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Chapter XIX.

Oh welcome, pure-eyed Faith, white-handed Hope,
Thou hovering angel, girt with golden wings!

—Milton.

The Minister of Justice happened to be a personal friend of Mr. Bruce. He was expected to visit Dunedin on the Wednesday following Flora's funeral. An appointment, therefore, was made by telegram for an interview with him immediately on his arrival.

Mr. Bruce nerved himself for the painful ordeal through which he had to go in disclosing his daughter's crime to the Minister of Justice. He knew it was not possible to account for the poisoning by misadventure: nothing short of a full disclosure and production of the confession would be effective.

The blow dealt by Flora's death had been a heavy one for the loving mother, and Mr. Bruce was not surprised to see many evidences of its severity on his wife's face. What would it be if he could not hide from her the awful fact of Flora's crime?

The interview with the Minister did not prove so formidable to Mr. Bruce as it would have been had be been addressing a stranger. He was received kindly, and when the terrible truth was made known, the Minister assured him that the fact would not be given further publicity than was necessary. It must, however, be laid before the Judge who presided at the trial, and subsequently before a page 134 meeting of the Executive Council, so that proper action in connection with Lane's conviction could be taken. Together the Minister and Mr. Bruce waited on the Judge, and soon enlisted his sympathy and assistance.

When Mr. Bruce mentioned to them his desire to keep from his wife a knowledge of the facts, and referred to his intention to take her from home if necessary, they both advised him to adopt this plan, assuring him that in absence lay the greatest security. Certain formalities would necessitate his remaining for at least a week, and probably his presence in Wellington would be required.

Mr. Bruce found that by taking the New Zealand Shipping Company's steamer “Kaikoura,” he could leave New Zealand in less than a fortnight, and that arrangements could be made to get his signature to any necessary documents while in Wellington, the final port of departure of the steamer.

When he broached the subject of a trip home to Mrs. Bruce, she eagerly fell in with the suggestion, and was not disinclined to start at once.

Mr. Bruce therefore visited Lane, and told him that evidence had been discovered which accounted for the cashier's death, and would conclusively prove his innocence; that the necessary steps were being taken to obtain his release; and that he would shortly be set at liberty entirely, the other charges against him having been withdrawn. It would be necessary and desirable that he should leave New Zealand as soon as his release was accomplished.

The effect of this interview on the unfortunate prisoner was somewhat startling. For a time he seemed quite overcome, as if doubting the truth of what he heard, or that the conversation was not the product of his over-wrought brain.

Then when he began to realise the true position, his page 135 intelligence seemed to receive a sad shock, and he broke out into a fit of hysterical weeping, culminating in a lethargic, dull stupidity, from which Mr. Bruce had a difficulty in arousing him. Nature, ever kind, had tempered the effect of too much joy by taking away for a time a portion of his consciousness.

Three days afterwards, Mr. and Mrs. Bruce, and their only surviving daughter, left Dunedin for the purpose of joining the “Kaikoura.” Harry Williams went as far as Wellington, and was to stay a few days at his parents' home when returning.

The necessary steps for Lane's release, in which the assistance of Mr. Bruce was required, were speedily taken, and before the “Kaikoura” left the decision of the Executive was made to declare his innocence immediately after the departure of the steamer.

With saddened face and dulled heart, Harry saw the great boat steam away. A long period of lonely waiting was before him, at the end of which he hoped to reap his reward in Lizzie's love and companionship.

On board the steamer the three friends leaving him had their regrets mingled with varying degrees of chastening sorrow. One large heart was full almost to repletion with a great dread and apprehension lest he could not keep a heavy grief from the companion of his life.

Then the open sea took the big steamer unto its bosom, and the widening horizon gave new hopes to the sorrowing hearts, and bade them forget the dark past in the promise of a brighter dawn.

Herman Lane took the bitter lesson to his heart, and in the new scenes of after years saw his path clear before him, and guarded well against acts which might mar his life, or leave regrets in his new experience.

The End.

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