HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Record, 1881-03-04, Page 2ea
J•ac1 Chiddy.
Yell no thought for the unwearied kipdnees you not lightly to cast aside a love that is ipipossible to bear this life he led, He. felt 1 seemed to awaken him as if from a dream,
he has shown, ua here the .ec�untleee bane- very true and earnest t. yot� hold a men's that has self-control must fail him goon. to restore to him in part that self control ter'
A. True Incident - of the Rain fits he has ltadedlis" with? No, it's of no life:' in this little hand, Coil," lie could see that in some way Cecil was swept aside that he bad, taken no thought of
-- use crying, Alice; tears are not feeliug. Hie voice faltered. and failed; ho drew: in changed, that soma trouble lay on her what ho said, had forgotten all but the
Bravo Jack VbJt3tly 1 Ah woll,you may coon,,
You can cryfor an hour, but you are just his breath o okly ; he could ecai co y bear heart. Was. it that oho had mistaken her terrible agony, the Icon sense. of a bitter
For the name isn't one mat sounds nice la the ear, d shallow t the cud as ort the clinging touch of that little 'mina ; h4 feelings with regard to Lord Kennedy, and %njustioo. But now he bent over her and
Bata r.ome le a sound—nothing mord—deeds aro as go fish tin o a j s a
beet, were at the heyiiming;" mulct not utter another word, although that his absence had shown her clearly now strove to force honk the deep tender lava'
Anddaek had the -soul of et man in'his 'breast. 1 Had that she laved him The Colonel tried to that Mould thrill in every tone of Me voice
Cecil spoke with a bitterness she had litter self-reproach liar stinging rim, fore° himself to thinll this might be true;; "M child,mypoor cild forget, forgive.
Now, I heard you say that you're fond of a tale never' before shown nor indeed felt, Then he :been true to his trust? g y er S : g
1R it bears upon ra(ixay men and the rail..
she lift the ,Dein ; she arae trembling from rroeently Cecil raised her head and podia yet his own heart dared to whisper nuttier ray madam, my Weakness I I have startled
'Well, herein one that win saityen, tkuow, ed back the thick way hair from: her foray sterj!, you with words that ehould never have
Though it happened agood many ycarsago. head to feat, lirofpul ti within he by 1ler head. She said half dreamily, as though At Hyde conj etureand eagerqucstioniag passed nelips. Cecil, do not give me the
Jack Uhl paetren of feeling arousedy
d1y-.there you are gm(1(e a "co first. idea was to ;;o, at once to the 0 donel aplsaking more to herself than to. him— were rife, tiVe1��e the—th Lancers going additional reproach that I have suffered the
At the name, witch 1 own is both "common and and ask him to tell hor the truth ; but then, A mane: life in. this band . W.11 he care ouot? ' Of course
urs known, Coione would go thou. aliadows of my life to fall on yore,"
plainwouadditional an very much ? Is it true that Women have l Nothing k . No r a had some "No, no," she said, almost inarticulately
Jack In a di',. I say, wrought aloin, wits the es mates, ago told to lie hint ton think thate this tory was such power? Colonel McLeod," she said from head•cluartexa as yon. Both officers. • .. not reproach. Oh, if I might beer it
Year to and year nut on a eectfon oR plates. agony hint h,f, • '
lino%n to the children of Albert. Yoram': wistfully, if I said that I did not Dare for and men were eager to be gent out ; and, at all for you i
Simple enough was the work, with no Ouse No the would not oto him she must re- him now as he wished, but allowed him to the mesa, is barruoks, indeed everywhere a '' Heaven forbid!" he said quickly,
Buy to see that both hoes were in irange and,nage main fn suspense as to the truth of the
think 1 might do so 1u a little time --a year Lancers uniform was to: be seen, there Was ''" Your name is free from stain, dishonour ;
.Fasten a key there, and tighten a bolt, 1 or two --he would hope, would he not, any but Dao topic of nonversatisn-the war, and ranine -+--
All to peep fast tracts from glviaga jell, st I4ever before had Cecil known what it think I shouldrnot se id hint away again ? the
In he leuoe f takin 1par in it.t.
Waited= in
Strange when ono thinks where a hero may rise, was to go through such an evening as she What then, (,'toil ." suer that was an aeon He had not
Say at times, in a moment, before our oyes, h it e
Or right from our side ono we know it, and do • passed that day, bearing a bitrden.to..i attic "That would be tleceivin ' lr' 1i- P:ease sal even to, Ceell what he had done, She
The work of a giant and pass fromour view. she was unaccustomed, trying to teem her sax wt tae, knew that be moat have volunteered, be-
rm -- Usual. self,. and failing. She said she had a a y. y ¢ : cause le knew him so well. But as he had
But the store ? you ear. wen, rm coming to that, headache, and under that tea slid eat b t th her tone a rasolutioi n yy
Let
Inc 1 wander a little—now, where was 1. at? plea, , not spoken on the subject, alae shrunk in her
Let msee. Can you catch, ehitdug round and clear, tbroughoot that wretched evening in a low now Bigness of hon from seeking a confi-
The mouth of the Bresimgten tunnel from here? chair by the tire -side, holding a screen, as ciente ne had not volunteered. 6
You t 1 well right on the batik at the top • if to shield her from the light, while Alice — Unt to tilts I l.now I shall novo, change. -
One afternoon Cecil entered the hibr
b with Colonel bicLet.d. I know I
Am Only a Dung gill " said Cecit•pleadingly
—but t -era "was iu , .
