CHAPTER LXIX

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 108, 27 June 1885, Page 4

CHAPTER LXIX

"GO TO HER '" "Holds her fingers and draws her down, Suddenly growing bolder, Till her loobe hair drops its masses brown In a mantle over his shoulder," * Ella Wheeler. The door barely closed after Vella. Evelyn flung it open again at Marc's ring. "Marc!" •• Evelyn !" And he bent and kissed her, his caress, as at his parting, '• too warm for a friend and too cold for a lover." But this Bhe did not notice. Every other feeling was absorbed in the supreme one of delight in his presence. He had come — her king had come ) was not all well ? They went into the rich, deserted, gas-lit library. " Well," sinking into a moss-green Sleepy Hollow, " it is good to be back in the midst of civilisation once again." "I have missed you so, Marc !" He put one brown hand on her braided head with a gesture which to a woman less generous in self-surrender would have been intolerable, because of its simple friendliness. "But I wrote." *' Yes," pouting deliciously ; " but letters are only letters." How well she did look in that rich, soft, ruby gown, with a quaint old golden brooch at her throat, and a creamy rose in her blueblack hair I What a charming, gracious woman she was, and how happy and proud should be the man whom she honoured with her devotion ! All this he thought -and next his heart still a little glove, all soiled and crumpled, lay. Ah, me ! They talked ©n for ten or fifteen minutes, pleasantly, and on familiar, subjects, when suddenly there came down the grand stairway without the swish oF feminine draperies, the sound of a low voice " lifting some old-fashioned tune."

An instant later the library door wai thrown wide, and flushed, smiliDg,*brighteyed Kitty Costello stood before them, She recoiled in confusion at the sight of the occupants. " Oh, I beg your pardon ! I had no idea there was any one here. I- 1 was justj ust 100k ■ ing for Vella." That name I Maro Tracy started violently. "Come in— we are no ogres," laughed Evelyn. "I fear Vella would hardly be complimented at suoh an incoherent assertion. You had 'no idea you would find any one here, as you were looking for Vella.' " In the excitement of the moment Evelyn quite forgot her promise to her friend. Kitty laughed too, and came a little forward. "Let me make you two pilgrims and strangers acquainted," went on Evelyn, gayly. " Captain Traoy, Miss Oostello." Captain Tracy roee and bovred. Miss Costello bent her gold- brown head, but as she raised it swiftly, into her face came an expression of surprised recognition. Surely she had heard that name before. "Is it Captain Marc Tracy ?"— a trifle diffidently. Again he bowed. With a sudden radiant smile, and outstretched hand, she went forward. He was Vella's lover -he had come here to see Vella. "I ought to know you; I have so often heard Aunt Dolly speak of you." He clasped the proffered hand. " Whom did you say ?" he began. 11 Oh, I said Aunt Dolly, didn't I ? We have drifted into calling her that. I meant Miss Dorothy Vernell. She is a loyal friend of yours " "Indeed '"gently. But, at sound of the name which had been borne by the woman of his love, the shadow on his dark face deepened. And then Kitty excused herself, and went away. Evelyn had quite forgotten to tell her of VellaV departure. But justthen, at another door Mr Gage entered. Amazed and delighted at sight of Marc, he hurried forward, shook hands warmly, and greeted him with utmost cordiality. The first flush of meeting over, he turned to Evelyn. " Where is Vella ?" he asked. He had come to regard her in the light of a younger and dear daughter. Again ! Oh, it could not be she ! But the heart which had not pulped one throb more rapidly in many a desperate charge in furious frontier battles i.ow leaped like a prisoned bird at sound of a woman's name. She is gone back to Chicago !" " What /" thundered Gage. " She got homesick, and she would go !" Evelyn answered. " She " and there the girl broke off. Then, and not one moment sooner, she remembered ! She had promised not to mention her name to Marc Tracy j and now " Oh, that is too bad !" her father cried in genuine regret and perplexity. " I would have liked so much, Marc, that you should meet Vella Vernell, aa beautiful and sweeteouled a child as ever breathed !" So then ! it?