CHAPTER XV.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume IV, Issue 178, 25 August 1876, Page 6

CHAPTER XV.

INGLEVTOOD. During Rosinc's vihit to Hawthorndean, which we have mentioned in a previous chapter, a letter was received by Colonel Hartland from ! Mrs. Benton, a letter written during her husband's severe illness ; it asked advice in view of the physician's expressed opinion that Mr. ' Benton's constitution could never endure the labor of farm life in that I climate. To whom could she so readily turn for counsel as to him j who so sacrificed himself for them in their extremity. " Bad news ?" inquired Mrs. Hartland, as she heard the exclamai tion when the Colonel read the letter, and saw the flush that passed over his face. " I must go west," lie said decidedly ; " Philip BonLon will kill himself and all his family." " What has he done now ?" asked his wife. "He has congestive fever, and is nearly dead. I must start tomorrow." " But why should you take the whole Bentou family upon your shoulders, husband 5 you surely have already done more than could be expected." " He wlio presumes to friendship's name Reckons himself and frieud the same," replied the Colonel, smiling. "Nbj but really, Alexander, you have done a great deal, she said somewhat urgently. " And hope to do a great deal more. Poor Benton ! Gan you

got me ready by to-morrow/ he added, " to be gone — ■well, two weeks ? My k*ave -will not expire till two weeks from Saturday, which will give me time to «o and come." Mrs. Hnrlland knew that further remonstrance from her would be useless, and she desisted from further argument. "But, father, you will not. go without a sight of Kosine, or a message from her t o her own people ; it will break her heart when Bhe hears oi! it," sai I Dr. Hart land, running over the letter which his father had put into his hand. "I'd rather she did not know how badly off they are there," renlied the Colonel, " aud she might want to go with me." " That, of course, is out of the question," said the Doctor, " for she would never care to come back, and we can't any o£ us spare her now. She will not ask to go unless you propose it ; and you can soften the matter as to Mr. Benton's illness, and make the govern- j ment an excuse for the journey. I know you can find something to do for the Department on your way." " Thank you, Ned, for the suggestion. I'll go," he said, rubbing his hands with delight at the thought of meeting Kosine ; he was pining for her, although only separated for a few days. Thus it came that he journeyed many miles out of his way before turning his face westward, and carried many messages of love from Kosine to her dear ones, without leaving on her mind any of the anxiety he was feeling lest he should not find his friend Benton among the living. Colonel Hartltuid reached Athlacca readily, and found Horatio Leighton in the post-office as he inquired the way to Mr. Benton's farm. The young man piloted the stranger to the Prairie Hq,me, and was a witness to the delightful reunion of tried friends. All Philip Benton's reserve vanished with the Colonel, and he was once more a boy, he opened his whole heart, and was the better for it. Marion accompanied her father's friend to St. Louis, whither he was bound, and sought out Harold, whom they found diligently pursuing his studies, determined to be first in his profession, with the avowed object at some future day of making a home for his parents, where they could work without labor ; this was the golden vision for which he worked day and night. The Colonel was delighted with him, and expressed his admiration to Father Cote, upon whom he called with Marion. "Heis a splendid fellow. I shouldn't wonder if he were President of the United States yet." "O, I hope not," replied the venerable priest 5 " his soul would be risked at the White House. He is terribly ambitious now for a good object ; but I often have to remind him, with the good Kempis, that ' man proposes, but Q-od disposes.' He has a noble object, and I get really enthusiastic myself when he talks of his blessed mother, and what he will do for her." " God spare him to fulfil his purpose," replied the Colonel. " Amen !" was the hearty response. Before leaving Athlacca, Colonel Hartland had made arrangements for securing the office of postmaster for his friend, and had bought a pretty cabin in the timber adjoining the growing town, only a short distance from Mrs. Leighton. Here he desired his friend to locate himself. Horatio Leighton made a ready sale of the prairie farm at a price far beyond its original cost, owing to the increasing tide of emigration brought to Athlacca by the prospect of a railroad through its boundai'y, and the discovery of an extensive coal-bed within its borders. Tue interest of this sum, with the annual stipend from Mr. Hawthorn to his daughter, enabled them to live in that land of plenty with comfort.