DOLLY'S ESCAPADE.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 287, 26 June 1917, Page 4

DOLLY'S ESCAPADE.

OUR STORYETTE. ill Rights Rumbyib.)

Dolly Rowan had been shamefully spoilt from the day of her birth, and when she reached the mature age of seventeen, no member of the family, or household, dreamt of disputing her will. There was no harm in-the girl, and the spoiling- had not produced very evil results, but it made Dolly what is termed in certain circles, "a handful," to her aunt, Mrs. Kerr, who, in a weak moment had yielded to her pretty niece's wish and taken her to spend a few months with her in Rome.

Dolly Rowan had not found in that wondrous city the delight she anticipated. Her soul was as yet unawakened, and she felt more bored than interested by the antiquities which attracted so many visitors, and found the sedate "pension" wherein Mrs. Kerr resided decidedly dull. The only creature in the house who was young, pretty and light-hearted as herself, was Carita, the Italian maid, who was told off to wait specially on a few of the most favored English ladies. To her conversations with the girl. Dolly owed the great advance she made in her Italian. It was astonishing how qui- kly both girls managed to understand each other, and the English damsel found in her attendant much sympathy for the dreary existence which she led without gaiety or young companionship. Many were the tales related to Dolly of the daring n( two American ladies, who hid -nem last winter in the same "pens' o "" with a severe chaperon, and who, with Carita's aid, had contrived in spite of that lady, to have a "good time" of it. When Carnival week came round, Dolly ha'! arrived at the stage of "enn>'i" in which any break is welcomed. She wns ready for any mad freak just ''for the fun of it" and, after much consultation with her maid, and after Mrs. Ivrr had refused with horror to take her to any of the masked balls, duly resolved to see what was to be seen on her own account. Carita procured two masks and dominos. and when the decorous contingent in th•• "pen ion" was fast asleep, the pair siole out and made their way to one of the theatres given up for that evening to a masked ball.

Dolly was in the seventh heaven of delight. Hut, as all pleasant experiences must come to an end, the waiting maid hurried Dolly off when she saw that most of ihe other people were taking their departure. It would' not do to be out too late, she explained, and, thoroughly satisfied with the result of her escapade. Dollv Rowan turned her steps h"iu wards. Then came retribution. The streets were a mars of pcopl.\ most of them masked, and up to nay mischief, and in a particularly crowded spot, Carita and Dolly get separated, and neither could find the other. Then Dolly began to be a little frightened, but as she knew her way to the '-pension'' she felt more anxiety for the servant than for herself. She got out of the main street as soon as possible and hurried along pretty comfortably, but within about five minutes' walk of her refuge, she was met by a group of noisy young men. Had they been Italians they would have taken no notice of the masked figure coming towards them, or merely have passed with a joke or a compliment. But being Englishmen and slightly tipsy, they were unaccustomed to Carnival pranks, and stopped Dolly, and, in their garbled Italian, insisted upon escorting her to her destination. The fact of their being her own countrymen terrified the girl, and she did the most foolish thing possible under the by exclaiming in English: "Let me pass, if you please. I am in a hurry," cried she. Her tormentors now had a double rest in teasing her, and, knowing they could speak in their own tongue, surrounded the gill and insisted that she should unmask. As one of the most reckless endeavoured to take off the mask, Dolly's temper rose to a climax. "Cowards!" she cried, and, with all her strength, she struck the young man in the face. Goaded by the laughter of his companions, he flung his arm round her and she screamed aloud. Her cry brought another actor on the scene. "What are you fellows doing to this woman?" he asked. "Never mind, Sheldon," answered the other. "This is our affair. We ♦nly want to see the hidden charms." Dolly looked anxiously at the newIpmcr. 4e was exceedingly handjfome, but regarded her with rather a fontemptuous expression, and made a J&ovemcnt as if to pass on, not deeming the affair worthy of his notice. "Oh, do not go," cried Dolly. "Do Bot leave me with those tipsy men." He hesitated and looked sharply at fcr. "If you have a spark of gentlemanly feeling, you will not refuse to help me," she implored. A peal of mocking laughter greeted her words.

"You have made a conquest, Shcl|on," exclaimed one, "but you shall tiot walk off with our prize." "As this lady has appealed to me, I shall certainly protect her," he replied, haughtily, and, in spite of the jeers and angry remarks of the rest, he offered Dolly his arm, and asked her in which direction she fished to It was a new experience to her to feel thoroughly ashamed of herself, but so it was. It needed no great penetration to perceive that, although Mr. Sheldon had come to her help, he did not regard her as very deserving of his respect. They went a few steps in silence, b'ut as soon as the noisy crew of young men had turned into another street, Dolly stopper! and begged her escort to leave her.

"You had better not risk being again insulted," he said, coldly. "No respectable woman should be out alone here at night." "I know now I was wrong to come," cried the repentant Dolly. "I don't want you to know were I am staying."

"As to that, you need not be uneasy," answered Sheldon, lightly. "I am leaving Rome in the morning, and

even if I were not I ran assure that I I should not interest myself in your [identity."

"I suppose you despise me for coftting out?" exclaimed the girl. Her companion made no reply. He did think her quite unworthy of his interest or respect, but this he eould n<st explain.

"I wonder who »he hj," he mused as he lit his cigar after he left Dolly at the door. "I think sh'e must be a lady, young and frightened too, and serve her jolly well right. No girl with any sense of propriety would mask and start off alone to do the Carnival at night. Fancy a man marrying a girl of that sort." Yet that was exactly what Mr. Sheldon wanted to do six month* la* ter, when he met Dolly Rowan in her own home. He was staying with a friend for the shooting, and had with most of the other men fallen a victim to the charms of the petted little beauty. ,

Dolly had recognised him at once, and was afraid that the recognition was mutual, but, of course, Mr. Sheldon, never for a moment connected the lonely wanderer in the Roman street with the only daughter of one of the leading landowners of Drysdeen.

The girl struggled with all her might against the fascination the young man exercßed over heri TKe very fact of knowing that he hSi despised her seenied to put him on quite a different footing to all her other admirers, who were her humble slaves. Her treatment*of him was a puzzle to James Sheldon. He could not understand why she, who was so merry and charming in her manner to other men, rolled herself up in a cold reserve when he addressed her. Manlike, he was the more determined to win her for the difficulties in his way. As ill-luck would have it, one of the other men staying at the shootinglodge was Lieutenant Barry, the man who had been most insolent to Dolly on that ever to be regretted night. One evening after a djnner-party given by the Rowans, conversation turned to Rome, and Barry began to chaff Sheldon about the mysterious fair one he had rescued. Dolly's blush bewildered the man who loved her. Could it be, he wondered, that, after all, she was jealous; and to assure her on the point, he indulged in a most scathing denunciation of the conduct of the masked girl in Rome. Dolly could stand it no longer. Sh« made her escape to the terrace, and paced agitatedly up and down, until she was joined by James Sheldon. "Why have you left us? I have been longing to tell you how I love you, to ask you to be my wife. Have I any chance? You have always seemed to dislike me." "It is utterly - impossible that I should marry you," replied Dolly, al soon as she could command hj« voice. "In the name of Heaven, why?" "Simply because I am the fflri ypu helped that night in Rome,, and for whom you have just expressed a profound contempt." Instead of the scorn and disapproval she expected on the part of her lover, her avowal was received y with a hearty laugh, and the next moment she was held fast in his arms. "You dear little madcap, what a life yo„u will lead me," he exclaimed. Which is only one instance of many to show how generalisation fails to mould action, when personality stepi

The End.