clearcomeroheusion of what she was say
-
ing,, that assured hon she spoke deliberately
°h l . never love Lent limned as he
I s alY
'would wish his wife to love him. /ate
him—1 have been very happy when he has
come ;. bet that is so d ffereut• front any feel-
ing one ought to have for the man one must
look up to above every other, i gm eo sorry,
oh, so sorry, 1, Do you, want ane very much
to marry. Lord Kennedy
Her wistful eyes locked up to his, seeking
an answer and appealing to him with pa-
thetic pleading, Ylow could lie give the lie
to that love throbbing in hie heart—how say
the words that would rnflueuoe, her perhaps
to strive 'painfully to please him? For he
knew tbat•Cecil spoke the truth; she would
never give her heart, her life unreservedly,
to the man who had asked these of her.
She must have seen the gray pallor that
came to hie foe, the convulsive quiverof his
white lips With a teat effort of self-con-
trol he turned aside, folding his arms tight-
ly over: his breast ; and the girl flushed and
shrank back,
"If you' can be:: happy 1" he muttered
hoarsely:
For one moment after that Cecil stood
absolutely • etill, her eyes turned' with a
startled, half -bewildered, questioning look
on him, And iii that brief .space of timea
sharp ret melon came to Loris McLeod. He
knew that a moment's weakness had almost.
Caused the betrayal of that which he had
exerted every power.of hie will to keep
secret. He. was doubly bound in -honour.
And, honour was ,the guiding star of his
life ; all else might fail him—there was only
that left 'to cling to. • Should that go too?
He raised his foe once more, deathly white,
but •.set-.in:'an.unalterable.. resolve. . 73tr`did
not look towards the girl, who started;• as. if
from a dream, when rhe heard the soft
voice, quiet' with. the•intensity of inward
When We ootne'blucks, ail at once, down the laved cbees with Mrs. Annandale. CO, nal cry to
l lik fetch a book. It was oneof the days on
which Colonel McLeod's .duties always took
him into Hyde,
whence he
rarely re u ne
d
till late. She thought he was stili absent.
She had not ventured into that room of
late. She paused therefore with a start
when, on entering, she saw that the library
was not tenantless,. But the shook was not
at the sight of hire she half dreaded to meet,
but at the attitude, the whole appearance,
of the man, which betokened something so
like despair.
He sat,. with his arms crossed on the,
table, his head resting on them, perfectly
still; yet the bowed form told of suffering
before .which the girl's half -trembling fear
vanished, the woman's noble impulse to
soothe and strengthen filling her heart. She
had 130 thought of herself, of all the doubts
and self -communing that had destroyed her.
peace of late. She simply knew that he
.suffered, and that for him she would have
braved even death, if that might save him
from pain, ' •
• With -light gentle footfall she camp to his
side, and then paused, shrinking from
wounding him afresh by 'intruding on his
anguish. Yet, soft 'as had been her stet, he
must have heard it, or, was inatinotively
conscious'of her presence; for he raised his
head and looked up, with 'only a dim con-
sciousnees that it was Cecil who had come
to him, Her coming might be an additional
sting ; butthe greater pain had swallowed
up the lesserfor a'time, Then he'dropped
his head again and said slowly—
"Why do you come • theme, iny humtlia;
Mon??
She, bent :forward, deathly pale,.. with p
sinking heart=the word struck her sharply,:
," There 'is.none," she; said in a lotvtone.
t'.
Whitt is it•?"•What has • happened - Oh,
Colonel McLeod,tell,` me -in pity tell
slope
A hue:a slab of stone from tyo rest shore its way, •
Aad fell down on the up -line of metals and. lay.
• Qno sharp cry of terror bnrat forth from us all,
As we saw the Mice maim topple over and fall,
We stood as if bound to the spot, dumb of speech,
Beading horror and daubt in the faces of each,
Then one of our mates snatcheda glance at UN'
n ateh, • •
Gave a start and a l:•ok that made each due catch
At our breath, and a cry, that thrilled our hearts
through..
"My Godl the Flying Dutchman' Is overdue 1"
Hark straight from over the hill we can hear
A dull, dead sound coming straight to the ear,
Then a short, sharp whistle that told with its blast
That the,' Dutchman " was into the tunnel at last,
And there on the rail icy that.huge masa of stone.
And the "Dutchman" behind .Doming thundering
on: •
• In a minute or loss he would collie with a dash,
And a hundred lives would be lost in the crash:
" Now, for your life, Jack 1" for Chiddy had flown
• Down the bank, and three leaps brought, bins clot
to the stone.
