CHAPTER III.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 163, 31 July 1886, Page 12

CHAPTER 111.

WAS IT ELEE LO MAKDA? Romeyn stared at the blot on the pillow in considerable dismay. It looked as if the statement of the child was founded on fact. ♦'Did you taite anything?" he finally asked. " Yes, something sweetish. It was but a drop." •'It is very strange, wi/," murmured Oscar, looking earnestly into the pale face of the child. " Something often comes into my room," remarked Anotole. " Then why did you not keep your door locked ?" 41 Aunt Julietta would not allow it. She pays it is far more safe to leave all our doors free ; then, if anything happens, the othera can come to the rescue. I .should not like to lock myself in here alone. Oh, Mr Romeyn, I lie awake so much night after night, listening for the stoleu step, looking for the dark form. It is dressed in white, but I call it dark/ Mr Roineyn did not know what to say. If his own eyea had nob beheld the liquid spilled on the pillow he should have given no heed to the boy's terrors ; a sickly, nervous child would be apt to have bad dreams and midnight visions. He wanted to search the house, but did not feel free to do so. "Shall l call your aunt?" "You need not mind it now. It would be a shame to disturb her. If jou will let ire," very timidly, " I will come in your bed the remainder of the night." Be asked it so piteously that his companion could not refuse him. But before leaving the chamber Romeyn examined it thoroughly, also softly unclosed the door leading to tho hall and looked out, The gas had been turned down to a mere glimmer ; all was quiet ; the ladies on the opposite side apparently had not heard Anatole's scream. Once more O?car returned and examined the pillow. The wet spot might bo caused by water, so far as any colour or odour was perceptible ; he touched his tongue to it, though hi? fas iousnoss shrank from such a trial, The liquid was sweet ; and a moment later his tongue began to burn a little. The affair certainly was mysterious, if not worse. He resolved to tell Mrs Jardine of it at breakfast. With Anatole clinging tohim,he returned to his own apartment, where he lighted tha gas, and with the child nestled close to him -who soon dropped asleep in the swe«t soeurity of such protection, — he lay long awake thinking over this curious adventure. He even recalled, totally lacking in superstition as he deemed himself, the strange impression which the house had made upon him as soon as he entered it. »' My poor little darling-, you look ill this morning," murmured Mrs Jardine, as Anatole entered the breakfast-room hand in hand with his new friend. The child left his tutor to kiss her, but said nothing, for Oscar had promised to relate all to his aunt. Miss Jardino was already seated, looking fresh as a newly blooming rose. Her bright eyes met the tutor's with a smile. Mrs J ardine, on the contrary, for a few moments appeared constrained. She busied heraelf with the coffee-service, nor once lifted her eyes from it, "Poor lady!" thought Romeyn, "the habit has grown upon her during her seclusion. She has suffered some heart %trouble. A stranger might tell that." He delayed his communication until the breakfast was partly eaten and the servant was absent from the room. Mrs Jardine let her frock drop, listening to it with mingled alarm aud incredulity. " Do you, can you really think there was some one in the child's room ?" she cried, when the tutor told her of the wet pillow. " Great Heaven ! I shall never dare to go to aleep again. But it might be that he had been weeping during his bad dreams Ah, often have I myself awakened to find my face wet with tears." This little pathetic ending to her cry touched Oecarr His sympathy for her was fully arouaed. He disliked to awaken her fears, but their mutual duty to the boy demanded it, and he answered - "This was not the sale brine of teara, madam. I touched my tongue to the liquid, and found it sweet and burning." As he spoke, he turned a little quickly towards Anatole. Tnis movement brought a new object into his i-ange of vision, Elee had been in a eort of butler's pantry which opened from the breakfast room ; but ho bad come just inside the ioom with his noiseless step, and now stood motionless as a carven imago, the plate of hot rice-cakes, which had been sent up to him from the kitchen on a dummy, cooling in his hand. The sleepy almond eyes were wide open. Oscar caught him with the very expression upon his featuies which had gleamed there as he described the tasto'of the liquid. It was like the flash of intelligence which comes to a person's face when a riddle ever which they have puzzled is explained to them. Quick as lightning the lids covered again *ho sleepy eye*, and he came forward with his dish. Oacar took some of the delicate cake*, strewed'powdcred sugar on them, and ate them. But if he had been eating bran he would not have known the difference. A suspicion had occurred to him which fairly turned him cold. He had heard of tho skill of the Eastern nations in the use of subtle poisons, and he believed, or was afraid, that thia harmless-seeming creature wa <j — for some diabolical purpose of his own, at present impossible to guees, though it might be from the wicked fascination of the procees— experimenting upon this helpless child with some of his infernal oriental drugs. The sweat broke out on his forehead as he thought of it. "I'll watch you, you yellow scoundrel!" he inwardly resolved. As he resolved, he looked up at the man and again caught that furtive observation out of the corners of the servant's eyes. "Itia high time there was a man on these premises," he continued to reflect, " Women are go easily deceived. Very likely both Mrs Jardine's servants are rascals, who stay here with the hope of Dreying upon her in some way. Who knows but my chance engagement in this house may be the means of rescuing my poor little pupil from some serious danger ? I must also contrive to make »he acquaintance of the cook." His duties as tutor began that morning. He found Anatole apt and willing, but very ignorant of muoh generally known to boys of his age,' and-.really so much of an invalid as to be incapacitated for continued effort. Mr Komeyn did not burden him with lessons. He instructed him, as far as possible* by conversations. - * • That afternoon, when the groom came with the horses, Oscar took his 'animal,

