CHAPTER XLVI.

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

CHAPTER XLVI.

" l.l\ E HER KE-vr IN HhR t.KAVJ. ! "Life stmok chirp on death, Makes awful lightning !" K. U. BKOWNJNG. " Any answer yet?" "No, sir." Voyle turned away from the telegrapher's desk with a relieved air. Perhaps there would be nono. Heaven grant so. Silence would give him tho assurance ho craved that Vella was safe with her friend. He would wait half an hour longer, though, and make sure. So he walked briskly down several blocks and back. The collar of his light overcoat was turnod up to his ears, his eof t felt hat was j drawn low over his brows. i He was thinking of Aunt Dolly's dismay of the previous night. He smiled at the recollection. Though pathetic, ifc had been irresistibly comical, too. And she had not proffered a single quotation— she had been too dazed for even that. He re-entered the telegraph oflice. The smile in his eyes and on his lips died a sudden death as the operator extended to him an envelope lying near. "Come at last, sir !" cheerily. He opened it unheeding. An undefined fear made his hands shako as do those of the palsied : " To Mr Voyus Vkknmcll : " Your despatch ia Ciivok to roc. Have not Rcen Vella bhiob luet Christinas, nor heard of h<r sinrc March, but read of her wedding.— Evelyn Gagk." He crushed the message into his pocket and turned away. What did it mean? — what in Heaven's name could it mean ? She had not, gone to Philadelphia at all. Where then had she gono? Nor had she written. What was the cause of her silence wherever she was ? A wave of sickening foar swept ovor him. What accident had thoro been -what wrong -or could it bo death ? He grew actually faint. He mustn't sta^d idle— that would never help her, find her, bring her back to him again. The first he certainly was not doing. He | was walking at a rate which ma Jethe people on the sidewalk turn and look after him, and those on the cars nudge each other and refer to the approaching speed contest at the Exposition Building and present pedestrian craze. Fears too terrible for even momentary credence surged through his brain. Or might it not be possible she had missed her tratn that night, had decided not to leave town at all, and was still in that city ? But, no ; that was not probable; She would : never have remained, no matter with whom, and left Aunt Dolly ignorant of her proximity. Was there any accident about the time of her departure ? He could recollect none, but he had not read the papers about that time, and vory often such affairs were barely slurred over, occasionally success- 1 fuliy suppressed. The only way to make ! sure was to go to the office of that par- ! ticular road, state his case, and ask for information . This, with the promptitude of terror, he did. The gentleman to whom he applied was all that was courteous and obliging. The day and date given, memory and records were examined. Yes, there was an accident to that particular train that particular night— a cellision. Loss of life ? Not as numerous as the nature of the accident might lead one to suppose. Brakoman killed, trainboy injured, engineer scalded, o'd lady in- ! jured. Name ? Mrs Costello. Young man, 'back hurt; child killed; three or four others injured, taken in and cared for by families living near scene of calamity. Yes, that was all the information he possessed. If the gentleman would leave his address, anything elso he could learn he would immediately inform him of. Ho hoped he would discover his fears wore without foundation, and he was, in facfc, prophetic that he should. His time, unfortunately, was limited— and— aw— what a delightful day, and— aw— yoorf-afternoon*

How Voyle got out of that comfortable office and into the street he never afterwards had the slightest remembrance. The fruit of his fear was conviction of the worst. She waß dead !— that was what he told himself. She had been fatally injured, carried to a house near by, there died ; and the people, knowing neither her name nor home, had quietly there buried her. This was what his passion of gloom and fore boding forced on him. She was dead ! (To be Continued.)