The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-09-15 00:00:00

CHAPTER XVI.
A NSW MOVE.

TIIE division did not take place, as may be sup
posed ; but 'Thello's words set tho two men think-
ink. They had both been so occupied with their
love for Grace and Mary that it had been, as
it were, an armour of proof, from which many a
tender glance had flashed off without effect. They
had both been light-hearted and cheerful with the
girls, and had felt glad to find them so willing to
follow out their advice for the well-being of the
strange colony; but these words of 'Thello seemed
to take a veil from their eyes, so that they saw mat-
ters in a very different light.
That very afternoon, while ashore, Laurent fol-
lowed Mary and Grace, who, with a party of women,
had gone about a mile inland, to a place they had
christened "The Orchard," to gather the fruit from
a kind of plum tree—'Thello being deputed to go
with them' and, armed with gun and revolver, act
as a guard.
At this time, in spite of the earnest prayer of
Laurent, the signal-flag still remained down, and
there was nothing to attract.the notice of a passing
vessel.
Laurent came up with the party straggling
about amongst the bushes, and he felt annoyed as
he saw bright look after bright look animate the
faces of the girls he spoke to and questioned about
their success. Under the circumstances, he felt that
he could not ask where Mary Dance was; so he
walked on, to find her at last alone with Grace
Monroe, both looking hot and flushed with their
exercise, but handsomer than he thought he had ever
seen them before.
Here was his opportunity, and he determined to
speak to Mary; for his chances on board were very
few.
He had: approached very near before he was ob-
served, and then Grace uttered an exclamation, as
he went up to her with extended hand.
"Just in time to help," he said, lightly.
And then his heart sank, as he saw his hand left
untouched, while a cold look came over the faces of
both the fruit gatherers.
"have I offended you, Miss Monroe?" he said,
earnestly. "Mary Dance, you will shake hands
with me ?" he said, as she gave him a short nod,
and turned away.
"Why should I, Mr. Laurent ? " she said, shortly;
"Because I believed we were very dear friends;
be said.
And he stood looking at the firm, bright, ani-
mated countenance before him.
"You were mistaken, then," said Mary, shortly.
"Grace, let us join the others."
' "Miss Monroe," said Laurent, piteously, "stay
for a few moments. Perhaps she will then hear me,
or will tell me how I have offended her, whom I
have tried to make my dearest friend."
Grace glanced at Mary, who said, sharply—
" Mr. Laurent has so many dearest frienda that
lie can very well spare me."
" You wrong me, Mary," said Laurent, warmly.
"Do I?" she said, tauntingly. "Well, never
mind, you will soon get over it. There's Jane
Granger with a heavy basket, and Ellen Bray close
beside her, loadedlike a bee. Go and help one of
them—both dear friends of yours."
" Inaeed, beyond the simplest word of civility,
nothing has ever passed between us," said Laurent.
"They talk very differently," said Mary Dance,
sharply, "and so do a dozen more. But come,
Grace let us go."
"Indeed, you are mistaken," said Laurent ear-
nestly. "Miss Monroe say a kind word for me.
She has been so hard and bitter lately, while my
every thought has been of her."
"Just the same as Mr. Helston's has been of Mips
Monroe here," said Mary, angrily. "Shame on you
both! You take advantage of your position, both of
you and it's disgraceful.. Ah, here is Mr. Holston."
Grace caught her arm, and the two were hurrying
away; but the configuration of thp ground enforced
a meeting, and at the end of a minute they were
brought up, with Helston on one aide and Laurent
on the other.
Grace stood, with the flush upon her cheek giving
way to a deadly pallor, as Helston drew near and
offered his hand, with no better fate than had be-
fallen his friend.
"It's of no use, Holston," said Laurent bitterly.
"Someone has been poisoning their ears against us,
and they prefer believing others to us."
"if we are poisoned against you," said Mary,
sharply, "it is by your own actions. But come,
Grace, let us go on board—here come the ladies
these gentlemen intended to meet."
She took Grace Monroe's arm, and led her on,
Helston making way for her to pass, frowning as he
saw that she averted her gaze, while Deborah
Burrows, followed by another of the women, came
hastily up,
"Stop," said Deborah, sharply. "You, Grace
Monroe, and you, Mary Dance, go straight on board
the vessel, and stay there. Your liberty is stopped.
for a month.''
Grace looked at her firmly, but made no answer.
And Deborah continued, tauntingly:
"If you have no respcct for your character, my
good girl, I must have.
"Pray what has she done, Mrs. Burrows?" saiJ
Mary Dance, quietly, "1 have seen nothimi-
wrong."
"Of course not," said Deborah, spitefully, "You
approve of these clandestine meetings in the woods,
under the pretence of gathering fruit."
"Hush, don't speak," said Grace, earnestly—
"don t reply to her."
She was too lath; for, preserving a smiling face,
Mary Dance's heart was throbbing fast as she said,
with a low curtsey—
"We were under the impression that the example
of the strong-minded Mrs. Deborah Burrows might
be followed in every respect."
Deborah bit her lips and glanced from one to
the other ; but she made no reply, only pointed
down the track, and Grace and Mary were literally
taken prisoners, and led off by half a dozen women,
"This is getting unbearable," exclaimed Helston,
aloud. "Are we to suffer it ?"
"If you stay in our society," said Deborah, coldly,
eyes.!
And she turned away, leaving the two, young rnen
gazing at one another. •
"It is monstrous," said Holston, as soon as they
were alone.
"But what can we do?" said Laurent, bitterly.
"We might Interfere; but our help is refused."
"Yes," said Helston; "and we cannot war upon
women."
They struck into the wood, and made an
i exploring
circuit, before returning to the shore late n the
evening, feeling more and more satisfied that they
had pretty Well plumbed the place, and that there
was nothing new to be discovered.
Here, though, a surprise awaited them; for on
reaching the raft rope, the raft was by the vessel,
and no notice was taken of their signals.
"What does this mean ? " said Laurent.
And he hailed the ship, but without effect. There
were women on the deck, but no one took the
slightest notice of them.
" We shall have to swim for it," said Holston.
"And run the gauntlet of the sharks, oh? But
what's that ? "
A low, dull, groaning noise had met his ear, and
he involuntarily cocked the gun he carried. The
night was coming on fast, and anything at a dis-
tance of twenty yards was indistinct; but the noise
continued..
"Can you make out what it is F" said Laurent, ag
they advanced cautiously with finger on trigger.
"It sounds to me like some animal—one of the
pigs rooting about," replied Helaton, "But 100k—
what's that ?'!
He pointed to a dark heap, close up under a
clump of cocoa trees, whose huge leaves were dimly
seen against the sky,
"Look out," said Laurent, "it's moving; but
don't fire till we see what it is."
"I think I know," said Helton, trying. to make
out the dark heaving mass—" I think it Its one Of
the serpents coiled round something which it has

