CAMELLA,

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 2945, 30 May 1891, Page 4

CAMELLA,

ou, AN KINOUAMT WIJAXCiLKK. liv M |;s L. Im:ost Kattkay (Author of " ISi i> toiidel I.") ' < i i-:r up ii filling party I'y moonlight That would be splendid, M i' Smith. N\ lien i.; the inouii full ' " I ,lo not know, Mrs Tallerson, but I should think ill a week's time it would give us ]'1< iiLy of The moonlight ride wan voted a capital i,U, and they proposed to asccnd a neighlioniutg lull, wlncii lejoieed ill the na ne of ijiint S. Mark. Stanhyhad not intended to ask his ei'U-.ilH, hut. lletly he;u'd it di.-em scl, and tool; it lor i>i-;iiit(?<l that some of tin-in at leant, would join the party. Lawrence j'lid she at length deeided to he the ones to !'O. Natalie was asked and one of her 1 brothers ; alio two or three more young people. The next Wednesday was [Weo, if the weather still remained as 1,1 Miilifully line as on that Saturday. " My dear," sa;d Mrs Cii-hem, as she shook hands with her host's-: at ae'en n'eloek, " 1 have never enjoyed an afternoon so well as 1 have enjoyed to-day. I rmghtto apologise for staying so late, ]m< Natalie was so liaepy." Camella turned I.or r-parkhng eyes, dancing with excitement on her friends, S;iviii"."" llow J! 00 ' 1 of you to come, and lo enjoy it ! I was half afraid at first that we had not sufficient attractions to offer for a successful out door party, but everyone seems to have brought a most contented spirit with them." " She is such a darling," said Natalie, rapturously," fa they drove away, lam so glad Mr Taffcrson married her ! " Yes, I think he is a most fortuuate man," said Mr Cuahem. And all the ,rnests, with the exception of the prejudiced Awa Moa folk, though the same. ' " They will never like me, Stanley, said Camella, as they drove away. " Courage, sweetheart, they can't help themselves. And, soon it will not matter ; .1 shall be free of my obligation to my uncle, which is the only thing that makes ,no civil lo them at all. I thought my aunt a little pleased to-day." " Yes, sometimes she is quite nice, then Hetty or one of the gill", comes up, and it seems to wither her little mushroom of all'ectioti. But I will go on trying for your take." " I'oor Klla ! Husband's relations are n trial, arc they not? I 'mul with a comforting kiss, lie loft her, to help Mr Tallot with the tennis nets, and scattered balls It had been a very hard day for Kate. To see Mr Bront so near, and to know he was in reality so far removed from her ! She avoided him as best she could, and it was his annoyance at being unable to ex change a word with her, except before so many persons, that led him to propose the moonlight ride. Somehow, he resolved, ho would ride with her. Hut he was doomed to disappointment, Stanley at once announced his intention of looking after hia wife, who was not a siillicimitly experienced horsewoman to be left to any one's care but his, Hetty, much provoked, for she had counted on si curing Stanley for her escort, pounced ou Mr Smith, who at least possessed the charm of novelty. Jn vain, lie tried to shake her off, and get near Kate, who bad b'Tii placed in care of Mrs (Jushom's brother, and who made no effort to rid herself of her cavalier. Lawrence had secured the placc he coveted, by Natalie's side. The ride up the mountain, though pleasant, was unevcntlul. But coining home, llelty proposed a race, and a jump across a stream which meandered past at the foot of the mountain. " Don't bo so rash, said Stanley, "you can't race down this hill." '• lint lean, and will," cried the girl, " now then, Mr Smith !" Oil' they started, with various remonstrating voices sounding in theirears, uid as the track turned abruptly a feu hundred yards below, were speedily out of sigh I, though the hounds of the Hying horses' feet came up clearly to the party, who were leisurely descending the uneven path. Suddenly, there c:une a terrible cry, then anothei, and ell was still. " Take Mis Tall'jis m's bridle," said Stat,ley, as he put it into Mr Till lot's h -.ud. " 1 must go down. Waitfor ine, Lawrence." And I lit- two men hurried after the ri ekles* ride-is. Jlotli were lying o'l the ground when they approached. J Icily and her horse were seemingly mixed up in a frightful manner, uhilstMr Smith had evidently bui.ii thrown clear ul his, which was standing a few yards off. But naturally, both brother and cousin directed their attention to Hetty. " The horse must have caught its feet it) tlic *nul Sin nicy, "see, 1 think the lore-legs are broken.'' " Poor Hetty," said Lawrence, "she is right, underneath." "Don't let t.lic ladies come here," cried Stanley, as they approached, " Camella ride straight home, and send off for the doctor.'' "And get a room ready, ' added Lawrence," that is if we may take Hetty to your place. It is so very much nearer than Awa Moa." " Of course yon may," -; ;id Camella, as she obediently hi: n- d her Im.-se's head away, glad that the g. ntlenvn were standing so that -he could not se • Stanly's r, lUI t. further on. only a few steps from Hetty, Mas the bodv M h«r companion in that wild ride—Mr South. He had joined I'T willingly. Kate I'owys hail not, ■ Militarily, addressed a single word to him, and he had come to the conclusion, that he had indeed, lost not only her love but lior friendship. Ho would show her, he thought, how little he valued life without her, and though he hardly believed that he was actually running much risk, yet in the face of the warnings all gave them, it would appear to Kate, a dangerous ride. And Kate understood perfectly what he meaut by his reckless conduct. She was riding a little after the other ladies, and saw how they averted their gaze from that prostrate figure. She rode over to it, she could not pass it iu that way. With a half-stifled cry, she slipped from her horse, and knelt beside the body of Robert Bront. " You must not stay here," said Mr Tallot, quietly. "We will bring liirn to Knamoa." " Is lie—" she pau-ed, she could not utter the word, ' dead'. f 'J'o In■ njiif hutfil. )