CHAPTER XV.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 91, 28 February 1885, Page 4

CHAPTER XV.

"ROB HENDKRSON." •'In ray hoart Lie there what hidden woman's foar there will !" As Likk It. Eight— nine— ten ! Three hours had ticked away t heir re3peo'ive sixty minuses. Still Mrt< Sylvio did not appear in ceil No. 23. All \\ as quiet. It was, in this part of the building, too early yet for much bustle. The door stood ajar, literally and leg illy. Few noticed the slim, boyish figure which passed through the gaunt waiting-room and out into the brightening sunshine of the September morning. A hack driving by in leisurely fashion was eagerly hailed and quickly entered. It drew up before a downtown bank, •' Wait for me," directed, the occupant, alighting. Within, the blonde little clerk bestirred himself in an access of attentive deference at sight of his vi.-itor. " Good morninir, Mr Vernell. What can I do for you, sir?" " You have a trifle of mine in yourhande, 1 believe. Not my uncle's— mine. Three hundred, is it not ? I wish to u>e it to-day." "Certainly. How do you wish it? A check? r^otes?" "Notes, if you please." And then, a few minutes liter, "Yes. That is quite correct. Thank you Good- morning !" The cab re entered, the driver received the order : "The Clifton House." There arrived, he was paid and dismissed. Several in the rotunda glanced up at the pale, weaiy-looking Raphail faced young fellow approaching the counter. " Give me a room. I may have to leave suddenly any time this evening, so shall pay in advance. Luggage ?No Please send u message to meassoon as possible. Register? Oh, yes." The name signed, "Rob Henderson" took the elevator. And once within the 1 omtortab'e room and the dom- fastened, the fi st act of ti s same Rob Henderson was a very strange one. It was to tear off the hat pressed so closely down on the crisp curls, laugh exultantly aloud a moment, and then fall face downward on the bed, and lie there sobbing — sobbing, in weak, hysterical, womanish fashion. " Oh, what an ordeal it had been ! — what, a night of dread su&pense, of self-doubt, of maddening emotions, of nameless terror— what a night ! Hap-fcap-a-tap ! Henderson sprang up, unbolted the door, opened it. A boy stood without, an alert, sharp-eyed, business-like lad of fifteen or thereabouts, tie torched his hat, with a glance of quiet cuibsity at the tta>- reddened eyes above. " You sent for me?" " Yes. Come in and sit down while I write you a n te for delivery." He did as he was bidden. And now came the search for paper and, pencil. Evidently Mr Henderson bad very confused idoas as to the usual whereabouts of such necessaries. The trousera pockets were first examined, i the pistol- pocket, the watch-pocket, the coat-pec'tets. ! " I'm afraid you will have to go down to the desk," began the assiduous seeker. " Ah, here they are !" As though acting on a flash of inspiration, a hand had been thrust inside the vest, and from thence had abstracted a pencil and note book. The boy was despatched for an envelope while the message was being written. Before he was intrusted with it he Mas given mi iute instructions. "You are to take this to the address on the cover and a- k for Mi«s Dorothy Vornell. »f she is out say you will cali again. You look like a shrewd boy shrewd enough to make sure you have the right person before you deliver it. She is Bmall, and rosy, and old, and plump. If you manage the affair correctly she will give you five dollars. I have told her in this note to do so. Remember it won't do to give it to some one who will promise to give it to her. You must do so with your own hands. You understand ? That is right. Now go !" And just as good luck would have it, it was Miss Dorothy herself who opened the door to the lad half an hour later. She had been about ascending the stairs when the ehadow on the stained glass of the vestibule door had caught her eye, and being an energetic little lady for her years, she had turned promptly and flung it wide. "Is Miss Dorothy Vernell at home ?" 11 1 am Bhe." He regarded her critioally. Yes, she answered the description. Small, plump, rosy, old. There was no mistake about it. He handed her the letter, and stood waiting. " There is an answer !" he said. The chirography on the envelope was strange to her. She fumbled in her pocket for her glasses, produced them, adjusted them, broke the seal, unfolded the sheet. She started violently. Immediately though, with an effort, she reoovered herself. The lad's inquisitive q zi warned her against betrayal. . She pnt her hand in the pocket of her brown merino dress, and fished therefrom

her pocket - book. With fingers which trembled in spite of all Miss Dorothy's endeavours to steady them, she pried off the encircling elastic, and with much reductive clicking, abstracted from the interior five shining silver dollars. "This is the only answer there is," she said. The messenger thanked her, touched his J cap, and ran off. Miss Dorothy thrust the note in her j bosom. " The poor child ! the poor, poor lamb— oh, James ! how -how you startled me, James !" Startled her ! Startled prosaic, phlegmatic, unemotional Dorothy ! Colonel Vernell, passing through the hall, spruce, alert, airy of tread, attired in light pantaloons, black cutaway coat, high white bat, snowy cravat, and Byronic collar, atearoee in his button-hole, a cigar between his faultlessly gloved fingers, paused in surprise. " Your nerves must be out of order !" he averred. " Take a tonic !" And then he smiled, and nodded affably, and went on his way. What occasion had he to look grim and lowering this sweet September morning ? What indeed I And up in Vella'a room — Vella's dainty, lonely, dosolate little room, Aunt Dorothy sank into a beribboned rattan rocker, and re-read the few nervous, pleading lines she had just received. She waenotabeauty, Aunt Dorothy. Even in youth she had not been. In disposition she resembled neither of her brothers. She was not royally high spirited like Will, nor taciturn and saturnine like James. She was just a cheery, common place, sunshiny little old lady, with a heart too big tor her small body, and agenerous alacrity in love's service which was apt to give her rheumatic twinges in all her dear, willing old bones. Now in the faded blue eyes tears gathered large and fast. She roused herself suddenly. 11 What on earth is coming over me ? Am I getting daft to sit here bemoaning instead of helping the child ?" She mude up for lost time. In fifteen minutes she rang the bell, as she stood beside the mantel, bonneted, shawled, a ho ivy valise on the floor beside her. : " Elise, order a cab for me— quick. Then come back and take this valise downstairs." | With wrathful brow the girl did as she was bidden. The fact that she had last night been debarred from assisting at the tJiletof her mistress — Miss Dorothj beinu: installed in her place— still rankled. A few minutes later a carriage rolled north on Prairie Avenue t<> Eighteenth, west to Wabash Avenue, and north again to Munroe. There it drew up. Miss Dorothy declined offers of assistance wit 1 her valise. She would have no one present at the meeting. Third floor ? Yes. She knew the number. She knocked. The door was opened. It closed behind her as she entered, laboriously tugging at the ralise. And what do you suppose that that erratic individual who appears on the hotel register as Kob Henderson promptly and vigorously does ? Why, flings a pair of loviner arms around Miss Vernell, and kisses and hugs her, and trembles, and laughs, and crys, and breaks down laughing and crying together through ««heer excitement, and all in one breath, and thus \ a itin^ly addresses her : " You did come — you dear, darling, old <\unt Dolly— and I didn't marry him— did I? And I'm not going to— not any one but Marc— and poor Voyle — and it's all over, and does any one know, and — oh, Aunt Dolly— A unt Dolly !" {'To be Continued.)