THE MYSTERY OF HADDON'S FERRY.

(By E. D. 2f. K. Sotjthworth.)

CHAPTER XXXI.

_ STORMY . . Pfou,iJ beauty,! It oaunot be lpye ~» That'kindles the firo'of thine eye, 3Totf when did alfeetioh e'er prove tiA passion, so tpweringand high? It is not, it cannot be love > r . Affection U Jowly ahd.deen—. Allgrouadless Suspicion above; It khowb but to trust and to weenY - , i MRsELiaa.

Ttt posthumous letter of Maurice Fitz gei&d to his'son was as follows1:

ts my Sick Chamber, Summit Manor

House, ■>■ i '■• ■■:■ w p , v ■■!?Vl7t 22pd» 1& ---r^T.GoOD Sow.GERALD.-Daily i.ncreasingjn 4nhitjeewanimetha.t.:my, day? are, numbered, on this earth. My phyaiciap,'s eilcncc, or his, faintly-expressed encouragement, when I speak, ty. him on thif»:subje<jt,;a&Bures nip that his secret opinion qorroborates my judgment, i. ~ . .•■-.•;-• • Now, thin, lest I should pass away, belori* •^re meet again, or sVen befora.yoU make your, promised brldVyour own, I wiah to write thU leiter to tell you what to do in such a case.: H If.Jtberoiott;; I should W suddenly, called. .Xience, p<j(or« your marriaizo.witli. your cousini 'Geraldine Is accomplished, I both desifo and Command,' if my destcas have.any persuasion, ;4>r my wminaads any authority, u»aj» your itiarrlage may not be delayed by my. departure,. j-but tha; it shall take place as soon after myj iniortal remainsare laid in thacarthaaiahall, bej practicable. Tho ceremony niay.be as plain and, [private as you please; but it must b« performed. : immediately, as you value jour, own interest :ah<l my blessing. I shall leave this letter with 'Mr Key worth, to be delivered in case of neces iflity.. And, now, that the Lord, may save mi bless both you and yours, here and hereafter, is the daily fervent prayer of- : - Your affectionate father, , M Maurice'OthP Fitzgerald. " What say you, nay beloved Geraldine,' ehali my father's and your guardians wishes jjjfg earned out"? I need not tell you thatj ;>theV are my own earnest. desires," said 'Gerald FitzgPrald,- as he folded his leiter find returned it to his pocket. ■ ■ - ■ . • i Let me" read my own letter, dear Gerald," ( fiVe answored, as slie broke the seal a rrid drew #ne"paberfrom the envelope. ••■ .- -• ■ i i , «• Way,' have you not yet perused it ¥'■ Ho Triquirea.l ..,..,..,.; ■;; "No,' .bufwewill now read it'together/' ilcU said, 'aa she placed { th«i letter open[ -in Ms hands, and drew herself close to his 'Bide. ' «■ M*i ! He opened; arid read the 1 letter.'. Itf was in subStauce the. sairfe as'the one he had re ceived. The guardian repeated to the bride ;«l'ec6 all that he had already written to the Jfcrfdegrpom-expectant; arid he implored liei; fto'le'fcnb false delicacy,, or fanoied respect ': for his memory,' influence her to defer the i;sdlemhifati6ri pf Her -marriage with h'eij 'fce'trotbed; He reinirided her/that the best • mark of respe.ct that could both pay to rsijin wpuld be to obey his last wishes' as ex; pressed in his last letter. Arid lie concluded, 'By evoking this blessing of Heaven upon their i urifoqp" . ; , -,- . - i ~\ }:, "Never were a father's commands so cori jferiidT. Never was the duty- of obedience, i i'sp delightful. I thank and bless niy dear • father lor his thoughtul1 '■affe'ctiGri:- . What} jay tou, n*y dearest Geraldine ?" earri^stl^ ' iri'qu j red. Fitzgerald: .; ■< ■" It-shall be.as your father arid you wish, 'On-thil dtty four weeks hence I will be your ' wife; but there can be no pageantry;, no festivity V fKe' ceremony must" be performed, very- (fuietly, arid in the.-presence of : our: family circle billy. I. Family circle, did I ' aay ? Afi m& ! we have rip family circle ! 'We are eScK the last of our bouse ! But, 'of course; 1 referred tp nay guardian's • family with* f liSin'T'a'ffi^tayHfig:'^ ' f1 ' i ;«;■"9le'ps youj-^ny love) niy qu^en ! ..Ip.*hf midst'-qf all my trouble you nave made me very KaptSy,'\ explainjed fli'6 lover, as' he fatKete'd his beti'oi'b'ea tohis,b6sb^n.; .■ t « Cointf, now, flt she whispered, .afteivalpjri^ emb'racdj ,"it is time to rejo'iri oui 4 frreh'ds now:in-tlj4dlia'iviri|1-ro'6m'."- , . . : ( | BTe drew he? arm through" his^ ari'^t they passed p'ut^ happy as only lovlrs can be retforicjied, after a bitter qtiarreL j :: T?hfe- lorigf summer t\vili^ht. was fading into night, and Jeremy, the hall footman, was just Kghfffigf the chandelier as they •passed, him. • :. . They entered the long" drawirij^-rdbrii, Where all the par£ies r who had remalried at $he hou'sai after the reading of the will were assembles, "thije room was but half lighted, an'd.'th'e,company were sitfiirig about in 'ifth&n talking in subdued voices.. Several individuals looked upj, smiled,' ml Blightly charige'd their positions as the be trothed pair cainoin, • • : , Mr Fitzgerald led his bride to a seatj, and fifcood ioanmg ,4 ver the bSck of Her chair, while he said, in a.loj? tonei:; "I think, niyjSearesf, thai as all our guesta hare are mosit Iriiimate family cori nections'! arid have witnessed the delivery of these letters to us; and evinced some natural 1 4ufioslfcy and interest respecting them, I had, better make known their contents to : $i.c company. By doing so w« shall prevent •|©y mißConception. o.f our,, conduct;, andi so grepare our,relatives to ? understand the 1 nibtives dt our speedy maiTiage.1 feue I will do nothing .wifchoub your approbation. What .do you advise, .my dear ?" _. >( _,, s s ,. ! "I am willing to be guided by your ovrn > jiidgmerit, Gerald," she answered. ~., Withithat he stood up, lifted his head, and said : ~,.. . ... ■. , *J^ i> . • *../'My, irierids, we desif« your attention for * ievr momonts. You will jornoinber. iihafe you saw Mr . Kayworth, place .two letters, .written by my father; in our liarids, } and that whan I had read mine. I told you ■ that it contained important counsel tp me, to follow which, however, I should require ; the co-operation of another party." ."... .:. "Yea, yes, exactly. ; We remember all that," said Royal.Greenleak . " Tho other party was Miss Fitzgeral<J, my betrothed bride, and the counsel con tained in the posthumous letters wa9 that we should riot postpone our marriage On ao- Cburtt of the decease of the writer." • •< " I really do not see why you should," |iut in Royal Greenleaf. • - . ,- " So, dear friend sj you w,ill (Wnipreb!ena that Miss Fitegerald and myself,; in agr66- v ■ ing Upon an early day for our marriage, do -'but6bey thelasb imperative comm&ridgof my lata father and her guardian. I trust that you Will lot this be generally under stood! We ha"ve-fixed the twentieth- of August, proximo, as our marriage day." j-^Tfaat-.k- : rlj^^ You, my dear frierids," said Itoyal Green leaf, hoaiWvi ~; t)/t\ $4 " Lo6 mo shake hands with the bride groom ; and klsa tiiQ. fair^bridetelect," ex: .cslaimel Mf, .B|efl_BowerSj^.wringing the hand of Fitegerald, and then turning to Geraldine; but tii4 ha.iightjr bfeauty herself uj3, and.held out, hor gloved hand, wliicK Mr Bowers gallantly lifCed to»is lips. : Just then a peal of defisiS'b laughter ring Cvii upon the ah" a as the dark face of. the mad woman, Magdala, appeared; for an itistant at the window and vanished. ■'. All th^ conlpariy looked at each other in iiiim^y. , jV , j; ±s . [$ -' j ~.' J This. is .miisfc., unseemly," said Miss ■ Sue Greflnleaf, gravely. ~ ! : , , " That poor cr^furer oiigti really to fee confin.ed,';fSai3.Royal. . ... ;

