CHAPTER XXXI,

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 95, 28 March 1885, Page 4

CHAPTER XXXI,

BNMSTED. " Horo I have a book at last, Sure I thought to make you weep, But a careless glance you oast O'er its pages half asleep." — Owen Meredith. ,"I cannot see her ! Say I cannot see her!" And [Mrs Charu resumed her chooolate > and paper. "But &he said she was sure you would i receive her," persisted the servant, "If I were to tell you she came from Miss Verneil." From Miss Verneil— from the sister of ' her fiancee ! Could he have told her so aoon ? Might it not be a message of congratulation? No, she certainly could not 1 refuse to receive the woman now. Such i an act would savour of positive discourtesy, i " Show her up," she said. The servant bowed and withdrew, i Such a delightful, luxurious room was the bed-chamber wherein the widow eat, 'with i its thick orimson Wilton carpet, its huge cheval glasses, its lace-canopied bed, its '. deep, soft rugs, its hangings of warm- ; huedplush, its few big, coaxing chairs. Seated in one of the latter, a tiny table at ; her elbow, the morning's paper in her lap, her black hair unbound, her white neglige lying in long, graceful folds far out on the crimson carpet, Mrs Charu looked positively • handsome and almost young. i The day before Grimes had called in fulfilment of his intention to do so. But his visit was ill-timed. When the bell rang, Colonel Verneil was drawing pictures which would have done honour to Claude Melnotte. A glance through the bay-window showed the widow the new-comer. She had gone hastily into the hall and intercepted the servant. "Say to Mr Grimes that I cannot possibly see him now," she commanded, " but will be happy to do so at this hour on Tuesday." And with this promise he had gulped down his disappointment. She had managed it all very cleverly, Mrs Charu told herself, with a smile, very cleverly. But just as quickly her face clouded. She wished she were but wealthy—or he. j Then she need not push him to the wall to give the place, his by right, to another for whom she did not care a straw. It was a crooked world, she told herself, with a sigh ; and even though satirical Hood cried out against " Gold, gold, gold !" one couldn't Hvo without it. Some natures couldn't. She was frank to confess she couldn't. Her reverie was interrupted by the opening of the door. She turned round to scan her visitor. A woman, apparently past middle age, slew of movement and bent of figure. Sh© was attired in a long, black cloak, which covered her from neck to ankle, and woro a black straw bonnet of the style known as " scoop." Her skin was very dark ; perhaps it Bhould be called rather a ruddy brown. Her grey hair was banded down on her cheeks after the fa3hion in vogue thirty years ago. Through the spectacles she wore one could not divine the colour of her eyes. "You come from Miss Verneil? Sit down." "Yes," in a low voice, with a certain hesitant stammer. "lam an old servant of Miss Vernell's. Her words will plead for me i better than I could hope to do for myself." Mrs Charu took the extended envelope, withdrew the sheet enclosed, opened it, and read Miss Dorothy's eager lines. She held the neatly-lined sheet long after it had been perused. "Miss Verneil has been misinformed," she said at last. " I had not contemplated procuring a maid. You are hardly young enough to " " Oh, I am !" the woman broke in, eagerly. "I am younger than I look. Sorrow has aged me. And I am brisker with my duties than many a younger person. Miss Dorothy says lam competent enough. Does she not, ma'am ? Just give me ft trial. If Ido not suit discharge me." This was fair enough. There was some sense in ncr remarks. To her legitimate work an elderly woman would more probably devote herself than a giddy girl could be expected to. She would need her servicesin the weeks to follow. A trousseau, even a widow's, required thought and effort. Yes, she would need hor. Besides, to refuse to tike her, might be to offend Mips Verneil, with whom she desired to remain on friendly terms. So it ended by Mrs Charu considering ing her visitor a godsend rather than an intruder. "Yes, I will tako you !" she answered, rising. "You are going back to Miss Verneil ? Wait a moment and take a note to her from me." She went into the next room to write it. The bell rang. A moment later the servant entered the adjoining room and spoke to Mrs Charu. "Show him into the parlour," ordered the latter, as she entered the chamber where her new maid waited. "By the ; way," as she gave her the note, " I am not ! yet aware of your name ?" "Dolores Jackson." " Dolores Jackson !" Mrs Charu repeated with keen gusto. " How deliciously incongruous ! But it won't do. It would j sound nice and odd in a book, but Dolores —no, no, it won't do ! It signifies sorrowsorrowful. No, it won't do at all !#! # I don't like to have around me aught which suggests sadness. 1 shall call you— let me see !" musingly : " what shall I call you ? Something the exact opposite. Hilaria ! That expresses cheerfulness, merriment. Hilaria it shall be." " As you wish," the maid answered. " And now about wages ?" And that point being settled, Mrs Charu told her to come to her that evening pre pared to remain, and then dismissed her. As she went down the stairs she passed Colonel Verneil ascending. At the curb-stone the Verneil coupe shone in the sunlight, and the Verneil bays pranced as such aristocratic horses should. An hour later Roberts presented himself to Miss Dorothy. " A person to see you, miss t" "Eh ?" Miss Verneil looked up sharply from the butcher's pass-book. " A lady or gentleman ?" "A person of the female persuasion, miBS, but I should scarcely say a lady,' 1 declared Roberts, cautiously and conscientiously. 11 The woman who was here yesterday?" " Oh, no, miss !" 11 Well, I will be down in a few minutes. Whore is she ?"

"In the study." "Very well." When, in about ten minutes, she opened the door of the summer study and went in, she saw awaiting her a middle aged woman, grey-haired,brown«skinned, blue-speotacled, onneted, and oloaked. " You wished to see me ?" she asked, advanoing. "Yes," in a voice foreign to her hearer, alow, hesitant, " I bring you a letter from Mrs Charu." And she handed her the square monogrammed envelope. " What is your name ?" questioned Miss Vernell, produoing her glasses. "Hilaria Jackson." But as she read the first few lines of her 1 note she stopped with a little cry. " She has 'taken the bearer into service !' Can it be pos " Hilaria Jackson rose and broke out in Guila Grimes's bitter, weary laugh. "It is possible. Now do not doubt that I shall deceive him as I have deceived you." Miss VerneU sat down gasping. "The Lord save us!" in devout and feeble consternation.