CHAPTER LIV.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 102, 16 May 1885, Page 4

CHAPTER LIV.

JiAI) NEWS. "A slippery anrl subtle knave; a flndor out of occasions ; that has an eye can stamp and counterfeit advantages. though true advantage never present itself; a devlish knave. OuriiKLhO. "Tins good Lord save us !" ejaculated Miss Dorothy, in devout dismay. And down on a big hall-chair of carved mahogany sat she in a state of comical consternation. She re read the address on the yellow envelopo, le-read the slip it had contained. " Have decided to let Florida slide till .January. Letitia is anxious to return, so will be home to-night."

Misa Vernell lifted hoc hands despairingly and shook her head. " To-night ! Well, if 1 ever! Audi didn't droam of soeing thorn for a month at loast. Only gone a week ! And not a thing ready. Well, if ever a poor body was boing continually astonished, it's I ! Tonight ! Well, sitting gaping here won'b i light a lire in tlxoir room or prepare supper. A wook, did I say? They will not be a week married till to-morrow. Of all the wedding trips !" she murmured as she stood up mechanically and moved asvay to give the servants their orders. " Rushing off and rushing back. I don't see whore came in the souse of going at all !" Half an hour later, when she had put all the domestic machinery of the household in activity, she went into tho library and wrote a noto. She summonod Robortg, and sent him with it down to the flat on Michigan Avenue, whoro ililaria Jackson reigned in solitary state. •' Your mistress is to return to-night," sho had written. " Coino, as she may need you, and bring anything in tho way of dress or toilet articles you think sho may roquiro." Tho shortening autumn day was closing in when tho maid arrived. Miss Dorothy mot her in the hall, and wont up with her to tho brido's room. There, while they were both bustling round the dressing-room and putting it in ordor, Miss Vornell spoke out a question she had often of lato been desirous of asking. "Guila, why do you continuo living with MraCharu— Mrs Vernell, I moan— now that thero is no longer danger of what you at first foarodr" Sho was engagod in opening a box of some fragrant dontifrico. Sho ans\sored her evasively : " I must livo, Miss Dorothy, and to live means to work— for whom, mutters littlo." " Yes, I understand that," pulling down tho bull" window-shade ; " but this disguise, this masquerade? You would not bo obliged to keep that up it you went into tho service of a stranger. The constant screening of one's porsonulity must bo wearying." The girl laughod wearily. " Of course it is, but what mattor ? I'm Ililaria Jackson. Ililaria Jackson I'll remain. I ought to like it. Mrs Charu — Mr>3 Vornoll —pays Hilaria means cheerful, merry, Thoreforo it fits my nature liko a glove. Cheerfulness and merriment are my distinguishing characteristics. Don't you think so, Miss Dorothy ?" A certain shocked pain camo into Miss Dorothy's face at the jibing words. How misery had altored her, hardenod her ! "They used to bo, Guila 1 " she said, gently. And there tho conversation dropped. Mi«.s Dorothy consulted tho timo-tablos and made inquiries The train which would most probably bring them was duo at nine-twenty, this supposing they roturned on tho wime roud as that on which they had loft By eight, tho grand houso on Prairie Avenue was in roception attire, of a stylo subdued but festive. The hangings of plussh -v\ercdia\\n, tho portieis thrust back on their brazen polo**. In all the rooms bla/.cd royal fires. Not that, with the hot air