Novelist.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2665, 10 August 1889, Page 5 (Supplement)

Novelist.

[ALL HHiUTS KKSKKVia).] Love's Labour Won: AX EVENTFUL STORY. BY JAMES GRANT. Author of "'The R'Mimnco of War," "The Llack Watch," " Fairer than a Fairy," itu,, iV.c. CHAPTER XXVJ.—Pkbssubk.

Ix flio accounts of tho troops detailed for the Tiunnese Expedition, Molanie could find no tracc of Lonsdale's name; but tliou, in rank ho was only a unit in such a force ; and it never occurred to her to examine any Army List. Indeod, she could not have got one nearer than tho library at llavonsbourno Hall, tho hist place where she wouldliave ventured to seok it ; so sho could but marvel over his silence, till her lioart grew sick and her brain grew weary. There soomed but two solutions —death or infidelity. Yet sho shrank in hor soul from accepting either. Lonsdale faithless ? Oh no ! While life remained she was sure ho would be true to hor ; and if dead—oh no, not that —great heaven ! The light of blessed hope still burned in tho sad heart of the girl JiLit now cruel and systematic pressure was put upon her by Uncle Grimshaw, who .soomed to bo in earnest about the final removal of her brother Reginald, whom he morn than onco taunted as being " one of the Queen's bad bargains/' " Knowing Reggie's miserable story us you do, and how ho is a martyr to circmustaucos," she said, ■with flashing eyes, and with difficulty restraining her tears " how can you bo so rude, so unjust, uncle." "Do not mind him, dear," said Kegtrie, gently; " The sooner wo part tho better. As sure as Mother Carey's chickens blow tho breeze, it will como to that in the end." " lam glad you are fully prepared, young man, as 3*our sister declines to aid mo ill your support," remarked "Uncle Grimshaw, with a malicious twinkle in his white-lash-ed eyes ; and ho somewhat ostentatiously pursuod his examination of certain advertisements of "A House for Cripples," " A Home for Incurables," "An Orthopoedic Hospital," and so forth, filling the heart of Molanie with sluimo, grief and indignation. "It shall never come to that, .Reggie," said sho, -with an arm round his neck. " I will take a situation of some kind; I shall work for you—work my fingers to tho bono rather than this result should bo—this cruel outrage come to pass."

" And are you to think of such a thing, Melanio, while I lie idly here, xuiablo to assist or protect you ? exclaimed Reggie, writhing on his couch. " I would rather be aont from a grating to leeward, a couple of cold shot at my heels. The very idea makes mo miserable."

" And what would you two poor boys do without mo ?" was the girl's next anxious thought. "Who would soo to your moals, your socks your clothes, and all that sort of thing ?"

" To escapo this horriblo marriage, which is always thrust upon me, I would do anything, dear Dr. Brandon," said Melanie, when sho appealed to tho Kector ; "anything to presorvo my—my trust to Montague, and savo lfeggie from an insult that is enough to raako our parents' bones turn iu their graves.

I liavo not beon taught to do any useiul thing. I might bo a lady's maid, but who would tako mo ?"

'' Ay, who, iudood ?" snarled Undo Grimshaw. " However, if you do not meet,'my viows and Sir Brisco's gonerous offers, Regain goes straight to a hospital, Dick iu some aipacity to the city, and thon I shall bo rid of you all."

And Undo Urimshaw turned aivuv as if hofelt tho what someone terms " all tho calm comfort resulting from an undisturbed gratification ami an approving conscionco."

" lean surely bo a telegraphist", if I learn," said poor Melanio scarcely knowing what she talked about "or something or other, if I alter hair, do away with my fringe, and wear alpaca." " Why so humble ?" askod Keg-

gie. " Becauso governessing, I fear, is out of the question with sveh as lam now-a-days. lam not a <iirton girl, aud have noither medals nor certificates."

" Nonsense, Melanie ; you must not speak thus," said tho luckless Keggio, whilst his heart swelled with painful emotions. "Chained here—chained aud helpless—af tor all ; and all I hoped to be !" moaned Eeggin, almost wringing- his wasted hands, whilo a glare shot from his uunaturally bright eyes.

