CHAPTER XIX.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 140, 6 February 1886, Page 6

CHAPTER XIX.

"I WISH I COULD EXORCISE ALL YOUR TROUBLES." When released, Grace wheeled about on the stool and began conversing unreservedly with some gentlemen standing near ; nor did she seem at all conscious of the lovely picture she made in that position. But Audrey Waldemar was observing her closely, and thought she had never seen anyone more brilliantly beautiful. f The piano was an upright, and Grace s fine figure, in her light robes, showed to perfection outlined against it. Her jewelled hands lay idly clasped in her lap, while her spirited face was raised to the friends with whom she was talking, and her whole attitude was one of unstudied grace. ** What a lovely wife she would make for Rich !"' mused Audrey, as she watched the scene with admiring eyes. About a week later, and only a few days before the Campbells were to leave for the mountains, Rich went to pay his duty call, after the dinner party, and to bid them "good-speed" upon their journey. Mi3B Waldemar had planned to go with him, but she was not feeling quite equal to the exertion, and was obliged to remain at home. „ . „ On this occasion Grace succeeded in addino- to the good impression she had previously made, and the call proved exceedingly pleasant. Rich had just taken his leave, and was descending the steps of the mansion, when he thought he heard a cry of distress. He paused to listen, and then heard something that set his blood to boiling and aroused all the hero within him ; while he saw in the dim light the figures of a man and woman, the former grasping the other s arm rudely, and evidently trying to force her in a direction contrary to that in which she wished to go. "How dare you molest mo like this 7 Rich heard the woman say, and the voice made his heart leap within him. "Take your hand from my arm instantly and let me go." " Now, my little blue-eyed beauty, you know you don't mean that ; you're only coquetting with a fellow ; but if you must go into this house, I'll assist you up the steps, and then wait until your errand ia done, so as to see you safely home. It's a good while since I've had a chance to walk with you, but you didn't suppose, I hope, that I'd give you up to that bcoby of a policeman ; I've watched you come and go every day — you're much too precious to be neglected." . The above insolent speech was made m a voice that Rich recognised but too well, while the speaker still retained hia rude hold upon the arm of the figure by his side. „ . , "Oh! will no one help me?" cried a iweet though distressed voice. " Yes !" came in a tone of thunder close at hand ; and, with a blow straight from the shoulder, Rich laid the burly carpenter Crouch -for it wa3 he— sprawling upon the sidewalk. Rich had sped quickly down to the step 3 while he was talking, and came close up to them juat as Annie Hunting; cried out for help. "Mies Hunting, how does this happen ?— why do I find you so far from home and alone at thi3 time of night ?" the young man asked, in a tone of concern a3 he turned toward the trembling girl. "Oh, Mr Waldemar," she cried, "how glad lam ! I had some work for Miss Campbell, which should have been returned this morning ; but it vra3 not finished until late this afternoon, and I was commissioned to bring it to her, and see if there were any alterations to be made." " And ha 3 that boor dared to renew his persecution 1" Rich questioned, as he took her bundle from her and assisted her up the steps that she had but just descended. " Yes ; he overtook me at the corner of Forty-third-street, and insisted upon accompanying me. What shall I* do if he keep 3 this up ?" the young girl asked, in distress, while she glanced fearfully over her shoulder at the fellow, who was just coming to his senses and picking himself up from the sidewalk. "It shall not continue," Bich said, sternly. "Here— l will ring the bell for you, and wait until you have done your errand, then I will see you safely home." He rang the bell a3 he spoke, standing by her until she was admitted ; then turning, he ran quickly down the steps again and strode to where John Crouch stood brushing the dust from his clothes, muttering threats, and fiercely cursing the author "Now, sir," Rich began, in a determined voice, " if you want any more of the same kind of entertainment, I am prepared to give it to you. What do you think of yourself, accosting and frightening an unprotected girl ? Have you no honour or manliness ?" "I've manliness enough to thra?h you within an inch of your life if you don't mind your own business !" blustered the fellow, strutting toward Rich with a great Bhov of fight in his clenched fists and uplifted head. A smile of contempt curled our young