currents through tho house, they wero at all nocof-snry. "Junior the look of the thing'" Miss Dorothy said. "If thero is anything good to sec on coming in out of the co'd, cozy and kindly and welcoming, it's a big grate Ihc !" So under the dwart mantels, the steeples, and the cabinet mantles of carved cherry and tiled oak and panelled mahogony, and coloured marbles, the red coixU flowed like carbuncles, and the ilamc flung up the chimney its bannors of ruddy gold. In the hall, in the drawing-room and in my lady's chamber, were flowers, great loose bunches of fragrant hot-house blooms. For these, Miss Dorothy had hastily sont, an act of gracious courtosy to tho nowcomer on the part of tho doposed sovereign. In the dining-room tho table was laid for a late supper. About nine thero camo a ring. Roberts admitted a gentleman, capped and overcoated, Mr Donnis Grimes. Miss Doiothy, darting out of one of the rooms, under tho supposition that her calculation had boon inaccurate and that the ring heralded tho bride and groom, drew back in somo discomfitr.ro at tho .sight of tho visitor, but finding those pale, lazy oyes of his fixed on her, camo reluctantly forward. "Mr Grimes." Sho bowed, keeping well, howover, out of handshaking distance. "Ah, Miss Vernell'" Coining into the blight light of tho Moorish lamp. "Raw night, isn't it? Dcucodly disagreeable. Has the colonel got home ?" Mi&s Dorothy, very imposing, indocd, in her black moire, English point, topaz brooch and all, her greying blonde hair waved prettily down behind her littlo pink ears, fixed upon him a glance over &o slightly indicative of her very pronounced dislike and mistrust. •'How did you know we wore expecting him home to-night, Mr Grimes?'' He hung his hat on the rack. "I didn't know. But thero have been some ugly rumours afloat for the last couple of days concerning thoso Colondiinas shares in which ho is largely interested, so I thought they would probably head him off in a hurry." He unbuttoned his overcoat and leisurely ex ti acted himself therefrom, Miss Dorothy caught her breath. "Without being invited to remain ! Woll, he mn cool ! But she swallowed her indignation. Ho had a right hero. Was he not James's lawyer? And as to Guila— had she not promised her to in no way evidence to him her knowledge of his character ? " Indeed ! I have had a telegram saying he would bo home this evening. Will you wait and sec him ?" ♦' At what hour ?" taking from his breastpocket a handkerchief as delicately porfumed as Mrs Cham's own. " We expect him about ten." " Thanks, I believe I w ill stay." As though this ho had not intendod from tho first ! He followed Miss Dorothy into tho long, rich, glittering, brilliantly-lighted, drawing room. She could hardly, without downright impoliteness, leave him quito alone during the hour he had to wait. So she sat down and asked him tho first question that came into her hoad. " In there any foundation for the rumours you mention concerning my brother's af fairs ?" Into his face camo a swiftly conjured expression of ominous foreboding. "Against my will I am convinced that there unfortunately is !'' he replied. In a few moments ho was again his serene and debonnair self. Suddenly and curiously, though, wero his serenity and nonchalance dissipated. Ho was leaning against the mantel, his face avorted from the entrance, when along the hall came the soft rustle of a woman's gown. A voice said : " Mias, Dorothy, I " then broke off abruptly. | He started, wheeled round, every tinge I of colour fading out of his florid face. * " Great Heaven ! who "

