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Chwiliwch 15 miliwn o erthyglau papurau newydd Cymru

Cuddio Rhestr Erthyglau

16 erthygl ar y dudalen hon

STRIVE AND THRIVE, j i

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[ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.] STRIVE AND THRIVE, j CHAPTER XXVIII. A CHASE. IF Mr. Belmont's attentions to Miss Mink had not been sufficiently marked to justify the inference which Hugh M'Cann, in common with many other people, had drawn, they certainly did not fall much short of that point. His intimacy with the family had gradu- ally increased, and step by step he had become in- volved in so many semi-confidential relations with Miranda, that he probably would not have felt at liberty to recede from the delicate entanglement" into which he had been drawn, even if he had desired so to do. Having gone so far, there was an implied obligation upon him to go further, and the momentous step which he was thus forced to contemplate he cer- tainly did not regard with repugnance. He well knew that he had no strong attachment for Miss Mink, and he believed that the only being Who could have aroused his torpid heart to its full capacity for deep and passionate love, was lost to hirn for ever, through his own folly and blindness. But be was interested in Miranda; she seemed to him Upright, amiable, and affectionate; and he believed her fitted to adorn the station which, as his wife, she would be called to fill. Unfortunately, when Miss Sibbald's messenger, Hugh M'Cann, who was no Mercury in his move- ments, set out in search of his master, that gentleman Was absent from his hotel, nor had they left any clue to his whereabouts. When Hugh had learned thus much, and had re- jected that it was too early in the day for him to be fit Colonel Mink's, he started forth to look for him, and spent nearly an hour in the search, before he became impressed with a sense of its utter useless- ness. He then returned to the hotel, where, to his chagrin, he learnt that Mr. Belmont had been in, and had again gone out, during his fruitless search for him. Hugh now did what he ought in the first place to have done-he remained in Howard's room, and Patiently awaited his return, watching for him at the same time from one of the windows. He believed he Would not be long absent, for his writing desk was open and covered with papers, and Carl was lying nsleep beside it. If the dumb brute could only spake, now said Hugh, whose anxiety became intense as he saw that the clock indicated nearly half-past eleven. Where is the masther, Carl, eh ?" Bnt the dog replied only by beating a tattoo" on the floor with his tail, and the Irishman began Seriously contemplating running down to the ship, asking the captain to hould on" for another hour. He might leave the bit o' paper," he thought, On Belmont's desk, and he did not doubt that it would tell the whole story. But a little reflection saved Hugh *fom this second blunder, and after another quarter of an hour's suspense, he heard the welcome step of his Inaster on the stairs. He rushed out to meet him, and thrusting Miss Sibbald's card into his hands, he said-- Read it quick, now, or yell be too late." Why, what's this, Hugh! This is nothing that I interested in. This is the card of Miss Grace ibbald, a very pretty name; but one that I never heard before." Turn it over, then. It's on the other side." Howard complied and read- Steamship Bolivar, foot of Chambers-street, ^orth River—twelve o'clock to-day.' Here is some ■stake. This is not meant for me." j4 Isn't Miss Wallyworth in it?" Miss Walworth! no! What do you mean ? Speak quickly, you stupid fellow!" The now disconcerted Hugh replied quickly, but not with increased precision- th *fc's herself that's in it, sure, and the little brother at was drownded with her. They're both on that there, and they'll be a'f>her bein' in the East in_gees while ye're standing her. It sails in ten minutes." "Run for a hack, then! youll find them just opposite," said Howard, and he himself ran down- stairs ahead of his servant, and did not abate his speed, until, side by side with Hugh, he reached the carriage stand. self ^cvr? them he said. Here, this him- Hugh ;Ung 0ne> and springing in. Jump in, Is it inside I'll git ? asked Hugh, hesitating. Yes—yes—quick now! To the foot of Cham- ers-,street, driver! The steamship Eolivar and a overeign for you if you get us there in time. The i,, "lay n°t be punctual," he continued to Hugh, tpii U i.1 Relieve these steamships usually are. Now, me all about it, Hugh. Where did you meet her? at message did she send, and was her—her husband with her ? Howard's air, although betraying some agitation, J n 0 mea^s evinced a joyous excitement. He was a. ly anxious, indeed, to see the beautiful girl once alnf6 whose image had so long haunted his memory, though he did not doubt the interview must be a Painful one to him. f Hugh told his brief story as lucidly as was possible Or him, and at the close of it Belmont asked him gain—" Was her husband with her ? And what kind of It man was he ? t He wasn't with her at all. Perhaps he'd gone on the ship ahead iv 'em." j Possible that he is going with her to toaica, if he is a man of business but I should thI^OS0 ke would at least see her embark. What did ™ other ladies call her ? Mrs. what ? j^. Just Edy, sir; nothin' else, barrin' I called her tlrfv Wa,1yworth myself siveral times, s'een I forgot she was married." And didn't she correct you P 4 Not at all." 0v ,elmont thought he had never seen the streets