CHAPTER XLIV.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 99, 25 April 1885, Page 4

CHAPTER XLIV.

" you don't mean ?" • Villainy somewhere? Whoso 7 One says wo are villainBalll „ x , .. Not he; his honest fame should at least by mo be maintained ; . But that old man. now lord of the broad estate and the hall , tt . , „ „„ Dropt off. gorged from a scheme that left us flaccid an 3 drained." Maud. ••Who did? Why, it couldn't be, dear. What motive—" "The motive was a very strong one. Wait— don't say a word till I get through. As I have said, while lying asleep on the lounge I was drugged, the money secreted about me, and then an urgent decoy letter put in my hand. Of course, I snapped at the bait, cleared off post-haste, and was nabbed at my very entrance to the place of rendezvous. That was the result of the scheme. Thi* is the motive; Clallin wanted to marry Vella. He possessed a certain power over uncle which made the latter anxious to please him. But this is the nineteenth century, and one does not UB6 force nowadays. No plot for her capture would have succeeded were I about with open eyes and free arms. Ergo, I must be put out of the way for the time being. To effect my release she would be induced to consent to marry him— at least, so ran surmises. It all worked very prettily, all save her visit to me at the station. The leniency which allowed that was a bad move, the only poor one in a most excellently planned and executed game. It was unpardonable stupidity. Now, don't you understand, Aunt Dolly?" Every bit of florid colour had died out of her round checks " Great patience ! You mean— you den t mean " "Yes," he avowed, "that's just exactly what I do. My uncle was the prime mover in the whole affair. He was the spring and source of the infernal plot— every bit of it." Not a syllable did Miss Dorothy speak If at that moment a word would have ?aved her neck from the gallows, she couldn't have spoken it. Voyle pushed back his chair and stood up. "That is what I wanted to tell you. You see how impossible it would be for me to go to the house, to meet him at all at present. This is also why lam lying dark. I want to work up my case, trace clue?, find proof, before I can act boldly." "Voyle, you would not go to law with your uncle?" " I haven't said I would, but I'm not so sure I wouldn't." Miss Vernell groaned helplessly. "Dear, dear! Just when thing 3 get so bad one thinks they can't be any — any badder," desperately, "along comes worry worse than any. You must be mistaken, my boy. You're guessing. Folks don't always guess right. Your not at all sure Your uncle could not be in Claflin's power. He is too well off to owe at.y man money." "Is he?" grimly. "Well, I didn't say he owed Jonas money." A sudden resolution to leave no point in doubt came to her. She, too, stood up. She laid her hand on his arm. "You haven't told me all you know, Yoyle. Out with it." " You would not credit it." "Let me hear it, anyhow." "My father died a wealthy man. Vella and I were his only heirs. Our inhetitance Uncle James robbed us of— there." Vaguely she had dreaded something like this. She sank to her seat again, still looking up at him. " Claflin was the only one who knew about it. He found out about it on that Australian trip of his." " And you " " How do I know V he laughed out at the recollection. " Well, that stormy midnight Mr Claflin came to the house in search of a bride he deposited his sudden and oppressive weight on the Turkish divan under which I lay, and there and then taunted uncle with the whole contemptible thievery." " And James ?" anxiously. " Owned up." And then there was 3ilence in the ugly little room. It was broken at length by Voyle. | "By the way," he said, "I deserve a 1 thrashing for not asking you sooner about Vella. But of course she i 3 Bafe with Evelyn." "Of course ! that is," stammering, " she must be." The lad turned quickly. " You've heard from her ?" "No." "Not since she left." "No." An exclamation or fear broke from his lips. "She probably doesn't think it necessary to write. You remember when she was away at school how seldom she wrote. She does not want James to know where she is, and 18 most likely afraid of a letter falling into his hands. lam sure she is all right." The words relieved him. "Yes, I daresay you are right. But I was frightened for a moment. I shall telegraph Evelyn to-morrow, however, to make sure." Mies Dorothy rose. She was still white as paper. "I must be going. Hilaria will be tired waiting. You are growing thin, my boy." "Am I ? lam doing enough thinking to make ive thin— l can assure you of that. I'm resolved to make no move, though, till I have very solid ground under my feet. I've been worried about something else a good deal lately." "What's that?" " I can't get sign or tidings of Marc | Tracy. You know how anxious I was to see him after that wretched meeting of ours in the Palmer. Well, the day after I spoke to you I searched high and low for him. Vainly. At tbe hotel they said he had left the previous night. I questioned eveiy one I ran across who might possibly be aware of his destination. They left me in as dense ignorance as that in which I bad addressed them. I went to the Sylvios They had left for Cuba to spend the winter. They bad intended going, but nr.t so soon, when Mrs Bylvio'a sudden indisposition hastened their departure. Where I was leftt • ti I now— staring at a stone wall. "All may be right bet ,> , . i though !" volunteered Mis 3 Dor'ji&JL/. " I hope it is .' I would go te Nsv, 7 Yo-.k and make sure from Vella's own lips were I not averso to spending the little money I have." •*„«. Miss Dorothy was moving towards the door. She hesitated, stood still, turned back. There were tears in the bluo eyes which- she lifted to her nephew.