" When Montague conies homo, it may bo too late to do what I wish for you, darling. Reggie," said his sister, as she seated herself on a hassock by his couch and twined her arms round him ; "so meantime something must bo done. I shall got a situation as companion perhaps, though, of course, Aunt Chillington won't assist me ; and then get anothor doctor for you. Fifty pounds or so will procure better advice than ever Uncle Grimshaw has had ; and, meanwhile no time shall be lost. I may bring sorno sunshine into your life yot, Reg-

gie." lie smiled fondly and sadly. " .My dearest Melanie, I cannot think of your stooping to toil and humiliation for me." " But think of that threatened other degradation'—a hospital for you, my brave brother; a Talbot, too." " Who will help your plans—not uncle, not Aunt Chiliington'" said Reggie, wearily, "Of course not; but I shall ask everyone I know to aid me," replied Melanie, cheerfully. There was a kind of relief in talking about it. " Good Mrs Brendon, lam sure, will do her utmost." "It is a beastly shame, your having even to think about it," said Dick ; " but wherever you go, Melanie, I hope you will be treated as a lady." " Of course I shall be treated as a lady." replied poor innocent Meliiuie, " especially when people know what my object is. "But will Loiisdale like it?" queried Dick. " Ho must," replied Mclauie with quivering lips. " Need lie know till he comes back f said Dick, whose views were rather practical. Sore just then on the subject of Lonsdalo, Melanie sought to change the subject.

'' Take courage, Reggie, and hear what this book says of an ailment such as yours," said she. " Maladies which cannot be cured are the approbriii of medicine as an art. It should not, however, be hastily assumed that cases which cannot be cured must therefore bo regarded as beyond the hope of recovery. There is a wonderful power of self-cure in the organism, and many a sufferer condemned by the ' faculty,' has been reprieved by Nature. It is desirable that this should be borne in mind: first, hope in itself is a great specific, and nothing so greatly tends to destroy natural chances of recovery as depression produced by an adverse prognosis ; second, it is a most irrational position to take up that any maiacly is incurable." Reginald Talbot shook his head. " Think of all that, Koggie, said his sister, closing the book. "Take courage, dear ; if I can pay for you, if I can got you cured—■"

" I am past recovery," he interrupted her, sadly, not peevishly—lie never was peevisli with Melanie. " I hope no hope ; the prognosis was adverse enough for me, when I was put to the shore and struck off the books of the Ibis. It ia all useless now," he added as the imago of Amy Brendon came before him. " And health, even life itself, can be nothing to me."

'• But for my sake, dear dear Reggie !" replied the girl softly and caressingly.

" For yours, my sweet one,' , said the poor young sailor, with a catch in his voice.

But an escape, or reprieve for a time from Mclauie's alfectionato intention, and the result of Uncle Grimshaw's threat, came to them from a quarter they did not anticipate.

CHAPTER XXVIT.—What Came OF XT. Melanio folt that already, while repelling all Sir Brisco's attentions, she had been compelled by the force of circumstances beyond her coutrol, and by her uncle's inlluonce, to sutler him to establish a species of intimacy at the cottage that came somewhat nearer to disloyalty to tho absent Lonsdale than she deemed just; but she lived now in hourly dread of her uncle's wrath and resolution to bend her to his will, through the helplessness of

tho poor brother sho doted on with a love that seemod alike motherly and sisterlv.

She had rjad ia novels innumerable —as who has not I —of prossure put upon a young girl to marry mi old and obnoxious admirer for his wealth, to savo a father from bankruptcy or ruin, aud so forth ; but not before had she heard of tho same kind of pressure boing put upon a sister to savo a brave young brother, who had faithfullly served an ungrateful country, from tho bitter mortification of beiug thrust into a common hospital for incurables. From tho indignant and somewhrifc communicative Dick, when rambling in the woods with his faithful Bingo, the baronet had gathered something of what was on the tapis as rogarded Eeggie ; and in genuine pity for both, but moro particularly for Melanie, ho at onco kindly conceived the idea of inviting tho former to share the hospitality of the hall.

A hope of winning, at least, the gratitude of Melanie, might also have suggosQcd and furthered the thought; and he at once proceeded to put it in practice.