so Vf^ ed before. Every conceivable variety of h*6 seeme<lto b0 in his way, and he looked out despair upon the wedged and slow mass which "dented his hackman from reaching even the nearest 0 °Ss street, and getting out of the jam." The two PPosing currents came to a dead lock, which the icemen, who flitted busily about amidst it, vainly OUght for many minutes to disentangle. diffi tIle mass began again slowly to move, the culty was still extreme, and but for a lucky ought of Hugh, several additional minutes would »iave been lost. "If you've ary a dollar for him now," said the Irish- man, pointing to the policeman who stood nearest the ^friage, and who was beckoning to the docile stage- Qrivers and indicating their several courses, "he'll put us through." Acting on this hint, Belmont called the man to SaidSide' aud sliPPing some silver into his hand, he M' 1>ray, my friend, make a passage for me into ^g^y-street without delay! My business is most je/|jhe man closed his hand upon the money without few 'ant' ^PPed in front of the carriage, making a ituT Kl»ns to the watchful drivers, yet scarcely utter- a word of command to any. Difficulties vanished 0ffiglCalIy now' anc* the beleaguered carriage, thus alH?lally Piloted, soon emerged into the cross street, v, ough not until the clock on the City Hall had the hour of twelve. Pro Was' course' a ^ew minutes later when it ap- ye ?j?hsd the river, and Howard's forebodings were ea» ? khe answers which he received to his first ««o, lllfluiries for the Bolivar. 'She, off, Sir! suT *on £ I)as she been gone?" sir fs keen lying off in the stream these two hours, go! a; her wheels are just beginning to move. There rjf her parting gun, now." e enough Howard saw the smoke and flash, j, started at the reverberating roar. by aspired with sudden resolution, and impelled riVe 0rne such energy as that which, in this very spra' two years before, had made him a hero, he tiearn^rom his carriage and ran to the end of the where a few watermen, who had been in h, "etween the ship and shore, were yet lingering Q,the r boats. ° Oil Quick! to the Bolivar," he said, springing into in0vjns „to° late," said the gaping man; she's N U'ant | matter—we'll try! Be active, now, if you oar i»'U'n a day's waSes in ten minutes. I'll take l,o^he men bent earnestly to their seemingly his n, SVa^. Hugh, who having followed closely on sh°ufc^j s heels, now stood amazed on the dock, on J? git carried off, masther, as sure as ye set fut j her 1 to tl r. Kape her off, I tell yees, or ye'll have to go East Ingees." ° eoitiAtVeT fea.r' Hugh," Belmont called back. "Ill I e back with the pilot outside the Hook." I Outside the Hook ? It's outside his sinses he is, Pm thinkin' muttered Hugh. Ah, may the saints presarve him from ever gittin' on board, at all, at all." There did not seem much danger of Howard's reach- ing the vessel, for although she moved but slowly at first, yet she was nearly in the middle of the wide river, and each revolution of the wheels seemed faster than the preceding one. Of course the oarsmen took a diagonal direction down the river, and by dint of the most laborious efforts (in which the waterman confessed himself outdone by his passenger), they suc- ceeded in getting a good offing before the puffing monster came abreast of them. This was their only chance, and Howard, who had his handkerchief ready tied to the handle of his oar, rose and swung it high in the air, shouting loudly as he did so. Some commotion about the pilot-house inspired him with hope that he was observed, and he at once redoubled his cries, and waved his signal with increased rapidity, when, to his unspeakable joy, the great wheels ceased to revolve, and, dropping to his seat again, joined the boatman in urging forward their little skiff. It's rather an impudent thing to do," he 'said, laughing, and no doubt they think they are hailed by some officer of the law, or perhaps by some dila- tory passenger. I hope the captain is a good-natured fellow, or I shall never be able to pacify him." Belmont got safely on board, and having succeeded in making his peace with the incensed pilot (the cap- tain needed no propitiation), he at once proceeded to the cabin in search of Eda. CHAPTER XXIX. EXPLANATIONS. EDA had of course entirely abandoned the hope of seeing Howard, and she had come sadly to the con- clusion that it was better for her peace of mind that they should not meet. Yet she would have been glad for her father's sake, to see him, for she knew that it would gratify him to hear from so valued a friend. The Misses Sibbald had left her about half an houf prior to the sailing of the ship, having gone ashore in a tug which had brought off a number of the passengers, and she had soon afterwards gone below, not a little depressed in spirit, despite the prospect of a speedy reunion with her beloved parent. As the weather was fine, and nearly all of the few passengers were on deck, Miss Walworth had no difficulty in finding the quietude and retirement which she longed for, without confining herself to her narrow state-room. She and Frank were quite alone in one end of the principal cabin when Belmont approached them, and so little did she imagine the possibility of such a visitor now, that she did not look up at the new- comer until he almost stood at her side and his voice sounded in her ears- Eda!" Mr. Belmont!" Astonished beyond measure, yet more deligntea than astonished, and more embarrassed than either, the beautiful girl, with fast mantling blushes, ex- tended her hand to meet that of her