architect's lips aa he stood calmly erect, his arms hanging loosely by his side, though his quick eye did not lo3e a Bingle movement of his antagonist. " It ia my business to eapouee the cause of every insulted woman whom I find needing help," he returned, sternly; "you have troubled Miss Hunting once too often, and you are to let her alone in the future — do you comprehend ?" " Seems to me you are pretty high and mighty over a poverty- stricken sewing girl V' sneered John Crouch, with an exaßperating laugh. " 'Taint often high bucks like you care to get mixed up with 'em very much— t*7i public, I mean." Rich longed to make him measure his length again in the dußt for this insult ; but it was a principle with him never to be belligerent except in cases of necessity. " Such a speech is worthy of you," he replied, with well-pointed sarcasm, " but I warn you, once for all, that if you ever molest Miss Hunting again, you shall Buffer for it to the extent of the law." "I've heard bluster before now," growled Crouch, stealthily advancing toward Rich, his eye blazing hatred and malignity, " but it'll take more'n a whippersnapper like you to frighten a man of my size." "Stand back," Rich commanded with quiet authority, ior he saw that the bully was watching an opportunity to spring upon him unawares. "Ha! ha 1" he laughed roughly, "you can knock a man down from behind, and think you've done a brave thing ; but when it comes to a square hand-to-hand fight your pluck oozes out. How do you like thatl Ah !— a " - . He had made a dive at Rich, aiming a fierce blow at' his chest, but our hero,

trained to athletic sports and scientific boxing at" college, warded off the sledgehammer fists with his left hand and arm, while with his right he struck out from the shoulder with. almost lightning rapidity, hitting his opponent a smashing blow under his left ear, which had brought that cry of surprise and pain from him, and following it up with another and yet another upon his nose and chin, he sent him, reeling like a drunken man, against a stono post, where doubled up like a jacknife he lay half stunned for several momentsRich stood quietly by, watching him a trifle anxiously, for he had no wish to do bum any serious injury — he had only hoped to give him a wholesome lesson. But evidently he was not harmed beyond a few bruises, for ho soon picked himself up again, and clunk away like a whipped dog, growling and muttering threats of vengeance. Rich walked up and down the sidewalk, thanktul that it had all passed so quickly as not to attract attention, for he had no desire for a public scandal, and he had not taken but two or three turns when Annie Hunting made her appearance again, He met hor at the foot of the marble iftep?. "Has be gone?" she asked, glancing anxiously about. "Yes, he has been gone some minutes," Rich replied, reassuringly, " and now I intend to take you safely to your own door, and see that nothing further transpires to frighten you." He drew her small hand within his arm, with a feeling, almost, of proprietorship in her, while her low -spoken but grateful " thank you" told him that her frightened heart was set entirely at rest by his a?surance of protection "Miss Hunting," he began aiter a moment, " I want to exact a promise from you, that you will not go out alone after dark any more " " I wish I was not obliged to, Mr Waldemar," she answered, "but I cannot always regulate my actions by my wishes. Many times I am detained very late in the workrooms, while afc others I am obliged to take home work to finish, as in this case, and when it is completed, carry it to the parties to whom it belongs." " I see," Rich responded, thoughtfully. " But at loast," he added, "you can promise this much, that when you are detained late, or have to go upon these nightly errands, you will either ask some one to go with you or take a car. I fear that you may meet with even worse persecution than that from which I delivered you to-night. I believe that man is a black-hearted rascal, and you must be protected in some way from him." " You are very kind," Annie Hunting replied, " and I am very grateful for all that you have done for my comfort and safety. " I will cheerfully make the promise you desire— indeed, I. feel that it will be a necessary precaution.