And they took a step forward.
It seemed a perilous task • for if it proved to be
one of the serpents, the first warning of its move-
ments might be that it had flung itself round one
of them. But, trusting to the darkness, they went
cautiously on, and were now within flvo yards oi
the trees.
"Heigh, yah, hoo, hum !" went the dark mass.
"Thelio cried fielston and Laurent, in a

breath.
" Iss, sah, Mass' Laurent, sah," cried the black,
spinging up. "Golly, how dark 1 I tink I been
isleep.r
"How is it you are ashore? And why is the raft
drawn off said Helston, suspecting something

wrong.
" Hy-yah, by-yah, mass' doctor, sail. Dere been
a big row, sail. Dat big bull-alligator woman fly
aU over do place, sail, and say she hab her - own
ivay, and not stand no man nonsense, Bah; and-
-hy-yah, hy-yah, by-yak !—she sent die chile shore
will lot of tinge, and den dey pull de boat away,
but only send him back full of odor tinge, and say
we may make tent here, and nebber come aboard
again.'
And what have you got here, then, 'Thello ?"
said Laurent, eagerly.
" Pare sail for tent, sah, and tarpauling, sah, and
de beds out ób 'de cots and a kettle to boil de
water." „
"Do you mean to say, then, that we are banished
from the ship, 'Polk?" said Holston.
f‘ WI hiTn, sal. De big buffieriworw say NO