friend. Nor was Howard quite self-possessed. Absorbed in ad- miration, and stung by regrets, he hesitated in what terms to address the lady, whose charms, one glance sufficed to tell him, had even more than fulfilled the bright promises of her girlhood, when Eda herself took the initiative, and said— I am ashamed to have sent for you, Mr. Belmont, though I was assured that I ought to do so, and I thought it would give papa so great pleasure." "I should never have forgiven you if you had not," replied Howard, interrupting her; I have sought long and diligently for your father and you." But I fear I have put you to very great incon- venience. I know it must be so," she added, with an anxious look; and besides, how are you to get off again, since the ship has already started on its voyage t" Oh, I shall go off with the pilot some two hours hence," replied Howard, gaily. "Never fear for me; and now, before I SlY more, will you please to tell me by what name I am to address you, for although I have heard, it has escaped my memory." Is it possible that you have forgotten ? Eda. Walworth." Oh, I had not forgotten that, but it is your new name I ask for, Eda." Eda looked bewildered for a moment, and then said- I have no other name." Are you not married, then?" Colouring deeply, Miss Walworth replied in the negative; and Howard, with a surprised and pleased wok, added- I I really beg your pardon, but I thought my in- formation quite authentic on this point. I may still call you Miss, then, without fear of offence." Belmont at once proceeded to inquire particularly about Mr. Walworth's health, and an animated con- versation of many minutes ensued, during which each party had many questions to ask and answer; while Frank, who had gradually edged nearer to the stranger, with some vague sense of recognition, soon engaged a share of his attention. In response to Howard's earnest yet delicately- worded inquiries, Miss Walworth was led to relate most of the important events of her life, during the two preceding years; and if she had been disposed to disguise the poverty to which her father had been reduced, there was one circumstance which forbade its concealment. She wore neither watch nor jewellery, and it was certainly due to the friend who had bestowed these costly presents upon her, to explain their absence from her person. I know," she said, when she had spoken of the necessity which had compelled them to accept a home with their relations in the country, I know that you will give me credit for not having parted with your gifts, excepting in a real emergency. There were no other available means to enable papa to go south, and —and we only pledged-we did not sell them. Although Eda tried to touch lightly on these topics, her eyes moistened as she spoke of them, and she turned her head aside. But may I ask why it was, since you are going to join your father in Jamaica, that you did not rather accompany him there? It can scarcely be two months since he went." Franky and I did not go with him, because all the money that we raised was barely sufficient for him alone, and he was able to leave us only a few dollars. Why we are going now I will tell you, and in doing so I come to the most wonderful, indeed the only truly wonderful part of my story. First, how- ever, I must tell you why I left my uncle's and came to New York, and some of the incidents which befell me by the way." Succinctly, yet graphically, did Eda narrate the various facts with which the reader is already fami- liar, pausing at times to choke down the emotion which impeded her utterance, and brought the now unheeded tears into her eyes. "Poor dear child!" exclaimed Howard, involun- tarily, as she paused at that part of her narrative where, after having suffered so many wrongs and cruelties, she stood alone in the streets of the great city, not daring to look at or accost a fellow-being, lest she should draw some fresh indignity upon her. Poor dear child Surely Heaven must have some blessings in store for thee, in compensation for such sufferings as these!" Eda soon subdued her emotion, and resumed her narrative. It grew brighter-coloured now; and, as she painted the cordial reception which she met with from the Misses Sibbald, and their prompt and generous aid, Belmont found himself sympathising as fully with her joys as he had with her distress, and inwardly blessing the hospitable friends who had given her shelter and relief. Let me remind you here," resumed Eda, that my father must be kept ignorant of what I have undergone, for I know how deeply a knowledge of it would pain him. If, therefore, you should write to him, please not to allude to these things." Howard's schooled yet sensitive heart had felt the fascination of Eda's charms even in that season of her comparative childhood when they had first met, and during his years of absence, as we have seen, pleasant memories of her had often regaled his soli- tary hours; but never had she seemed so lovely to him as at this moment, when not only the full light of her beauty, but all the purity and sweetness of her cha- racter were revealed to him. Such a picture of filial and sisterly love, constant to its unselfish purposes, through trials which might have shaken the sternest heart, and sedulous now only to prevent the knowledge of those sufferings from reaching the loved parent in whose behalf they had been endured, seemed to him something far above and beyond all ordinary attainments in human excellence. (To be continued.)

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