Colonel Fitzgerald rang the bell, "which was speedily atiiiwered Jby the appearance of Jeremy, to jfh^m.he'.saicl: ... . .... . "Search thij grounds, for the -woman Magdala, and if it fee possible; find her, and bring her into the house." ,j = . vv ,:1 l*he "inlin bowed, and bacKied, out tp cafpy the order to, the out-door .servants. Then ho re-appeared to anhoiince dinner. CfelOTel Fitzgerald ai-ose arid hig arm to Mr-a Poy Fitzgerald, Royal tocjk Geraldine; Mrßowert copditctefl Miss Su^ Greenleafj Mr Keyworth dtew .Patricia's little .hand Svithin >his^atmj : rthd }\v Gdod «iri WM Gfertrtfde fbnSvrfed,^ and .sky the company proceeded to the dining-room.

It was ft..vi?ry _grav£ arid.ceremonious feast, which no. one.but the three^ oldfiv gentlemen, D'r/ GobdvViri.' Mr Ke'ywor'th, Mi* Bowers, seemed to enjoy. All the* cithers appeared to feel relieved when the meal was over, and they were at liberty to adjourn to the drawing room. There, also Jeremy, came to announce that the searcti for the '..poor, crazed wanderer, Magdala* had, been quite fruitless... She' could not Be fbuhdjipon tiho premises", and was supposed fco have gone away. {36'ori after this, the company separated, and retired to their several chambers.

, .By^ias^ue^Greenleaf's.-desire, she and her, protege, Gertrude Haddon, occupied 'adjoining* rooriis, with a communicating, >d*dor. -Mis%" Sue very often called her, fiavouijtejinto. kei; qyn chamber fpra Jit.tle gossip, previous to retiring. Th;B ( evening, agus'ual^ sh'tf said on reaching the door of her room'] . , - I' jQdme' ; iii ? niyj Ufctle True". We have so! much to talK over I B.ut you look pale, my - little, girT v . What is the matter with you. ?" •she suddenly asked, when, seating herself 'oji her large focking-chair, she looked into the, lovely face of her young- pfoWgd. !- " Indeed, nothing is the matter, dear Miss Susj" said Gertrude, smiling gravely, and seating herself on a footstool at the feet of tbejady. ~ H . ... , " Ah ! then; I suppose you are tired with all this turmoil. Well, and so Colonel and Mrs Fitzgerald, have made up their quarrel. Ah, well, it is to be hoped that the veconci-. liation will be permanent," said Miss Sue with a, sigh,. . t .» . . ■.!■<■,- ~■ > <( Oh ! why should it riot be so, dear Miss .Greenleaf? They looked so perfectly happy this eyening ! And k they are to be married so soon," said Gertrude gravely. 1 "I don't know, my dear. You know this proposed marriage was not one of their seeking, firstly. It was a marriage made ( up ,by hW father and her guardian—a iriarriage of convenience,in which.the union of lands was niore considered than the union of hearts or the unpricf hands,". ' . . ." But they seerii so devoted to each othe?."^. .. . ; ... ', "Idp not know, my dear, though at one time he certainly did seem to, be very much at'tac,hed to her,".said., Miss Sue, dubiously, j ~,"pli, he ,is deyoted fo_ her now," said Gertrude, with an. unconscious sigh, " Arid (they 4'reßuch a splendid couple ! They are . b.oth. equally ,mat<ph,ed in nitijestic beauty. They seem to have been made for each ;bther,", J ~.,., 1 , ~ m ,■ '. . " Tfiep made ior each, other! Oh, you ;inexperie.nced ebili ( ! Two such imperious; creatures aia'Gefal^ and, GeValdine made' for e^cK, oilier ! I.They would .torture 4p4 madden each other to the end. of their lives. , Op; no,.Gertrude! Geraldine should mai-iiy some' obtuse, phlegmatic, easy-going , duke or prince,: who could give her a title .arid—Jier^pwii ,way,(. , Qerild should marry some meek, adoring little saint; who would lose all, herself .in loving^ nioi, hdr lord. ' No, Gf ertrude. If fhat proud; lealou's you ng pair ever marry.,- whichX-doubt, they will torment each other irijfcp madness, or death, 'dr separation,1 or even divovee, within a very few years'," said Miss Sue, with a sigh. ■> " Now^Heaven forbid that, any such.un happiness .should pome to them,!"', earriestiv^exclaimed Gertrude, as she rbse to UeV flet. ~, ■■■^■;;!■■•. ■-. \ : ■•• ■><

