The Portland daily press., 1897-12-28
Chapter TX
WHICH SHALL 1T BE.


Marian Marston stood at the gate of
the little garden in front of Bungaree
Cottage. She was clad in loosely fitting
dress OF white serge, with a man-of-war
collar, and straw hat perched lightly
atop of her piled-up sunny hair, a style
OF costume that became her admirably
we'll. She hummed softly to herself as
she leaned forward upon the rail of the
gate, whilst her delicate fingers tapped
time to the tune on the woodwork, and
her little foot battered upon the gravel
| walk-gestures full of impatience, for all
the calm composure of her easy posture.
Presently she bent over the gate as far
/ as she could stretch, in order to COM
mand a view of the lane, and after gaZ-
former attitude and looked at her watch.
| Charlie is uncommonly late this after
noon," said she, half aloud, returning the
tiny gold timepieee to her waistband.
He promised to be here by two o'clock,
and already it is past three. Can any
| thing have happened to detain him, /
wonder?"
She raised the latch of the gate and
| strolled out, sauntering along the mar
row, shady way in the direction of Dun
bar House. Her aunt had gone into Sgd
ney for the day and the girl therefore was
| all by herself. The lane was deserted,
| and indeed but few people ever passed
along it for it led nowhere save out on
| to the open downs lying beyond Darling
| hurst She had arrived within a hun
dred yards of Mr.. Hartree's house, when
she heard the sound of wheels in the
grounds, behind the high surrounding
wall, and a moment later there emerged
from the entrance dogcart driven by
girl. She pulled up on getting outside,
| looking to right and left of her, and evil
IDENTIFY not quite sure which direction she
ought to take. Then she glanced towards
Marian, as though waiting for her to
come within speaking distance before ad
dressing her.
'Can you tell me which is the way to
Sydney?" she inquired regarding Marian
| with somewhat distracted air. 81 am
not quite sure whether l turn to the
| right or the left
The other girl eyed her in silence mo-
| ment or SO before answering. She had
/ a strange instructive feeling that this
pretty young person before her would in
some way or other exercise an influence
over, or be connected with, her future
| destiny. 1t was one of those vague presen-
timents which visit most of us in the
course of a lifetime, SO subtle as to be
| nameless for want of our powers to deter
mine them. Their gaze met, and the
stare Of Clara Lambert's large blue eyes
seemed to break the brief spell which she
| had unconsciously exercised over Marian.
"The way to Sydney? Oh, yes! Drive
| uOWu UQ0 lane I'LL you come TO Gl6 END OF
| it, then turn to the left. -
Thank you," said she. Then pulling
the reins of her horse. so as to bring the
| head of the animal round in the proper
direction, she urged 1t into trot, and
went rafting away down the lane fol-
lowed by the eyes of Marian, who stood
watching her until the little vehicle van
ished in a small haze of dust round
bend in the leafy thoroughfare.
| Now who is that girl, and what has
she been doing at this house?'' thought
Marian Marston to herself. "Has she
been to see Charlie? Something unusual
| must have occurred to detain him.
She strolled on past the open gates of
| the grounds, hoping to catch sight of
his tall, fine figure approaching, but
nothing stirred within save the countless
gay plumaged birds darting like flashes of
| light in and out among the trees. Marian
had been to the house several times since
her arrival, and little Mrs. Hartree had
given her a cordial invitation to come as
often as sho pleased. After pausing for
| few moments with an undecided air, she
advanced somewhat hesitatingly along
| the carriage drive, when she saw Mr..
| Hartree step out onto the flight of steps
leading up to the hall door. On spying
| her he raised his hat, and at once ad-
vanced to meet her.
"How dye do Miss Marston?" said he.
NOW you're coming to enquire after our
young friend, I'll be boundlp
is anything wrong with him. she
| asked, quickly.
"A wonderful thing has happened"
returned to him. A lady, who has only
a few minutes ago left, called here
| through having read an account sent by
Captain SUurgess to the Herald and the
moment she set eyes upon Rawdou-that's
his name, Miss Marian, Cecil Rawdon,
orxyl1T hn
him. He did not remember the young
| lady, although it seems that he is engaged
to be married to her. But when she. be-
gan telling him all about himself, who
he was, where she had met him, and so
on, she suddenly touched some slumber-
ing chord which set loose the whole flood
gates of his memory; he clapped his
hands to his eyes, cried out that it.had all
come back to him, and then fell down in
sWoon, overwhelmed, suppose, by the
swift rush of recollection into his brain.
But what is the matter with you, Miss
Marston?''
This last question was called from Mr..
Hartree by peroeiving that the girl had
turned as pale as the white dress she wore
whilst he spoke. Then the truth flashed
upon him.
"Of coursei'' said he. Chow stupid
and thoughtless of me to have told you so
abruptly. And yet" he muttered,
she musG nave heard OF 1t sooner or
later
"Teli me, said Marian, "was the girl
1 met just now driving in dog cart the
young lady you speak of?''
Undoubtedly 500
"And he is engaged to be married to
her. you say?"
us he well enough to see me, do you
think?''
He is better now, and lying upon the
sofa in the drawing room. He very soon
recovered from his swoon. Poor Miss
Lambert was dreadfully distressed about
him when he fell down in faint
Miss Observation-Disclosures nameEof the
girl 1 saw"
Eyes. Will you come imp
g If you think he is strong enough to
talk to me-.
ooh, it will do him good. Poor fell
low He has gone through a terrible
time, Fand am heartily glad that his
memory is at last restored to him. So
suddenly5as it has all happened tool But
| believe it frequently falls out SO in these
kind of cases.