how ho had refrained from some expression of that great love. As it was, his lips quivered, and I it was with difficulty that ho commanded his voice. "1 em delighted, L\dy Ethel," ho said, " to have the honor." Then tho words scorned to him oold and unmeaning ; it was more than an honor — an honor was nothing; this was the crowning event ot bis life, the crowning glory of his existence. Tbo dark eyes flashed ono look into hip. Lady Eihcl naid Bornnthing to him in the inveetest voice that ho had ever heard ; he could not tell what she said ; tho whole world accrued whirling round him ; he saw the loveliest smile that woman's lips ever wore. If ho could havo dono so, ho would have run away from it, but that could not bo. " 1 will leavo you to entertain Lady Ethel, Vivian," said tho oouutcss, moving away ; and tha uweet, silvery voice said, laughingly : " I do not think you will find that very difficult ; I find amusement everywhere and in everything. Isuppoaolatn happy because I am young." ' Young peoplo arc not always happy," he rcplttd. " 1 should say that you ure happy because, evcrjone loves you." The brilliant youug beauty sighed. " Pray, Lord OarHdalp," Bhe said, " uio any word in tho world excepD 4 love ' to me." •' Do you dislike it ? " ho asked. " Yea, more than any word in the language," ehe rephfd, at the Fame tirpo thinking to hernelf that if ever sho did allow any one to talk to her of lovf , it should be this bßndeonie young lord of Rosoncath. {To be continued.)