■ I 1 Are. you .going* iriy 4.ear;.ch/ld.?" " Yes, jyiss Sue, : if .you please." " A^re you sleepy of tired ?" *T'Oh, rib," ma'ahi." •p." Tl'ip'n dbn^ go, if is early, yet. and I have got a, new book.. Horatia Rowley brought it to inc. ~By the way, talking of Horatia Rowley, do you know that hai-um- SQtiruni brother of hers—Sa'llust, I mean," of coVr6e—hai gone abroad ?" , . ~.-, - "Indeed,! .JTo; I^^did.riot know it." ",Oh, yes^ ,thby r; a-retter ,fr.om him, dated New, .York, in wbicK he said he should paA for liverpool that day, and would write again whpn.hf reaphed^ort." . &A ~, :l , ~ ~UPi4 ieaay why^he went, abroad so un, expe.ctedly ?" inquired Gertrude, in a low voipe., ,-,-, ~, ■. j ,■■..■( -~. ■ b,j .. --.oj „ '( ,jSTb; he. did not. . You t kriow, of Opurso, tha> he made" a flying vis'it,,h"efe on the nigh^of the fifteenth, and was off before morning." * • ~ . .."•Yes," said Gertrude,; wftli.a pecurar smile, ..as,;sbe, remembered ,f>he ecceritric traveller .wto»n jKb b a d rowed across the ferry op the night df the. storrii. '. . , . , q " Well, my dear, the nexfi day officers of justice ..came down from Richmond in search of joyie-hofly, andjJjt l was siid, of hitti, and that ,he j& in s.onie, great trouble.'.' .. ,(, i ~ " .Butwho says this ?" inquired Gertrude, with awakened interest. . ».-'-;,•, .-.-, ','. Oh, pay,dear, nq very reliable iriformaiit. Ben.Ppw.ei'B told,me about it, arid wheri J asked him for jifa'iauthpiifcy, he could biily §i>;e me ba^-i;opm gossip of the, Wildeville otel.^. Sometimes I tfii(|jJi,,tha,t my niece, Patricia, knows more.'.than she is Willing to tell. , You must understand that it was Patricia who receivea him on his flying yiify to this, hpuge| .and ~whp after\ydrds received, sortie strangers who came down the same morniiyry supposed to ( be the oi^cer^ ip search ,bf .Sallust. But whenever w,e apt Patricia .-anything about theaHair, sbe.^iyes u,s fQolieh (br r , derisive answers; as, ..ytove not bu.m-^ailie's. .h.t all, they w,ere fpur knights out of ,Si)ain,, a. courting of he°r daughter Jane ;' or ' that they virere a deputatiou from the forty thieves,' br fiwne auchj nonsense. We cannot get a word out of Pat." ~

j, Gertrude smiled as jhe, remembered the $Winy night of , the .fifteenth of July;, and thjpisQODO, between /Kerisalf arid the .terrified fugitive, when the. officers of justice were in pursuit of hidif.ftnd on the other side of ttie iiyey vo^ejatijig— "Boat,!" .That was a secrdfe knowioouly., t? herself. and to' tlie hinted boy she had rowed across the fpr,ry, and. sheltered in Jjer house,, as in a inoatgd..castle, all night long. , Arid shefelt t|ia| ahai roiisfc neTer betray the secret ofbhe yrho had irusted h|» life or fibdfty to her $qnpu'r., Slje felt, besides,, as sb'e had felt from th£ $rafc of her acquaintance with him, tiutfi .vrlia|iever trouble the u^etupus Sioy mi< rht have got into ho was really innocent. ~wiiiie Miss" $ue was talking she: was also searching among the article's on the ta'blb by frHi^h sEe'.sat for. something which ap parentlj she (Jbyld fiiid, . ~ v Is it this book you are looking for; Miss Sue?" inquired-.Gertrude,..pricking up a thin, Safe volume in the then fashionable style o| bindffigf, Wjw bo.ard covers an|i vvhite back, and le&te'red in Black cnarap ters: " St. Ronan»s Well, -a Novel by Sir Walter Scot*, £art. Vol. L" , i litU, my dfearj thdt i§ ifc^-ttifer firsjt xplump.. And I^'HiijK.'jTO have time to read an hour before going te' bed. Sit down, my dear;^ - . ...' ~ .And so eaying Miss Sue, composed her self back m her.easy-chair, put her fe^t upon her fdbtitctoli and lurried to the first page of this stbry.^,,- v.:.,,.,,. ,ye .\h j Gertrude sat. coiled up in the corner of a sofa near it Mad. ~ \.. „ •' .. , ; Miss. Sub. read aloud, and y^vj BO&ci th'd a^t^ijtioiQ boti^ tlje. elderl^ maidea lady and the young girl became absbrbeq iii the fortunes of " Clara Mowbray." They reali for two hours, and then Miss Sue closed the. book, saying; y' I read mpr.e than I intended t6, i you kfiow we haVe.got r ( e^.d fast, f4r ther& AJF® "several ladies waiting to borrow this book," i-'- t - •jkl.. J AJiss Sue spoke tHe trutS, lor if ever any individual napperied to become possessed of | a novel /in. Wilde county, ,hqi or^, she was! compelled by custom to, lend itji-pm one to I another,.vWolteveryJjody who-wished to do SQ had read it. Thus libraries M light r§adingSeldom;accumulated in tiha'l part of thp country. , .. , iS , , ..., ,„" Well,,,my, ,'deari W w'fl^OT'- t>Velvi9 o'clock, anii hbw .1 fhihk we Will go to bed." i^flta MißS v Si#.., r , y , .Gerfcjjide, kiased.^erdrones? g<)6<i-;night, and retired to hef rO'bm'. Late ~aS t"he loSf vtU, WS ■Idft M fe'ol inSlim W sleep.