" Voyle, what are you going to do— about him?" " Upon my honour, Aunt Dolly, I don t know yet. Revenge I may forogo. Justice I will have !" He had spoken sternly. " But, dear, consider " I " I do. My brain is in a . Mrl with considering. I have always uu^u.^ " *toere was a locked closet somewhere, ii em. mber saying so to Vella one morning \*hen she was going out riding—last June or July. But I never dreamed direct confseaion of the same would drop into my hands like this. For the theft L care little. But his treatmont of Vella, her sale, for it was nothing else, such he meant it to be, and such he believes to day it was, that and the man nor in which, in order to accomplish his ends in regard to her, ho tiod my hands and feet, and branded me with a crime of which I was guiltless— call for payment." She knew it. She turned away. She could plead no more. " Aunt Dolly," his hand on the knob of the door, IC I shall want some of my winter clothes. I can't afford now ones just now, and it is growing cold, I'm not going to put you to the trouble of sending them to me, but I'll come up some evening and got them. You can lot mo in. The entrance is not again likely to prove as dangerous as the last time." Ho had opened the door, and was for the moment holding it incautiously ajar. " When will you come, Voylc?" j " Let me see 1 can't very soon. I have engagements for the next few eveningsthen Igo out of town for a while. I'll go over, oh— say this night two woeks- about ten. That will bo timo enough. If there is no chance of the coast being clear, let mo know and I will go the next ovoning." " May I write you here?" " For a week, yes. I shall get any mail sent to me, though I may not be here steadily." Ho took her in his arms and kissed hor gratefully. "Good night, Aunt Dolly. You were a daisy to come ; I wish Vella were to tell you so, too. She could do it ever so much bettor than I. You haven't let either of us miss our mother." " There, now ! Voyle, don't ! poor Will's babies -why wouldn't I love you ! Such a bad cold in my head. Yes, almost as bud as though I were peeling onions — isn't it? There now— good- by ! No, don't come down stairs. Go right to bod. You look fagged. Good night again, laddie !" And then she found the banisters, and cliekerty-clicked down stairs. Voyle stood at the top till sho was safely down and turned her head for a parting glance Then he went into his room and thing himself down in the chair she had just vacated. There \\a? a fond, sad smile on his handsome f ice. For only two people in the wi c world did he care, and these he loved intensely— Vella and Miss Dorothy. Through the sharp, clear, cold October night the latter jogged along by Hilaria Jcickson's side, more •' Hurried " than over. Good-night, Aunt Polls you blessed little soul you f Of such is the kingdom of heaven. Sound sleep— sweet dreams !