* Then he began to talk of other things to draw her mind from the recent unpleasant experience. Amonpr other things, he asked her regarding her duties in the sewing-room —if they were particularly laborious or unpleasant. " One must not quarrel with one's bread and butter, Mr Waldemar," she said, somewhat sadly. " I cannot say that my life is an agreeable one, but it is not nearly so hard as that of some others that I know. I have often wished, however, that 1 could get into somo quiet household as family seamstress, andthen I should escape many annoyances to which I am now subjected." •' Surely there are many such places in the city !" Rich eaid eagerly, thinking such a situation would be far better for her. "Doubtles3 there are, if one could only know about them, "she returned, with a sigh. A sudden bright thought came to Rich. " If I could secui'e such a situation for you would you accept it ?" he asked. " I ahould be only too glad to do so, Mr Waldemar, for it would at least insure me protection against such annoyances as I suffered to-night." " I may not be able to do anything for you in that way," Rich continued, but I have some friends who, I think, might know of such a place. They are about going away for a few weeks, but if you will only take care of 'number one' until they return, I believe they will be able to help you to something. In fact, I may as well tell you, they are the Campbells — the very people to whose house you have been to night." " Mrs and Miss Campbell !" said Annie, quickly. " They are very nice ; Mrs Campbell is always so considerate, and her daughter has something kind to cay whenever I see her. I have worked upon a good many garments for them." "Yes, they are very amiable people," Rich returned, while in his mind he was contrasting Miss Campbells brilliant, luxurious life with that of this toiling sewing girl, "and I really believe they would be interested for you if I should speak to them of you." " You are very good, Mr Waldemar," Annie said, and there was a suspicion of tears in her voice, "and— l want to thank you, too, for those cheering little blossoms which you left at my door for me a short time ago." " Oh," replied Rich, with a sudden heartthrob, "I was buying some flowers, one day, for my aunt to wear to a dinner-party, when I saw those sweet little Scotch roses, and — I could not resist sending them to you. You were not offended ? May I send you some more ? — you will not consider me presuming if I do ?" he asked, eagerly, though somewhat incoherently. " How could I be offended at such a kind remembrance ?" she Baid, half -reproachfully. " They made me think of home and papa, too, for we had a variety of Scotch roses in which he used to take a good deal of pride ; he dearly loved all kinds of flowere." " Where was your home, Mies Hunting, before you came to New York to live ?" Rich inquired. "In Brooklyn." "So near as that ! and have you no friends or relatives there who could care for you V " No — no one who would wish to be burdened with a penniless orphan. My mamma was an orphan when papa married her ; she had some distant relatives, somewhere in the country, but they were simple people who seldom left home, and I never never knew anything about them excepting by hearsay. Papa was an only child, of descent, and his parents died in Scotland, years ago ; so when he was taken there was no one left to care for me." Involuntarily Rich's arm tightened over the little hand lying upon it ; it moved him strangely to hear her apeak so pathetically of her loneliness. " And did he — excuse me if I am too free —could he make no provision for you when he died ?" he asked. "Yes ; papa made a will appointing a guardian and administrator for me ; out when they came to look up his property, they said there was none— everything was bo involved —or something. I don't understand it— that there wasn't anything left for me !" " How strange !" Rich said, at once suspecting trickery. " But, could your guaraian do nothing better than to allow you to come into this great city and its dangers ?"

"He took me to his home for a little while ; but be had quite a family, and Bomehow I felt as if I was in the way, so I came to New York one day and made arrangements to take care of myself." By this time they had reached her home, and Rich did not feel at liberty to prolong tho conversation. Yet ho lingered while bidding her good-night. " I hope,' he said, as ho held her hand in a fond clasp, "your dreams will not be haunted by any unpleasant visionary return of that miserable fellow who annoyed you so to-night." "Why, Mr Waldemar," she exclaimed, with a eilvery little laugh, " you had made me forget all about him !" "Thank you. I wish I could exorcise all your troubles as easily," Rich said, in a low, earnest tone. With another pressure of tho small hand, Rich said his final "good-night " and went his way. Before going to the office next morning, he told Miss Waldemar something of Annie Hunting's history, and the difliculties from which he had, upon two or three occasions, l'escued her. He requested her to write to Mrs Campbell and ask her to use her influence to secure a situation for her as seamstress in some private family, and this Miss Waldemai unhesitatingly promised to do.