But She prdpared .herself,forced, and then' put pu^.tte Ja.ihjJ^ha^ wasNrrtnig on the mantel-ptece, andT went and opened the shutters' of her windows that over looked the magnificent jjrospect of Wilde River, with' the* stupendous precipices on the other side, all Seen now in the clear obscure -of a brilliant, starlit, summer night. Finally, leaving the shutters open, she went to bed arid turned upon her right side from which position she could still watch the starl.it sky, the mountains, and the river- which reflected' both; for she knew that she must lie .awake. She could neither sleep nor understand her sleepiess ne"Soh ! why," she aslced herself—" why can 1 riot turn my thoughts away from Colonel Fitzgerald ? He. is, .not among my k'iridred that I sliould be thinking of him, i always ! What. is. that stately .gentleman to me thai; I should presume to occupy my ' mind with him at all' ? Only, I cannot help :it.. How did .it.happen? , JU^pe $»&s•] Lefc me examine myself. Doctor Goodwin says that self-exairiinatibn is a sacred duty._ How did it all— Oh ! first I know it was} such a deep delight only just to think about him—to recall bis stately form, his fine face, his splendid eyes,,so full of authority, yot so full of tenderness, and his voice so deep, yet so gentle'! Yes, it was such an exquisite, delight only to eeb away from everybody and close my eyes, and dream over again the hours, or even the moments, I had lived in the light of . his life-giying presencoj I did not know how such deep joy couldj ever.turn to pain.., And even if I had known it, I could not have helped it! Butj then came trouble to him—his bride's tierce anger, his father^ death—and I who had gloried in him so much, I dared to pity him ! Yea I dared to pity him, as if he had been any.other,man !. Then, oh ! how I longed to do something for him, to be something to him, to puffer something for him-! I prayed to the Lord, if it were possible for us to beai; each1 other's' mental and spiritual burdens, as bear their physicial and material ones, I prayed.to. the Lord that, if it were possible, .the. .burden of sorrow might be" lift3tl from his ro^at herat and laid upon my lowly one. .That my king might sit m lighi| . and joy an was his. kingly right. I was nolj so unhappy even then; for 1 was praying for him. And now,. withoM my poor help, all his darjinessis turned into light, his sorrow intJojdy;' he is vrecoridiled to his bride, and is going to-marry-her-in.a. few days ! I ought to be grateful to Heaven, t and.hapßy again in thinking of.^fiim. Butl.anihot! lam riot! Oh'! why am I rid longer de lighted in thinking, of his happiness ? Why is iriy heart oppressed with heaviness ? Why do I feel such a-.serise of ll'tter loneliness ? I do not know. I cannot help it!" Poor child!- S¥e had. been npp only motherless fibm her birth; but she had been utterly destitute of woman's care. Neither, had ,ehe mixed,,with other women, nor had any sort of experience in life, inj books, or in humari nature, that would have guided her to,a knowfedge of herself. Thus her whole heart was giving itself away in love, in adoration, in worship of one man ;. her whole spirit was , merging itself in. the life of that man. in a ,seif-devo tion as c6riiplete as it was uricohscious. Her s^lf.rexaTnina'tion, poor child; was not .very.;,satisfactory, j She. saw ,that slie .had taken' irioVe' exquisite delight in recallih'g; and cbnteniplating his'image, Arid inJUvina 6\rer again in memory the hours "she had spent it\ : his, r prei3er)ce,, than she had evei; found in any other condition. She felt' that she had' been deeply troubled witfi hid troubles, even to, the .depth of praying t,o the Lord tWat she hei'self might be per mitted, if pos^itye, .to.,suffer iij hi^ stead. But now—oh, sad mystery—now that with out her help in a"riy 4 way hie' was hap^y in! his. reconciliation with his bride.,.Bhe,could not rejoice with him ! She had>been misera ble in. his misery. Why^ could she notf now be Kappy in nis liappfriesß ? j She did not know., ■ She only ielt lier spirit cast; back upon itself, driven into the wilder ness ? She felt herself to be the loneliest creature in alt the .Lord's Ipvel^ world, as if all her fellow-beings..were more distanij from..her,than : those brilliant globes of fire' far off in the sidereal heavens, upon which she ibdked <as aHe lay. j Ati length, jtf her loneliness, she folded ier hands and prayed, and so praying, grew less lonely, and fell asleep.. » .