Ho visited tho cottage at a time when, under the threats of Mr. Grimshaw, a kind of crisis had come in the a flairs of Melanio aud her brother, the latter of whom he found in a very crushed mood indeed, and seated alone on his couch in a window, sadly watching the sinking sun as it set redly beyond the now autumnal woods of Eavens-

bourne. "Iu a brown study, Reggie ?" said Sir Brisco, seating himself by his side. " What are you doing— how are you now, my poor lad 1" "At my usual occupation," replied the other, with a sickly smile. " What may that be ?" " Counting tlie hours without a log-glass —the days—the slow passing weeks." " To what end, Reggie ?" " For the great night that puts an end to all thought, all labour, all suffering and sorrow," replied Reggie, with an irrepressible outburst as he thought of the blasted hopes, in life, in love, and in profession. " Come, come, my poor fellow, you must not give way thus," exclaimed Sir Brieco, cheerily, us his eyes glistened with kindly sympathy and he patted Reggie on the shoulder ; " to rouse you must now bo my task. You accepted me as a friend," said he, turning to Melanie who entered the room "and even gave your hand in token thereof. Let me now extend the friendship to your brother, and five him to me."

" To you !" " For a time ; as long as lie chooses. Lot him come to the hall; then he will have moro and freeer air than in this small cottage under those great trees—books and serials in plent}'. He can fish from his wheel-chair in the Bourne when he chooses—bo every way his own master, and my own medical man shall give him tho best attention." " How good you are," faltered Melanie, as her eyes filled with unshed tears. " He is your brother and my friend," said Sir Brisco, "so we shall count the affair as settled."

Great was the gratitude of Melanie, for by this Uncle Grimshaw was, pro tern, at all events, relieved of an incumbrance, and tho source of his malign throats was removed, the pressure upon herself relieved, and tho necessity for seeking any employment obviated ; so the invitation was accepted, temporarily, of course ; but, so far as Molanie was concerned, not without an afterthought—a dread of what Montague Lonsdale might think, or infer, when ho came to hear of it, as he was certain to do through some source, good or evil.

E-avensbourno Hall, with all its luxuries, its noblo library, its trim shrubberies and brilliant flowerbeds, its fish-pond, where the white water-lilies floated and the carp rose to the flies, and beside which rose the stately terrace where the peacock strutted to and fro ; and edifico itself, with heraldic devices blazoned on its window?, and the substructive of which dated from tho days of " Elizabeth Boleyn"— as she is now pretty generally named, for that dreadful reason which few dare put in print—all proved anew and delightful experience to Reginald Talbot.

Its surroundings, too, whero somewhat like a fairy vision. Thore woro banks, Avhore, in summer, pink and creamy roses grow, aud there were long grassy slopes, or terraces shaded by high hedges, clipped liko a dark green Aval], through which arches were cut, to afford vtstas of close-mown lawns and glassy pools, where spotless swans were floating; or of tho park, with its far-famed liavensbourno deor crouching among the luxurious fern.

To Eeggio, the most pleasant place of all was the silent and wellcurtained library, with all its glittering book-shelves and its quaint, massive tables, whereupon every morning lay the daily papers and illustrated periodicals, so necessary aud a) dear in a country mansion now.

But amid the comfort, the kindness aud the splendour which surrounded him, he piued ore long to see his sister Melanie, whom no power could have brought there, even to see him ; and, of course, ho knew well the reasou why ; but ho enjoyed those clays whon Dick came to drag his wheel-chair into the woods, and where they were

joined for a time b'y Melanie, with her work, for Melanie's needle was seldom idle, and where bob-tailed linigo defied the keepers and was in all his glory, digging madly with his paw into a sandy rabbit hole, and so deeply that he left only his hindquarters visible.

With emotions of greater gratitude than ever, Melanie heard that Sir Brisco had brought, from London, medical skill of the highest kind for Reggie, regardless of all expense ; but, alas, it was appealed to in vain, and the dictum of the doctors at Malt.i, llalsar, and elsewhere, which arrested his profesiouai career, was more than confirmed and left him nothing to hope for. He could only iso resigned to his fa to, and await the cud in patience.

