CHAPTER XXXIII (Continued).

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 147, 27 March 1886, Page 7

CHAPTER XXXIII (Continued).

" What a narrow escape you have had, my darling," Rich said, with a shudder, when some days afterward he and Annia were talking it over alone. "I shall not feel safe until that man is found and put where he can do you no further harm " " I believe I shall never dare go out alone again," Annie returned, nestling closer to her lover, while a thrill of horror ran through her at the remembrance of her frightful experience. '• I am glad to hear you say that, dear," Rich replied, "for 1 certairly could not know a moment's comfort if I thought you would ever be liable to uncounter such a danger again," •' Do not let us talk about it any more, please, Rich," pleaded the young girl ; and he saw that she was fearfully pale ; the memory of it was still too much for her Aveakened nerves " Besides,'* she added, " 1 want to consult you a little more about this new plan of Aunt Martha's. You have not yet told me what you think of it." " Of their adoptingyou and relieving you of all further toil and the vexations of lite?" questioned .Rich, smiling. " I think it will be very n ; ce for my dear one— at least, until I can take her into my own neet " "Is it not good of them to 'be willing to spend the winter in the city ?" " 1 am very glad they have decided to do so, for I do not think I could have consented fo allow you to go 'way down in Maine. I could not spare my darling,"' he answered, fondly. " I imagine they thought of that," Annie responded, a little bit of colour creeping into her cheeks at his fond words, "and so have arranged everything just as if they knew all about it themselves." " All about what, my snow-drop?" asked Rich, mischievously. " Why, how hard it would be for us to be separated, of course ; so Uncle George is going to take the Jones family to Lynnell, settle them in their new home, and attend to some necessary business in connection with giving up the care of the farm to Mr Jones. I suppose he will be gone about a month — meanwhile Aunt Martha and I are to go to our nice quiet boarding-place, where I know we shall be very happy ; only I am afraid she ha3 been rather extravagant in her choice of room*, for they are perfectly delightful. Rich, it is going to be charming for us to be so near Miss Waldemar."' "To be so near Jfiss Wahhmar !" repeated Rich, with uplifted brows and significant emphasis. "Oh, you needn't be jealous, for, of course, you know it was almost wholly on your account that we arranged to remain in New York this w'nter," retorted Annie. "If it had not been for your lordship / should hava insisted upon going to Maine, fot I know it muft be something of a sacrifice for those dear old people to give up their comfortable home just for me, and I know that is the reason they decided as they did."' "Just for me!"' quoted Rich a^ain. "Just for me is a very sweet and satisfactory reason, I am sure," he added, smiling. " But I have my own theory, notwithstanding, about this business I have a notion that Aunt Martha enjoys city l ? fe, for all she was 'born and brought up' in the grand old State of Maine, and I should not wonder if you yet made quite a gay old lady of her." Annie laughed heartilv". " What a keen observer of human nature you are," she said, " and I shall not presume to dispute you ; for, if you will believe it, Aunt Martha came rur.ning upstairs last night with two invitations for Mrs Wellington'? grest party that is to come off in a couple of weeks, and she declared we must go, and both have brandnew dresses to wear." It wa3 really true that Miss Starkey enjoyed the excitement of city life, strange as it may appear, after the quiet and monotonous existence that she had always led at home. She liked company, and young people particularly, and interested herself in all the pleasrre? that fell to the lot of Grace and Annie ; while she could go to the theatre and see a good play with as much gusto as the most experienced play-goerin the city. " Are you not afraid of being excommunicated from your church, Aunt Martha, if you go to the theatre?" Annie playfully asked her one day. "Humph ! if I never do worse than listen to a play like 'Little Emly,' I guess I shan't be shut oufc of heaven," was the confident retort. "1 know the ministers all preach against it, and look horrified if they find out that any of their church members go; but, between you and me,"' dropping her voice confidentially," I've kept my eye's open pretty well for sixty odd year?, 'and I reckon there ain't a great many minhton who have not been inside a theatre. They'd say, I suppose, that th ?y went to ' inform themselves about the dangers and follies,' but T guess, if the truth was known, they like it ju«t as well as other folks." The Starkeys had taken a handfcome suite of rooms in a street not far from where Miss Waldemar resided, where they were to have their meals served in a little private room, instead of goin^ to the public table, so it would not seem like boarding, but a<3 if they had a separate home of 'their own. "I'm afraid it will cost a deal," Annie had objected, when luiss Starkey stoutly affirmed she would not go to any public table, and proposed this plan. " Of course it will, child ; these New lorkers know how to make you pay a smart price for everything you have, but I fruess there's money enough, and if we are gomer to stay here thi3 winter, we're o-oing to have things in «hape, and a good'time^ too, if we can," returned the spinster, resolutely, and Annie offered no further objections. They were to remain until April, then they were going to Lynnell to spend the summer, where Miss Waldemar, Rich, and the Campbells would join them for a month. Then early in the fall there was to be a quiet wedding in the old homestead where Annie's mother had been married. It was the young girl's wish to stand upon the very spot where her father and mother had plighted their vows, when she gave herself for life to Rich. After the wedding and a short tour, the young couple would return to New York to occupy a charming little residence which Uncle George and Kich were planning between them, which was to be built just a little way out cf the city, and where the Starkeys were to spend their winters, and then, if Rich's business would permit, the ■whole family would go back for the hot summer to the old homestead at Lynnell. Mr Starkey, with the Jonee family, left for Maine the middle of December, and they who had no love for city lit© bade fare-

well to New York, where they had suffered so much, without a regret. Mr Jones was now far on the road to health ; the hope of being able onoe more to provide comfortably for his family had done much toward hi3 restoration; for courage and hope are by far the most successful physicians the world has ever known. His gratitude toward Miss Starkoy and the other good people, who had done so much toward effecting thia happy change for him, was unbounded. He considered Miss Campbell "an angel of goodness," while towwd Roger Hamilton he manifested an aflection and reverence that was almost pathetic. Grace, Annie, and Miss Starkey all rode to the station, on the morning the party were to take their departure, " to see them off;" and there they met Mr Hamilton, who had come upon a similar errand. "What a grand man he is '" Annie remarked to Grace, who, after exchanging greetings with him, had presented him to her young friend; "the very glance of his eye, to say nothing of his genial smilo, inspires one vvnh confidence and esteem instantly." Grace made no reply to these enthusiastic remarks ; but her gaze followed his noble form, as he went to help Mr Jones attend to his baggage, with an expression that betokened something more than mere friendly interest, while the bloom on her cheek increased to a deeper hue than usual.