Not for his own life. for wife and child's sake. '
Thought he, but the hundreds that now were at.
stake. ,
•
'Twas the work of a moment. With terrible strength
And a heave of the thou der the, '
slab anoved at
length—
Slipgd clear off the rail—when, halfutnIRtd. in
smoke.
From the mouth of the tunnel the "Dutchman"
broke. .
•
There was one sharp whistle, a re ar, and a crash
Of wheels ringing clear on the rail, and a kelt
of coiling smoke, and a glitter aim gleam.
Of iron and steel, and thew down .fell the steam.
-lot abreath could iwo draw, but stood blauk with
dismay. - n --
As the train tore along, making`
up for delay ; • 1
Till at last from us all burst a shout end a cheer,
Whoa we knew that the " Dutchman" bad 'pass'd
and was clear.. • • • •
•
And Chiddy? Ah me 1 you will pardon these tears,
For be was my mate on the rails many seers.
When we found .him, onelook was enough to reveal
That Jack's life's -blood was red on the engine -wheel.
Bravo Jack Chiddy i Now you don't sneer.
At the name which Iown ,abut burgh to the or;
But a name is a sound—nothing more-deeda are
Best, •
cLeod did trot come into the drawing -
room. • He had sent a message, asking to be
,excused from Fatting them at dinner; he had
business, he said ; and Hector, who deliver-
ed the message, added 'that the. Colonel had
ordered .hie horse not long after Lord Ken-
nedy had left,' and had ridden out alone,
" Lord Kennedy has been ,here then?".
i:aiyt• Mrs. Annandale; but Cecil made no
Answer. What news had Lord Kennedy
brought to give a fresh shock to Loris.
McLeod ?
The Colonel had to go into Hyde early the
next morning, Ile saw Cecil for a momept
or two, and greeted her in his usual grave,
half -tender manner, which made her trem-
ble with a strange vague feeling that was
half dread, half hope of she knew not what.
,But he said not a word of what had passed
the day, before. Perhaps.'. it pained him to
think that ethereyes had looked upon his
suffering. •
• In the afternoon Cecil was practising, or
trying to plaatiee, in .the library. She.
thought she was still, absent, and would not
return until later; but the Colonel Dame in
and went etraighttoter side. She started
up, flushing trout cheek to brow in tonin,
sfon.
"'I thought' you were out 'still," she said
a little hurriedly,"or I should not have come
here. Forgive -me."
" You.were made free of the library Iong
ago, my `child,". replied .Colonel McLeod,
with a grave,' sweet smile; "but, I want
you for a little time, •Cecil; if you can spare,
it to me." •
"l ain'iiot busy" Oda if I•wete,, mythrie-
is yours," she said, a• . .
She locked.l er; heads tightly together,
trembling a little inwardly, and in wonder-
ing silence- took
onder-ingsilence-took the low chair hu -brought
forward for her. • ..
"•I am going,'• said the Colonel,' taking
up his 'favourite. position by the motel -
piece, to speak, to you, any. child, on a
subject that may startle you perhaps a lit-
tle. You have no mother or father;.so 1
• must stand in their place, and with you it
is .best:to..come at' once to the point.` Lord
Kennedy "came to see me yesterday" -•he saw
her start and raise her eyes quickly to, his
lace ; then they dropped again. " He asked
my permission to become a suitor for your
hand. • ..•
`Ile had "expected the girl to be startled,,
agitated, bewildered' at • the irtelligenee,
which .would probably -Dome upon her '.as•
soinetbing new and strange ; hilt he :was aot
• prepared for the shock words seemed to
give -her.. She sprang *Wards him and .put
out her handswith incoherent words, and an.
almost wild entreaty in her large eyes.'
"No, no—I .cannot—I never thr.ttght-•
ob, ColoneL Mca.eod, don't ray I must think •
of that --don't let him . Make—take me
And Jack had the soul of k. man in his breast.
HIS VICTORIA CROSS.
•
By the Author of "A STReales WrtnDINee
Ben," "CLARE STAnaeoat'S • •
DIAMONDS,". &C.' .
CHAPTER VI.—oonni$ED.
'It's a falsehood—a base falsehood 1"
cried Cecil sharply ; her blood • bounded in
her veins, and mounted to her brow, While
her eyes clashed. " It ie pot true—it can-
not be true." ;
"But it is," said Alice ' vehemently.
" Mr. Fairleigh said every one knew it ; he
was surprised that we had not heard; but,
of course, Colonel McLeod takes care we
sha'n't hear. That's Why. be keeps tie mew-
ed up here like nuns; •Fairleigh showed
me a history of the Mutiny, and it's there in
black and white—onlymentioned, • you
,
know—and he said Laid ,Kennedy knew it
ande--"•
" Hush—hush ! Dou't, Alice ,' for laity's
sake, be quiet 1" said •Ceoil, in •;