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Hedged with Divinities

XXI

page 139

XXI.

That eventful morning broke clear and cloudless; a true New Zealand day, with a "champagne atmosphere" above green land and sapphire sea. Nelly was busy from before the dawn, packing up her small wardrobe and leaving her cottage in a state of spotless cleanliness. The hours passed slowly until nearly noon, when she began to grow excited, and fear that the design of flight had been discovered and intercepted by some unforeseen misfortune. Just before twelve o'clock she heard the jingle of the royal escort, and the King arrived in his carriage. Telling two of the orderlies to place the luggage in the vehicle, Jack jumped out, and, with delight shining in his eyes, assisted Nelly to enter. This was not done without exciting the attention of the escort, the members of which at first looked on with considerable surprise, changing with feminine quickness into distrust and then comprehension. Swift glances passed from one to another when Jack gave the order "To the Wharf," and, as they clattered off, two or three closed in together and began to whisper. Jack stood up in the carriage, and with an angry voice ordered them to attend to their page 140duty. They separated, and rode on in their proper places for a little distance, till Jack, who seemed to have an eye on every side, saw two of them suddenly wheel as if to gallop down a side street. In an instant he drew a revolver, and cried out, "Back to your places, or I fire!" when they again fell into order, sulkily, and proceeded.

Jack hurriedly explained to Nelly that the night before he had expressed to his household his intention of trying a longer cruise than usual in the steamer; that her destination was Napier, perhaps eventually Wellington. That with this expressed intention he had caused a number of the boat-women to work all night at putting stores of every kind on board, including many things hardly necessary for a coastal voyage, but which, as they were packed in cases, excited no suspicion. He had racked his brain to try to think of everything likely to be of use to them in their future isolation.

Just as he had proceeded thus far in his narrative the horse of one of the advance guards went heavily down, and the rider lay apparently unconscious. Jack jumped out, and felt the pulse of the sufferer, but did not appear to sympathize so much with the victim of the accident as did her comrades, who unanimously urged that she should be left to recover.

"I think not." said Jack, "I was watching; her the moment before the horse went down, and I do not think she fell heavily. It will be better to take her with us in the carriage, and one of you can lead her horse. It would be cruel to leave her to ride to the barracks unassisted, as I feel sure she would attempt to do if we left her."

page 141

The young soldier was then lifted into the carriage, and soon recovered her senses on finding that her daring little ruse had failed. When they reached the wharf they found a police guard (placed by Jack) across the entrance; except for this there was no sign of anything unusual in the quiet place. The little steamer was lying at her berth, sending up a thin column of white steam into the still air. Her young captain met the King at the gangway, and saluted him as he went on board with Nelly. Some of the sailor-lasses carried the luggage and rugs from the carriage, unassisted by the escort, who one by one slipped away up the wharf, and were evidently off to give the alarm. Jack ordered the captain to "Let go!" the warps were drawn on board, and the vessel moved out into the stream.

As the shore receded Nelly touched the arm of her lover, who was looking sadly and solemnly towards the town. "Jack," she said, "do you regret? It is not too late."

"No," he replied, "my darling, my wife, long promised and won at last; regret and I have parted company for ever. I was only thinking how ungrateful I must seem to these who did so much for me; but I should be still more ungrateful if I forgot for an instant your forgiving affection and self-sacrifice."

He passed his arm through Nelly's, and together they watched the shore as it seemed to move along. Nelly took up a binocular for a last look as they passed the railway station, and at that moment the sound of a heavy gun boomed over their heads from Albert Park.

"They have discovered our escape!" said Jack.

"That will alarm the town."

page 142

"I don't think so," answered Nelly. "It is a — another red flag going up on the flag-staff, Jack."

"Is it?" said Jack. "Poor — little — devil!"

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