CHAPTER XXXII.

A GRfiAT SHOCIi TO GEHTRtTDE.

OK, woman wronged-dari cherish hate - : More dfcep and dark that* manhood may, : But when the mockery of fate Hath Tef t revenge itTchOßen way— St»l lingers Something of the spell, Wliich bound hor tb her lover's bosom- Still riiidst the vengeful fires of hell . Some flowers of old affection blossom. JditN d. Whittier. i Early in the next week the company of friends dii'd relatives ass'eiribTed at Summit Manor House, broke up and separated to their several homes, • ,-.,,. Greenwood family were the last to leay^. Two large travelling carriages; pnb belonging tP Summit MahOi1 and the other to Greenwood Farm; ..were * brought around to the door, after all the other vehicles had rolled away. , Into the=flrat carriage Colonel Fitzgerald handed Miss.Sue Greenleaf ..Miss Fitzgerald and Gertrude, and then he took the remain ing seat himself, it happened fco" be next to Gertrude; because Miss Qrdenleaf.and Miss Fitzgerald occupied the back seati leavin^pmy the, front to the young girl ana their escort.

Mrs Doy Fitzgerald",. Patricia, sMr Royal Greenleaf and Cousin Ben Boweis entered the second carriage. And in this order the whole party went.on tpw#d Greenwood. I . It is the p^rty in the first carriage witl> which we are mostly cbncerned- It was 'not a very talkative one. Miss Sue having nothing heavier on her sentimental < mind>. and, holding her- half• , read novel in l)ei\hand, took fui*tive glances between its^ I'lages, wondering ..what the inystei'y of tHe herbiri^'d melancholy hiad ness could mean; and reading occasionally by stealth. ~ :.,.', ;. , .._.,.. -. Geraldine.sat withher black veil over her face s .glancing from time to tSme at the grave face' or her love'rj' who was in t the farthest corner from her; ne"xts to the f c ferrY; girl," as she mentally and contemptuously styled Gertrude, and wondering why Miss Sue Greenleaf,. with all her natural refine ment,could make such an intimate associate of §ficfii a,lpw;born.yoadg^ < omja,ii a?,to taki) her into the carriagej,_and even receive her iaihe drawing-room anH at the dinner-tabl& "Well,"' said Miss' tfltzgefald to herself; ?';I jqannqtjjioi course,, control-the, j Ullages of tbe.household a,t Greenwood ;, r but when once I find myself iiiistress of the", Summit Manor, I shall take'good care that no perebn of that class shall .--ever find entrance into mydrawing-roomor dining-room^ exceptxn the capacity of a servant." Gerald Btizge?ald.yaßnot.qmtie uncon : scipus of GerfLldine^'s. annoyance, ,poc yet quite unaffected b^ it; but he, ebuld not understand it. He" explored his memory for any record of" a Recent cause of offence givep by ( him,,. jHe i.could ,£(Qd-npne. 'SpJie only sighed o^yerhig betrothed^ bride's sulftiness, aiid tried t6 tih'ink 6f hdidb deli cate way: of dispellmg it. The only happy occupant of the carriage yras.Giejtrude HaddP,?.._.Qnly/itt the^etfk before she had felt herselHo be the lonelies^ creafcure iii the Lord's universe. Now she felkperfeptljT satisfied to sit .bjeside; ,pne she worshipped as.a, god, arid to see hjm smile upon her sorri'etiriies as a ; man, would smile upon a child ; yet t6' feel that smile sirik down into her heart, filling it with light 'andjojv-.^^^;.. 4#*raQ&4aM, Itwds nearly two_ o'clock wnen the caiv j riages reached. Greenwood. The company hda just ifinie 6b go to their room and lay off tsejr p,iiter ( gari6enfcß,b§fote beingi^lled to..partake of .the dainty ,and ,ajjundapt lunW thwCßSi fdMteugM of aunt Mt, who expected them, had prepared, • '•'•

MS lunctieon, as by a tacit agreement, the members of the household dispersed to t"he1l; several occupations'oi4recreations, and | left.the betrothed lovers fco return to the drawing-rpom alone. , , Miss Sue Greenleaf took Gertrude and retired to her room to enjoy an hour s read ing of " St. Ronan's Well." ..: . Mrs Doy Fitzgerald and Patricia went into the store-room to pack a basket or jellies and home-made wine to send to a poor consumptive neighbour. ; Mr Royal Greenleaf aud Cousin Ben Bowers strolled out to the stables and kennels to look at the horses and hounds. Gerald Fitzgerald followed Geraldine to •the drawing-room, seated himself beside pn the sofa;took her hand, pressed it to his lips, and whispered the question which had been troubling him all. the. morning : . " What has happened to annoy you ? Is it .anything over which I have control? Tell me, my pwn dear Gertrude." " Your ' own dear who}" demanded Geraldine, knitting her brows. "Why, what is the matter with you, dearest Geraldine? ,Oh, I see now. For give me, dearest love. It was but a stupid slip of the tonpue. lam as bad as my old nurse Jessie, who always gets her proverbs hind part foremost. But —" " Pray, are you in the habit of address ing that ferry-girl as your own dear Ger trude, Colonel Fitzgerald?" inquired Geraldine, with a curling lip •• Why, certainly lam not. You know that I am' riot. I address no woman in that style except you, my. betrothed, and my only beloved. As for Miss Haddon, I would as soon take such a liberty with a princess as With her," said Fitzgerald, earnestly. "Indeed! Pray, since when has this : ferry-girl been called Miss Haddon ?" "Ever since I have known her, which has been only since my last return to the neighborhood," patiently answered Fitz gerajd. Colonel Fitzgerald gazed at her in sorrow and perplexity, and would have taken her hand, but she flung his away from her and folded her arms.