In his own c[iiit:t way he enjoyed chiefly the evenings in the conservatory, whither his chair was wheeled by a valet of: Sir Btisco's and where he and the latter sat smoking and chatting for hours, the baronet fancying he saw resemblances of Melanie in his now thin but handsome features, as he lured him to forget the present in stories of hip past career, which, if short, had been .t very active one—-stories of the Soudan and of the sea, which latter arc never without their charms to lands-

men. " Reggie is in comfort at the hall," thought Melanie ; "so why need I look for any employment 1 But the time may yet come." Some weeks of peace, to her at least, passed pleasantly on; but even "that peace came to and end ; and Uncle Grimshaw, who had been in correspondence with Sir Brisco at his club, renewed, in all its weary sameness, the old subject again, one morning when Melanie

came clown t,o breakfast, looking so sweet and fair, her smooth checks just touchnd with a wild rose bloom her beautiful hair swept up from the white nape of her slender neck, and with all the charms about her of that freshness which bears the test of daylight, that he might have spared her annoyance ; but the hard old man of Birchin-laue was inexhorable. " The views of Sir Brisco and his prolonged kindness to your useless brother have not been quite purposeless," said he one day! " and he informs me that he will call over again, formally ■" " To see whom V' '■ You." "Good heavens, uncle—again !" " Yes. And you know well with what objee t. Marriage." " Again ; to mar his kindness by most ungenerous and ungentlemanly persecution," exclaimed Melanie, full cf resentment. "Harsh language, Melanie. Pie will do so at my reqmest and suggestion." "I thought as much. It is intolerable. How often am I to say that I will not marry him V' " Dare you disobey me V he asked, grimly, but quietly. Melanie bit her pink nether lip id in silence. All her hard necessities and half-formed resolutions were brought to the surface again. "Your brother cannot always live like a pauper at the hall; and so, on returning here, lie goes straight to a home for incurables—l have sworn it!"

" Kind Sir Brisco will never permit thai." " His patience may get worn out too; and ho will not oppose me Consider his wealth, his high character, on one hand, and your own wretched prospects on the other. How many girls would jump at the chance —to use a very plain phrase." '■ Do you suppose I have no feeling, no honour, no compunction, uncle, while on my finger I have the ring——" "Of one you never hear from and may never see again. But life is too short to discuss useless problems !" exclaimed Mi , Grimshaw witli intense wrath, while he ground his teeth and his colourless eyes actually flushed. " Cease this sentimental absurdity of yours, please."

" But I suffer uncle," urged Melanie, interlacing her slender fingers. "And do I not suffer?" snarled Uncle Grimshaw, as he attacked grille d chicken, after a plate of curried prawns. " How T " Can you ask me how 1" With the sordid difficulties, of circumscribed poverty-stricken life."

" It might lie worse," was the thought of Melanie, as she pondered on the very little he spent on her, and of all, out of thoso circumscribed means," he spent upon himself—the luxuries of his club in London, a saddle-horse and many other items. "You live in a, misery of your creation," said he. The silence of Captain Lonsdale ■" " Will yet be fully explained." •'Explained?" repeated Uncle Grinishaw, as he winced perceptibly. " That may or may not be, , " said her uncle, doggedly. " Meantime it looks very ill; and the love of a good man, a true gentleman—a love like that of Sir Brisco—any girl in England might be proud to accept, yet you decline it." " I am not free." " A word of your own could free you, What stands in your way ?" " My promise." " Fiddlestick ? The dream of a girl's folly—dead aud gon,e, J hope,

long ago," thundered Uncle Grimshaw. He turnod away, afraid to trust himself to say more, and lit an expensive cigar. But just then he was following the bent of his own wishes and doing injustice to Sir Brisco, who was too generous and kind by nature to attempt to trade upon the the gratitude of Melanie for his hispitality—to call it by i's best name—to her brother.

And yet the girl could not help reflecting that, after being refused, for Sir Briseo to persist in calling again and again at tins cottage —• even at remote intervals — was treating her, if not with discourtesy, if not with humiliation, as if she had been a wilful child that knew not its own mind.

{To he eoidimu-il.)