«wshet but they clung to her old name. He would muster up courage and pronounce the new one. "MrsClaflin you mean," he said. "I have met her !" John Gage and his daughter stared at him in astonishment. " No, sir !" exclaimed the former, with a vigorous shake of his white head. " I don't mean Mrs Claflin. Is it really possible you don't know the truth about that affair?" Marc's bronzed cheek paled. What was coming ? "No," he said. " Well, it was a confoundedly good joke, you know," he began with a great deal of gusto, " oh, there's the bell ! That's Lloyd about those grain elevatorp. Evvie will tell you the rest of the story, Tracy," and he hurried from the room. With a face over which had come a certain breathless interest and suspense, Marc turned to her. She must tell him. All the harm which the mere mention of her name could have effected had been inadvertently done. It would now bo no violation of her promise to speak further. " Vella did not marry Jonas Claflin. There was some infamous plot concocted at the time to induce her to do so. Voyle was falpely imprisoned on some statement of Colonel Vernell's. Vella's marriagft to Claflin was the stipulated price of his freedom. He escaped and went through a farce of a ceremony with Claflin, deceiving every soul except Miss Dorothy. Vella came here to me. She has been here till tonight. She left just as you came Why, what is the matter?" For he had risen, fallen back a step or two, and was staring at her with a face over which swept like light, doubt, joy, bewilderment. <l Is it — can it be true?'* he cried. His excitement amazed her. She, too, rose, and faced him. " It is quite true," she Paid. And now the great glory and thanksgiving which blazed in his dark eyes blotted out every other emotion. She had been true to him ! She had loved him ! Fool, madman that he had been to doubt her. And yet that morning n the Palmer ! There was much to be explained of course, but it must have been Voyle who had passed him with Claflin. Yes, yes ! It takes slight argument to convince us of that which our heart longs to believe. " Can you ever forgive me ?" he murmured, " my loyal little love I" And then he recollected Evelyn. Their eyes met. A curious startled look had come to her. " You knew her?" she questioned, slowly. " The story is a— a shock to you !" What threatened ? A darkness fell upon her spirit, like the hush which presages a storm. And he? What could he say to her? — how tell her ? J J" Aught Bave the truth would be insult to her," whispered conpeience. The truth, therefore, he spoke. "She was the woman I loved and deemed disloyal." A red colour had burned out on either bronzed cheek. She put her hand to her heart with a sudden gesture of pain. As quickly Bhe dropped it. " Yes, you told meof her," she said, in a low voice; "but I never dreamed it was Vella." " Does she know " "Yes; I told her." " And she said ?" " Nothing." There was a brief silence. In the hall without they could hear Kitty Costello'* cheery voice calling out some gay rejoinder to a quizzical query of Mr Gage. " You love her still ?" Marc started. Which way lay faith ? He looked up. Again their eyes met. There was no need for words. Evelyn's lips had lost their usual gerani-um-bright bloom. B p t with all her old calm grace, she went forward and held out her hand, " Be my brother, Maro 1" 11 Evelyn 1"