Her eyes wereßparkling,her colour rising, her bosom heaving. "Geraldine, dearest Geraldine, do not be unreasonable. Listen to me, I will be perfectly ffartk with you, truthful with you as I am with my Lord. Geraldine; my utterance of that poorchild's nnme-^-" " You even speak of her with tenderness. You cannot speak of her but with tender ness," exclaimed the young fury, vehe mently. " With pity, Geraldine, with pity, deep pity, that i^ all. Listen to me, ray beloved. I was thinking of that poor little meek orphan, and wondering what' her future was to be, for it is .whispered that old Gabriel Haddon has left a daughter of his own; who, if she should be found, would inherit the property, and thus, leave this poor, little, dove-eyed child .as bereft of home and means as she is of kindred and Mends;" ~ t> , a y ~,„ .„ , j " Oh, I have no doubt you would be delighted to provide for such a dove-eyed darling." - - " Geraldine!" . " Make fier ybur housekeeper—or some thing;"-. " ]Miss Fitzgerald !' exclaimed the lover, in rising wrath. - ~ ~,... '•'ls slie not your 'own dear Gertrude,' ' dearest^ jGer£vu"de, ■,' meek child,' ' dove eyed girl ?' and, ,the Lord knows what else ?", snarled the young tigress, all her beauty distorted by ragei, as she sprang tp her feet arid began walking the floor with rapid strides, . • . ■ • ■ ■

"What a tempest in a fea-pofc'!" cried Gerald Fitzgerald, a sense of humour mingling with arid modifying his just indignation. ,'^What a tornado.! It seemS; then, tnaMEaia ttf have no freedom at! aIH; I may not ev&i feel 6r express any pity for a poor orphan child—" "Colonel Fitzgerald, this is trifling!" exclaimed Geraldine, pausing in her rapid walk, and Standing beiOrd liifti with heaving bosom,,pushed,, fage. and flushed .eyes, " Understand riie. once for all! I will share no1 man's love with any other woman' living ! 11 certainly .will npt degrade' my self by sharing yours with a low-lived ferry girl! Who is this Gertrude; Paddbn? Who knows anything about her except that .'she was an abandoned foundling, an infamous child—". , "irifai'rio'ua child! Oh, Geraldine, what piofanatioh of words! How can & child b& infamous ?" said Gerald Fitzgerald, in a tpne of rebuke at once sad and tender. "The.child of infamous parents, then! That is all thai is known of this ferry-girl, 'who was found and brought up by .Gabriel Haddon. And now hear me, Gerald Fitz gerald ! I say I will not share your heart, or even your attentions, with this low-born girl V'L ~y ~. , t .'~ ,-. ;, ■; i ''GeraijJina? I. command you to be' silent!" said Fitzgerald, in a deep, stem voice, as he pointed to* the open door.. ~ . She followed the direction of hisfinger with her eyes, and was mute. For there, within the open door, stood Gertrude Haddon, white and still as a marble statue, showing in the meek despair of her face that every cruel, scornful word launched by Miss Fitzgerald had stabbed her,gentle heart and .transfixed her there without the power of moving, to advance or to retreat. Colonel Fitzgerald arose and stepped quickly across the room; took her arm gently,, and led her away, saying kindly as he did so": . "Cbiiie to Miss Greerileaf, my child. I suppose we shall find her in the 'sisters' parlour."!. . , , !" OK! .Colonel Fitzgerald, I did not know, indeed I did riot know." " Did not know what, my dear ?" "That you arid Miss Fitzgerald were in the drawing-room. 'I went there to get a book for Miss Sue—the second volume of a1 book she is reading! Andj 6b ! I never thought-1-" - " Never thought what, my child ? Com pose yourself, my dear." >'That I was a trouble to Miss Eitz gerald. But I,will go away—indeed) I will go away and give riq,more trouble.". ...; "-Where would you go, my little Ger trude 1" inquired Fitzgerald, led by his loving kindness .into more tenderness of manned towards her than ha virished to dis play, as he opened the door Of the sistors' parlour -arid took her in. The room was vacant; but. the tall.figure of Miss Greonleai was plainly through the open window, walking on the lawn. , would you go if you wer4 to leave this place, my child'" h'ei repeated icthdly. ~ ... ~ ~ ''0n,,1 would go to my own old ferry hoinej where pld John arid Jess, who love me, \v6uld take caire of ihe, where I w6uld re : turn to my qyvn old ferry life, and be useful instead of being troublesome to people," answered Gertrude* as she dropped trem bling into a large arm-chair, and sank back, pale arid weary-Joolirig. " T|ie feiry-house-is ho proper home for ii ypv|ng, unprotected girL lam sure your giia'rdian would not permit it. Who is your guardian by the way ?" "Dr. Goodwin is one, Mr Royal Green leaf is tfie other. I could also go to Dr. Tjfoodvyin." ; J«He is a childless widower. There is no la"dy at the head of his establishment. It would tib't do.". "Then I will ask Miss Sue Greerileaf where I may go. I will go wherever my elders tell me." "But why should y6u go at all. my child ? Why should you leave the home assigned you by your guardian ?" " Oh, because t must—l must— indeed I must,Col6riel Fitzgerald. But I will ask Miss Sue Greertleaf where I can go." . "Do so, my dear child. I think she will decide that you shall go nowhere, that you must stay here under her excellent prdtec tidtti But here gomes Miss Greehleaf, to aßß^# for herself/ said Colbriel Fitzgerald, as he saw Miss Sue, with a (largo spray of

moss-roses in her hand, re-er.tor the" house. Tho next.minute she came int? the.room.

