The Portland daily press., 1898-01-07
space of time Cecil was quite at his cas-

II have called to discuss matter Of
much moment to Us both, MT. Lam pert,
be began. "By rights I should have
comesto you long before 3 this, but poor
Clara's illness made 1t out of the.q question
fora me to intrude. Now, however, that
she is better, or at least no longer in dan-
ger. it behoYes me not to delay the some
what trying duty that lies before ne.' He
paused, and added, You have not yet
heard the story of my remarkable expert
enoe, suppose?
newspapers, and from Clara account.
You have recovered your memory"
"Oh. YES. It came back To me quite
suddenly, whilst Clara was talking over
old times. "
"As she told me. But now let me hear
the whole strange adventure from your
lips. "
Upon this Cecil Rawdon told Mr.. Lam
bert the tale of what had befallen him
since the day when he quilted England
in the Lady Godiva, bound to Sydney.
He recited his narrative in q Jlain,
straightforward way detailing in full all
the circumstances of his shipWreck, his
sufferings in the little boat, his rescue, as
it had been described to him, the tender
ness and care with which he had been
nursed by Marian, and the sentiments of
affection that sprang up between them.
He went-on to describe his mental strug-
pIes TO combat his love for the girl under
standing as he di0 that he hadano right
to allow his passions to become involved
whilst he was not IN q position to engage
hirnselfEto her, owing to his Ignorance OF
his past, but. said how idle ne found it to
try and overcome his growing feelings
towards her by coolly reasoning within
himself that he was in no condition to
entertain the thoughts which would keep
breaking through ali his resolutions.
He then told of Clara LaInbert's appear
ance upon the scene, and the discovery
which followed upon the recovery of his
memory, of the great radical change that
the disorder OF his mind had wrought
unon his earlier sensi biiities. Mr.. Lam
bert listened throughout with rapt atten-
tion.> He. was astonished by the revela-
tfon contained in the young mans story.
Habit of thought had brought him to
| come to regard Cecll marriage WIN n. ms
daughter almost in the light of 'fsit
accompli," =" and now, even whilst the girl
lay but freshly emerged from the very
valley of the shadow of death, was he
practically making an appeal TO be re-
leased from his pledge to her,
Tt took the clergyman short spell OF
reflection to clearly comprehend and realize
Rawdon's g situation, the conditions OF 1T
were SO curious, SO novel, SO utterly un-
mon everyday experience. His knowl-
edge of Cecil was sufficiently intimate to
convince him that hs was q man OF honor
and integrity, and that no base motives
were to be attributed to his desire for
freedom from his engagement. Indeed,
no more satisfying reasons could be neces-
sary than thoseIbe had named.
'FI appeal to you, Mr. Lambert, as a
friend, as a gentleman, and as clergy
man of the Church of England" said the
young fsllow, after anxiorsly waiting
some few moments for his companion to
speak, and finding him stin silent. I" I
have put my case to you as plainly as
possibly Gould. My desire is to do moth
ing but what Ia strictly right. ADVISE
me-giye me the benefit of your wisdom
and worldly Judgment. II you think,
after weighing deliberately and carefully
all have told you, that it still behoves
me. in spite OF the alteration-the u1oon-
trollable alteration-in my affections, to
keep faith with your daughter, then, OF
course, [ must cold myself hoDorably
bound. can talk TO you in manner
that l could not talk to Clara herself.
But wonld it be just to either of Us for
me to marry girl whom l no longer
love? Tell me what you. think. You
now know exactly how am placed; |
come to you for counsel, feeling sure that
you will give me the best advice one man
could possibly give to another"
~ can SEQ your position, and truly it is
a most remarkable one-a most rernar ka-
BILE one, answered Mr.. Lambert slowly,
taking up paperknife and refectively
toying with it. "In the first place must
certainly hold you acquitted from blame
of any sort in the matter. You have done
nothing inconsistent with your character
for honor, and you are acting honorably
now by coming to me in this straightfor-
ward way. 1t is somewhat delicate
business for me to attempt to advise you
for the sentiments of the father may be
liable TO come into conflict with the dis
fnterestedness of the counsellor. But
since you ask it OF me will endeayor to
give you single-hearted and unbiased
opinion ofEhow I think you.should act in
this dilemma. First Of all, then, it
seems to me that the question is one
which must be setted entirey by your
own feelings. Waving, under the cir