Ah, less sublime the heroism of many a martyr at the stake than that of this girl, who, smiling, said : "Go to her 1" Us at Costello's the ourtains were drawn the amps were lighted. Lazy and lovely by the fire sat Bessie, her soft black gown sweeping out on the Smyrna rug, a letter held in her pink fingers, her purple blue eyes on the face of little Miss Dorothy, who, plump, rosy, energetic as ever, sat opposite, briskly knitting " muffatees" for Voyle. "Oh> I'm so glad about O^en, Miss Dorothy !" she said, for the twentieth time. And Miss Dorothy looked up to nod, dropped a stitch, and put on her glasses to pick it up. "But for the dooument he secured for Voyle. his chances of success would be feeble. Hark ! there he is !" And, sure enough, in be strode, bringing with him a robust breeziness, a really handsome mustache, and a laugh which one grew young to hear. He kissed Aunt Dolly, shook hands with Bessie, and drew up a chair. " What's the newß ?" " Oh, such good news !" cried Bessie. " Owen is out of danger." " By Jove, that is good !" averred Voyle. "Have you heard from Vella lately?" Miss Vernell asked her nephew. " ho. Her letters of late have been like the visits of very conservative angels-ex-ceedingly few and very far between." They talked on for an hour, when Voyle suddenly said : " Ob, whoever do you suppose I saw on the street to-day ?" "Who?" "That lawyer of my uncle's— Grimes. When he left, about a couple of months ago, he gave out that he was going to Germany for a year. He must have got wind of this claim of mine, and come back." "Listen !" said Bessie. A carriage had stopped before the gate. A few momenta later the bell rang. They heard the servant open the hall-door. Then that of the room in which they sat was thrown wide. The trio glanced toward the threshold. Quick as lightning they were on their feet, with an astonished welcoming cry. "Vella!" And, truly, there she stood- a lily- cheeked golden haired, sombre-clad figure in the gaslight. The next moment Voyle had her in his arms, and then she was folded to Miss Dorothy 'B fluttering little heart. Oh, the Babel there was in that^ room for the next ten minutes ! the inquiries, and assurances, and caresses, and welcoming words, and loving gladness ! Bessie slipped out to order supper for the traveller, and the three who loved, each other so were alone together, j Voyle and Aunt Dolly were horrified at Vella'a appearance. "Where on earth have your pretty pink roses gone ?" they cried. But she turned ib off with a laughing comment on Voyle's mustache, and declared he would make now a very odd bride ! "But what of Marc, Vella ?" her brother asked, suddenly. Miss Dorothy, fondly stroking one little whire hand, felt the fingers close fiercely for a moment around hers. "It is all over between us. Please don't speak of him any more, dear !" she said, quietly. " Was it all on account of that wretched meeting?" he cried. "I can tell you nothing, Voyle." she answered, eoftly, hurriedly, " except that, if you love me, you will never speak to me of him. He is to marry Evelyn Gage." Voyle sprang from his ohair, with a smothered oath. "It is all right, dear." Vella put up her hand on his arm and laughed out in her old, sweet way. " Believe me, dear, it is best as it is. Now, Voyle, for my sake, let us talk of it no more." And then tho servant brought in refreshments ; Bessie followed, and the conversation became general. Half an hour later Miss Dorothy and Vella went upstairs, and Voyle and Bessie were left alone. For three full minutes neither said a word. It waa strange that an embarrassing silence someti.nes fell between these two. Thegirl picked up Miss Dorothy's knitting and went on with it. Voyle sat and watched her. " Bessie !" " Well ?" •■ Don't you think you could show me how to do that ?" " Oh, gracious, no !" knitting rapidly on, prim as a little Puritan. " Its very difficult for beginners." " Had you ever your fortune told?" He was making a great many brave "breaks." "No." "I can read the palm like a book." (Oh, Voyle, Voyle!) '•Will you let me tell yours ?" She laughed, and shook her bonny brown head. "Ignorance is bliss." Jupiter, how time was flying ! Vella and Miss Dorothy had been upstairs twenty minutes. They would soon be down. Remember when you were in the same plight yourselves, you happy old Benedicts, and pity him ! He rose, walked over to the window, drew aside the curtain. "Oh, Bessie!" he cried, in a startled voice. She dropped her work in alarm, and ran over to where he stood. "Is it fire?" He laughed out at the success of his ruse. "No," he answered, meekly. "klt's" k It's a new moon." " The idea of exclaiming at sight of the moon." Let me go, you ridiculous boy." But evidently that ridiculous boy knew too well when he had a good thing to let it go lightly. " But it is a new moon, Bessie, "he persisted. ' ' And you have seen it over your right shoulder. Why don't you wish ?" 11 Wish yourself 1" "I have." " Have you ? What was your wish ?" " That I had a certain dear little girl for my own precious wife !" And his bold, bright eyes were fastened eagerly on the shy, uplifted face. "Oh !" And then in innocent inquiry : "What is she like? Tell me about her." " Well," musingly, " she is neither tall nor small. To use Orlando's loyal words," laughing, "she is just as high as my heart !" "Yes," said Bessie. And now she did not try to run away. " And— oh, I can't describe her. But if you will let me, I shall tell you her came." " Do I" " Bessie 1" How the soft, young cheeks did crimson ! " Bessie what?" Oh, you coquettish little lady! " Bessie— darling ?" And now his daring arms were around her, 'and the look of royal, resolute love which makes successful, wooers — for girls will be masterfully won — in his handsome eyes. "Oh 1 and you winhed "

" That she would come tome for ever and ever 1" An inaccurate and youthful speech, but Well, just how it happened — no, I won't tell you ! Come away, you inquiaite mortal ! Would you have thanked anybody who came intruding then ? Come away this instant ! vV ell, yes, you may listen at the keyhole. (I know it isn't strictly honourable, but then you are so curious. ) Only for a moment, though 1 " Voyle," in a happy, laughing whisper, "isn't it funny— I — I wished — what you did!" Surely, you will come away now! The very keyhole is blushing ! (To be Continued.)