"Oh, you are here, Colonel! Sit down. Gertrude, my dear, did you bring the book I oent you for ?" said Miss Sue, as she went up to the mantel-piece and added her moss roses to the fresh bouquet in the vase. "No, Miss Sue,— 1—" began the girl, but being unable to explain why she had not brought it, she stopped in the middle of the sentence.

"Allow me to fetch it, madam," said Colonel Fitzgerald, politely. "Thanks. It is the second volume of 'St. Konan's Well.' You will find it, if you will be so good, on the stand in the bay window," said Miss Sue, blandly. Fitzgerald bowed, and left the parlour. When he re-entered the drawing-room he found his indignant bride-elect still walking rapidly up and down the floor. "I have been waiting for you, Colonel Fitzgerald. I have something to say to you," she muttered, without looking at nim or pausing in her walk. " One moment, Geraldino, and I will be at your orders," he replied, not unkindly, as he crossed the room, took the book from the stand, and went out. He carried it in to the sisters' parlour, placed it in the hands of Miss Sue with a bow, and hurried back to the drawing-room. " Now, my clear Geraldine, I am at your service. Will you not be seated ?" he inquired, drawing a large resting-chair towards her.

" No ; I will neither sit nor stand," she answered, continuing her walk. He sighed, stood on the hearth, and rested his elbovv on the mantel-shelf, and waited for her to speak. "I told you, Colonel Fitzgerald," began Geraldine, still walking rapidly up and down the room-"I told you that I would not share the heart of any living man with any living woman. I told you that I would not share your attentions with a low-born ferry-girl. It revolts me to be obliged to sit in the same room with her, at the same table as her ; but lam in my guardian's house, and must submit to his old-maid sister's whims-r or, rather, I have had to do so ; ; but I will do so no longer. I tell you farther, Colonel Fitzgerald, that you must cease to pay any attentions whatever to the ferry girl." ■•'■•'•«• '• . " I-havd* never paid Miss Haddon any at tention , except such as it is, the boundpri duty of any gentleman to pay any, lady who happens to be in his company," said Gerald Fitzgerald, quietly. " ' Miss Haddon ' arid ' lady !' I declare,' Colonel Fitzgerald, you seem to have very rude ideas of what constitutes & lady. But I suppose the many years you have sperit in the frontier, forts, and in the company of savages and backwoodsmen have de moralised ydur sense of propriety tosbmP extent," sneered Geraldine, stpl walking. I He waited quietly to hear what more she had to say. Soon she continued : " You must cease your attentions to the ferry-girl, at once. I will not endure tc have them go on." "Anything else, Geraldine?" he in quire'l, very calmly. . "Yes, sir! Yoti' must go to Royal Greenleaf, and say to him that this low prp t<sgf?e* of his mad sister—this low-born ferry-girl-r—must be sent away from, the house.... Sent away immediately., She, can be provided for' soihewhere else. I atnj willing to provide for the creature ; but she must Jbe sen{; away, at once. J will not tnduri her presence in the house for another day !" "Is that al^ you require of me, Geral dine ?" he a*sked in a low voice. " Yes; it is all, for the present," she answered,; throwing herself into a Chair at last, and looking at him. He stood with his elbow resting on the maintel-piece r with his eyes fixed upon the floor. He stood, pale, still, and mute, until she spoke again. , "Dp you intend., ta,.do .my bidding, Colonel Fitzgerald ?" she haughtily de riiaride'd. .. (! Assuredly °I do not," he answered; em phatically. " You do riot!" she excla'iined, iri indig nant amazement, "I do riot. If I were to do that which you require of me; Geraldine, I should stand for ever dishonored and accursed in my, own eyes. If any dther man were to offer such an affront to Gertrude Haddon, ,even at your bidding, Geraldine, and Royal Green leaf did not thrsish him within an inch of his life, / should call them both to a severe account." " You are the champion of this ferry-girl, I see," sneered Geraldine.,. _ ',' She does not need a chanipion. If she did, every true man wouldbe afi her service." " You defy me, sir!" exclaimed Geraldine, with flashing eyes. '\I defy no woman; least of all wbuld I defy her I love." " You are at issue with me, then. It is the same thing." "I am at issue with you ori this point only, my dear Geraldirie." •' Dp not call me '-dear!' lam not dear to you ! You never loved me ! never cared for me ! I might have known it! Indeed, of late years Iliaveknown it,"she cried.start ting.upand beginning to walk rapidly to arid fro. " Geraldine ! for Heaven's sake, be calm. I dp .love you —utterly and — fatally—l sometimes think. You know I love you. You believe it iri your better moods," said Fitzgerald, earnestly. " I say you never loyed me. 11 was never the'first object in your life, as you have been always in mine. I have always had to be sacrificed to some" fanatic sense of duty, some Quixotic point of honour; and now, npWit is your degrading patronage Pf a miserable ferry : girl!" "Geraldine! Geraldine! you. bittprly arid cruelly wrong both that innocent' child and myself. When you come to ybur right senses you will know that you do/ "What! Do you think I can be de ceived in face of all I have seen > and heard ?" demanded the young fury, lashing herself intP frenzy, arid betraying the hidden causes of her jealousy. "Do you think I ajm blind, deaf Pr idiotic ? I heard, Colonel Fitzgerald, Pn the very first even ing of your arrival at this hbuse," how you devoted yourself to that gidL You wer^ told that I was confined to myropni' by sickness ; so you consoled yourself with the ferry-girl. Oh ! that I should live to know it! That. |s what I heard.". " Geraldine, I demand your authority for that story." "Patricia." " That little, mischievous, jesting, tricky elf! I wonder, Geraldine, you could have given a moment's serious attention to any thing of that sort coining from such a fantastic creature."

