The Portland daily press., 1897-12-31
(Chapter XI.(
THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE DI
NINA CONTINUED.


NINA CONTINUED.
As Clara lamb came galloping up,
seated lightly upon sturdy little Aus
tralian cob, she broke into joyful ex-
c1amation.
why, Cecil" she cried, sis it your
And you are quite well again thenP"
he raised his hat in an embarrassed
way, and said that he was quite recovered
hard at Marian, but without recognizing
her, and said, Is this young lady a
friend of yours?''
Yes" he answered. ''Let me intro
duce you. Miss Marston, Miss Lambert. %
The two girls bowed to one another,
their gestures of salute controlled by
widely different emotions: Clara unsus-
pecting, smiling, willing to be friendly,
Marian uneasy, remorseful, and feeling
very much as though facing somebody she
had greatly wronged.
II was just on my way to Dunbar
House, said Miss Lambert. sit is
lucky 1 overlook you. Aresyou returning
now"
eyes,
you been? Your dusty boots tell me that
you have both been for a long walk" and
she laughed gaily, for the sight of the
man whom she loved made her feel light
er hearted than she had been for many
a day.
81 have been into Sydney to flake
rooms" said he. "Now that nay memory
has come back to ne, I must not any
longer take advantage OF the kindness of
Mr.. Hartree'
But / have come to ask you to stay
with us, until She broke off with a
faint blush and sideways peep at has
companion, and fell to Ticking the flies
off her horse with the riding whip she
carried
extending her hand to Rawdon, and
giving him swift meaning glance He
understood, and simply said, Goodbye,
Miss Marston.' She then bowed again
to Clara, and strolled along the lane
towards her aunt's cottage.
who is that girl, Cecilf" asked Miss
Lambert, following with her eyes
Marian's graceful figure as she walked
away.
T She was passenger on board the
Strathnairn. When l was received from
the small open boat in which they found
me, she it was who nursed me, and by
her unremitting watohfulness saved my
life, SO the ships doctor declared. You
will see. therefore, that owe her deep
debt of gratitude. But come along, let
US return to the house. !"
She urged her horse into walking
pace, and he moved along beside her, with
his heart beginning to thump in his ears
,at the thought of the ordeal of confession
which lay before him. The girl gazed at
him anxiously a moment or two, and
then said, You are good deal changed,
Cecil, since last saw you-in England,
! mean. You seem to me to be much
thinner; and your face has careworn
expression that makes. you look about ten
years olIfer. Poor boy, how you must
have suffered But, thank God, you are
we'll again now, and safe after all the
paris you have gone through"
How are your father and mother'?' he
asked
ooh, quite we'll, and looking forward
to seeing you. They would have come
over, bus promised to bring yoa back
with me. Yon will come, won't you?i
cot course will, - he replied, but with
an Instant S hesitation of manner which
did not escape her, though she little
guessed the cause Of it then.
This Miss Marston-does she live
heres" enquired Clara.
She lives with her aunt in little cot
tage at the end of the lane
Have you seen much of her since you
landed in SydneyP"
II have seen her every day
"Oh! But then, of course, can quite
understand. Down to yesterday you were
in.ignorance OF your past-your friends
of your very self, in fact. virtually had
no existence in your mind until the
moment of my arrival upon the scene
Therefore you made companion of this
pretty girl to whom you owe your life-a
circumstance which alone will always
make me like her-in all innocence, and
nothing would be more absurd than for
me to be jealous.
Her frank generosity made him yet
r.
cation Of telling her the truth which lay
before him. The mere thought of having
to admit to this beautiful young woman,
of whom he had once been fond, and who
still loved him, that he no longer cared
about her, and that, IN fact, her place in
his heart had been virtually supplanted
by another, grew abhorFent to him il,
proportion as he endeavored to rehearse
the manner in which he should put 1T.
He felt. indeed, that he could not say the
thing whilst face to face with her, meet
ingSthe tenderFgaze of herilarge, blue eyes.
And yet the truth must come out, and
before very long, too; for he easily fore
saw that it would be quite impossible for
him to- wear mask any length of time
They passed through the open gate of
the grounds, and came to stand opposite
the entrance of the house. Rawdon assis.
ted the girl to dismount, and then led
her horse away to the stables saying that
he would rejoin her in the course Of a few
moments. Whilst he was gone, Mrs.
Hartree, spying Clara standing on the
terrace, came out on to the steps to speak
to her, and invited her to remain to
lunch. After p brief absence the young
fellow returned.
WELL" said Mrs Hartree to him.
"and have you found rooms TO suit your"
have" he answered.
usg''
Eyes. I shall quit your hospitable roof
with many regrets, believe me-this
afternoon.
The good natured little woman said
that she was very sorry to find that Raw
don continued SO obstinate in his resolu-
ton, as he would have been a welcomed
guest at Dunbar House as long as he had
chosen to remain. She left them and
went indoors again.
Shall we take stroll in the groundsP''
said Cecil speaking with an air of shy
ness which slightly perplexed her.
81 should like to, very much What a
pretty garden it is!' replied the girl
They strolled away towards a shady
grove that lay at little distance from the
house.
"You do not offer me your arm, Cecil"
said she, with bright SMILE whilst she