There he too stopped. That voice ! He could have sworn — and yet it was sheer fancy— impossible ! Between the portieros of mouse-and-gold plush stood only a brown-skinned, spectaolod, grey-haired, alightly - stooped woman — Mrs Colonel Vernell's maid. What a fool he had made of himself. Somo explanation was due to his hostess. He turned to her, "his pale lips fumbling for a sort of smile," a queer nervous light still in his eyes. Her shrewd old eyes were regarding him intontly. " I bog your pardon ! I was thinking of something elso, and the voice, speaking so suddenly, startled mo." Ho passed liia snowy handkerchief across his forehoad. Mips Dorothy bent her head. Then she j tnrnod to the woman still lingering by the portiere. 11 You wish to speak to me, Hilaria?" "Yes, Miss Dorothy. la it time to send j for tho Vor/.onay ?" Grimes drow a breath of relief. Unconsciously ho had found himself listening for her reply. How could he have been such an idiot ? What was there in that slow, hesitant voice — low too, and with a certain stammer— to sound to him so exactly, as it had a fow seconds ago, like Guila'e clear tones. Mies Vorncll sprang up. " Gracious, yes. Hasn't Dick brought it yet ? and the colonel is so fond of it ! I should say it was time ! Wait, I'll go with you and hoe about it - you'll excuse mo, Mr Grimes?" Ho bowed and smiled suavely. "Certainly." "* As tho stiff black moiro, cracklod away aftor the brown stuff gown, he hoard Hilaria say in that quoor diilident vqice of hors : "I didn't know there was anyono with you, Miss Dorothy, or I wouldn't havogone in." And then Miss Dorothy's pleasant rejoinder. " That's all right, Hilaria." He btood on the groat turkish rug boforc the tire, his hands behind his back, and looked down the great room. Truly a luxurious apartment. The houao of a princo, a revenue proportioned to its magnificence, and now for a wife the most fascinating of women. What more could tho heart of man debiro ! No misnomer was tho title of the " lucky colonel." The minutes ticked on. The house was very still. What in that woman's fow short words had— as ho phrased -it so hinibelf — scared him out of his boots'' He had not been thinking of Guila when she spoke. Confound it all, ho hoped he was not getting morbid and imaginative ! Whore was she now, anyway? Sho did caro a tremendous lot for him, poor littlo girl ! for a whilo, too, ho had actually fanciod himpclf in lovowith her. But that was before ho had met Mrs Charu. Oh, darnation, he must think of something olse. It was sheer recklessness for a man to rack his braiu ovor disastrous amours aftor a hoavy dinner— it meant indigestion every time. 11. 'uk i Cani.ige wheels? Yec>. Wero they ntoppinj; here ? He bent his lioad to liyton. Ye.s. And now footsteps were coming up tho walk, up tho steps. And now tho bell was rung. And now Roberts passed the portieres w ith a little Iopp of his ponderous dignify than usual, and Dorothy camo trotting downstairs. Then he hoard the doors flung open, tho bu//. and hum of greeting voices. They wero coming toward the drawing-room — ha(' entered. He went boldly forward to meet them. "Congratulations, colonel, you sly old lad, you!" he cried, cheerily. "A nice trick you p^yed your friends. Wolcome homo, Mrs Vornoll." And to each in turn hi.s large white hand was extended in cordial greeting. The colonel shook ir with unusual warmth for him. Ho seemed for once in his life glad to see his good looking young lawyer. Of late he hud been the very revorso. But n om— well, now it was different. He. had won the prize — had walked coolly off with it under the very eyes of Mr Dennis Grimes. Ho could afford to be friendly now— yes, indeed. A barely perceptible shiver passed through the bride as her flushing black eyes encountered tho droway blue orbs above her. Not, abstractly considered, a shudder of repugnance, nor yet a thrill of pleasure ; rather than of cither the outward evidence of intense excitement. " Thank you," she answered, quietly. To him the brief, low words were full of significance. Miss Dorothy bustled up to tako off Mrs Yemen's wraps. The colonel had alroady divested himself of his outer coat, hat, and glove*-, and was warming hid hands at the rollicking lire. " And now your hat, Letitia. You see I have got used .to your name already," prattled on Mis.s Dorothy, who, if her brother had picked his wife out of a pauper institution, u ould have treated her with all deference and warmth out of her own simple gunorobity and gnod-hcartcdncss. " TCut, dear me, how fatigued you look! I think you did right to coino homo. Doe.-^n t she, ".J anies?" James smiled complacently. On his own hearthstone again, he was beginning to enjoy the pleasure of possession. Particularly in tho prehenco of young Grimes did he feel elated and proud of his brilliant wife. " Sho does look a little bit fagged," he commented : " but she'll be all right in the morning after a good rest." "A chance of travel, a paleness, an hour's defect of the rose," quoted Dennis, smilingly. Miss Dorothy was passing him as he spoke, on her arm tho bride's cloak. She beamed up at him. " ' From which I oscaped heart-free, with the least little touch of spleen,' " she murmured, innocontly. Ho coloured furiously up to the very roots of his brick-brown hair. Sho to wound him !--- a little old maid like that ! And yet she had only finished the etanza as the line recurred to her. Pshaw ! what was thoro in an incident so simple to bpur him so ? This was tho second time tonight. Noither of the others had hoard her. She passed out. Oh, Aunt Dolly, haven't you the least speck of that which Mrs Browning calls " the gall of gentle souls "—haven't you ? " How about a bit of supper, Dorothy ?" the colonel asked, when in a few minutes she returned, " It's quite ready, James. And somo of that good old dry Veraonay you like so well, too. Come !" The colonel turned to his attorney. " Coma, Grimes." " I have dined, thanks. Oh, I'll go over with you," in answer to his host's protest. 11 1 just called up about, a matter of business, but we'll defer it for tho present." But later, when the ladies had gone into the library and they lingored over an extra bottle of the colonel's favourite champagne, he told him that which he had come to say. A terrifying tale, cleverly, subtly, impressively told, every sentence a fine, bold stroke, in a startling nicture—a picture of financial shoals of impending ruin.

When, an hour later they went into the library, Miss Vernell exclaimed at the sight of her brother's face, so white, brooding, harassed was it : " James, you have had bad news !" " Yes," he responded, dryly. " About what?" his wife questioned. " You wouldn't be much wiser if I told you," trying to smile and failing dismally. "It's pbout that Golondrinas stock of mine." " Oh !" in comprehensive ignorance. And there the matter dropped. When, a few minutes afterward, Grimes rose to go, he Bpoko one word in a whisper as he bent over Mrs Col. Vernell'8 chair to aay good-night. And that word was — "liemember /"