" If I had given serious attention to it at the time, I assure you I should hot have accorded to you the interview that subse quently took place between us in the library," said Geraldine, haughtily. ,•' And yet, when I recall that night, lam persuaded, that the report you hacfheard of me, however little attention you may have bestowed upon it, must have influenced your conduct during that painful iritei \iew," said'Colonei Fitzgerald, gravely. i ~" It may indeed have done sq, and justi fied me in anything I might have said or done there. At all events, Colonel Fitz gerald, all that I have seen to-day has cor roborated all that I heard that night. 1 saw the pressure of the hand with which you helped that girl into the carriage when we were leaving the Summit. I t(iw. the manner in which you took your seat by her side. I saw the way in which you looked at her. My thick black veil was down, and perhaps you thought I could not see; But remember, / could see you, though you could not see my face. Yes. I saw -your gaze and your smiles-yes, and her down cast eyes, and blushing cheeks, and con scious looks. Oh, it was as plain as day. lightt Tom thought because my face was closely veiled and Miss Greonleaf a attention

was absorbed by her book, that your quieil flirtation with the ferry-girl could go on right before our faces/without being per ceived. You were mistaken, Colonel Fitz-' gerald. 1 saw it all. And what 1 saw with' my eyes to-day confirms all that I heard from Patricia that night. Did you happen to suppese, Colonel Fitzgerald, that your accidental use of that girl's name instead of mine, unconnected with what had gone be fore could have given me offence?. No—no more than if with a slip of the tongue you had called mo Patricia. And now the .crowning insult. When I demand that you break with this girl, and have her sent from the house, you refuse to do it. Gerald Fitzgerald, I will not take you at your first rash word of denial. 1 will give you another chance, for—l love you. I appeal to you for your love to me—if indeed you have any. Gerald, if you love me, break with that girl, and insist upon her being1 sent away from the house." "Geraldine, you hww that I love you ! but I cannot do what you require of me.. If I could do such a thing, I repeat it, I should stand for ever dishonoured and ac cursed in my own eyes," he replied, firmly and sadly. "You never loved me': And I—fool! fool! fool ! and thrice sodden fool that I hare been ever to have believed it! Our betrothal was a farce ! Worge than a farce, it was a crime—the crime of a foolish old man and an ambitious young one ! who conspired to deprive a poor little five-year old baby of her liberty and her land at once, and to bind her to a cold-hearted traitor, who has given her indifference for her love,1 and treachery for her trust !" "Geraldine! Geraldine! for Heaven's •sake have a care !" exclaimed Colonel Fitz gerald, almost driven, at last, from his self command.

" For what should I have a care ? I care for nothing, Colonel Fitzgerald !" she cried, beside herself with jealpus rage. "Here! take your betrothal ring ! And if ever I permit you to put it on my finger again, may Geraldine Fitzgerald stand ' dis honoured and accursed' not only in her 'own eyes,' but in the eyes of all the world!"

And with this terrible imprecation upon her own mad head, she tore her ring from her finger and hurled it with violence to the feet of her lover.

(To be Continued.)

THE GREAT SENSATION OF THE DAY!

NOW READY, THE STORY OF THE . Langworthy Marriage,; WITH PORTRAIT OF Mrs LANGWORTHY. A STRANGE, TRUE STORY OF TO-DAY, , SYNOPSIS OF INCiDENTS: Portrait of Mr E. ; M. Lakoworthy " A Sweet Girl Graduate" . Th<s Luck of London Betrothed "Toa Woman engaged in Teaching, Never !" The "French" Marriage^ Why riotan EngHsliMarriaige'? - v : !. The Belgian Marriage A Brief Honeymoon Adding Insult to Brutality Piscdvered by a Dream I jn the Year of Grace ISS4 The Lie in the Affidavit A Struggle for Life ■ ... ; , After Darkness, Light at Last " The Slow Drag Chain of thi LSw's; Delay" " My Lord, we admit everything" Gagged in Court Mr Danby tells us why Stung to the Quick Langworthy claims the "Alleged Child" £1,200 a Year Alimony-on Paper Alone in London A Struggle with Starvation Hunted Hard In the Service of the Poor Another Stab in the Back The Lords Justice decide! against Mr Langworthy Mr Langworthy returns to England On a False Been A Clever Capture " Absolutely Denied"—but Trite The Pitiful Plight of Mrs Langworthy Breach of Promise—Damages £20,000 Mother-in-law at Bay Muzzling the "Times" How it was done " If you say anything mcire about Mrs Langworthy, we'll make it hot for you' Suicide ? " Mad frdin Life's Mystery" Some Polite Letter-writing Delay, Delay, still more Delay : A Guilty Conscience and a Loaded Revolver The Modern Rack " The Weapons of a Warrior,, not ihe Dagger of the Assassin" The Bankrupt Millionaire "No, my Lord; I cannot defend it*' The Langworthy Clan The Subpoena and the Hunt Party " Spenlow and Jorkins" More Advantages from the Lie in the 1 Affidavit A Natural Query Messrs Bircham's Offer No Compromise A Friend in Need Holding the Pass What is to be Done ? To the Argentine Conclusion Send Postal Order for One Shilling to Stab Officej Auckland, and a copy of the book will be mailed. Also to be had from the Stationers.

THE AUCKLAND EVENING STAR THURSDYA MAY 8, 1881



Business Notices. HORSE COVERS, -^>" GAITERS. >"r r?r '^^vjMgJf*: WATERPROOF _>>^ RIDING and DRIVING APRONS, "piU.iJGU's BOUGEtT IN. ANY QjUANTITY. Apply Mkohanics' Bay, Wakkfield-btbeet, Wharf Dinuss Rooms, 27, Qoben-stbekt. m A & CHBE.



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