sending the .man back to the stables. VVhen they returned from their long, delightful ride and drew up in front of ,the house, a vendor was on the basement steps which led under the main entrance, selling oysters to the cook, 'lhia, gave Romeyr opportunity for a casual observation of the servant. ' ' " How do oysters sell in San Francisco ?" he a°kcd, as be paused, on the steps of the main <; ntranoe and looked over. " Beventy-five cents a quart," replied the vendor " Berry muchee cash. Too muchee," said tha cook. He was an older man than Elee, larger, browner, thicker nose and lips j did not ap-. pear to have come from the same part of China, nor to h^ve been in this country as long— or, at least, not to, have acquired our language with the same ease, perhaps from being older when he emigrated. He had thesame sleepy black eyes andimperturbable face. Such faces are hard for strangers to read. The black eyes twinkle wicsedly under the aly lids ; and yet the man may never have had a more criminal thought than to filch a bit from his mistress's larder to take to his wife in the Chinese quarter. *' Go along with yez ' muchee muchee,' " rejoined the venior, who was an Irishman, and would have liked the opportunity to pommel the Chinaman only that it would interfere with hia profits ; " they're dirt chape, and ye know it. I'd like to be selling to the lady o' the house, now^ instid o' yez, that I would," and he ladled out his oysters vigorously. ••No, no! Muchee water; little fish, Takee water," cried tha oook, who jealously watched the operation and did not at all admire a dozen of oysters in a pint of fluid. "Faith, thin, yer partikerler, Johnny," growled the dealer; but the servant persisted, and he had to pour off the water and make the measure good with the bivalves, grumbling as he did so that he ought to have charged a dollar to a Johnny. Romeyn's only object in listening to this confab was to study the character of the i cook. ■* u If there is danger it does not lie there," he murmured, as he went in after little Anatole waiting in the hall, and again his unquiet thoughts reverted to Elee. That person stood by the lad's side as he entered, holding the cap and whip which had been given him. He had been speaking in a low voice to the boy, but turned immediately to bis business on seeing Mr Romeyn. " What did he say to you ?" whispered Oscar. "He asked mo how I preferred my oysters for supper, broiled or stewed." '♦Oh!" Oscar felt that it was rather ridiculous, his coming into this house and immediately beginning to imagine such dreadful things, that a servant could not speak to a child without his suspecting something wiong about it. The event of the previous night bad appeared more serious to him than to anyone else. " He is very good to me," continued the child. "If there is any dish I fancy, he always has Chinchoo prepare it for me." " You mean that he often gets up little treats for you in which the others do not share ?" Oscar inquired, with renewed eagerness. " Yes," responded Anatole blushing. He thought his tutor meant to reprove him for selfishness or epicureanism. '• You see, in Mexico, we have some dishes of which I am fond and which they do not understand hero. I tell Elee about them end he explains them to Chinchoo, who learns very quickly to make them, f i MrsJardine, who had been dressing for the afternoon, now descended the stairs, and Anatole flew to meet her. The affection existing between the two was almost passionate in its intensity. The boy clung to her as if she gave him vitality, and she to him as if she felt that he was passing away from her. They went; together into the parlours, while Oscar went on up to his chamber, to make his toilet after his breezy ride. " I will keep watch, and if I see anything more suspicious, I will certainly warn Mrs Jardine against Elee. It would break her heart to lose that boy," he mused to himself, as he brushed his hair and changed his coat and cravat. After he was dressed be Bat by his window and looked out over the bright gardens and pleasant houses far away to the quiet waters flushing a deep rose-red under the sunset skies. He determined to lay out the first chapter of hig intended romance ; but a deep sadness was upon him. He could not interest himself in fictitious characters ; his o-wn troubles were too real. His heart was in another city far away from this. In fancy he was riding along the bridlepath in Central Park, with a river flowing in the distance, whose water 9 glittered rosily like these, and a fair girl by his side, whose soft eyes drooped, whose smooth cheek glowed like the western heavens, as he bent to her saddle-bow with some pre tense which enabled him to whisper a sentence which had long trembled on his tongue. He sat until his room grew dark, and the tinkle of the tea-bell startled him from his dream, bringing him from the rich past to the poverty-stricken present — from a splendid mansion on Fifth Avenue to this modest house in San Francisco. Something of his former greatness lingered in his air as he entered the supperroom that halt- chivalric, half-imperious, entirely graceful bearing which had once been the admiration of the haughtiest society woman. Mr? Jardine noted it. She noticed, also, the rich quality of his clothing and its quiet elegance. "flc a tutor," she thought to herself, with a smile "With the dress and demeanour of a prince ! Ho has moved a sphere where he has been a leader ! He has stepped down from his place for a time. One can easily perceive that he will not long remain in this romantic seclusion. But he suits my purpose, for the time —and I suit his— go I think we shall get along together admirably. If he were one of those foolish young men who would immediately sot to work to fall in love with Belle, that would annoy me. But he is too critical and too experienced. Besides, he is a great sufferer from a heart-affair. Belle thinks herself a little girl about twelve years old, so there is no danger to her. All in all, I could not be better suited. Sebastian insisted on a tuf or, or I should not have admitted any stranger into my family." That evening he played two or three gamea of chess with Mrs Jardine, while the two " children," as she called them, sang and played accoiding to their custom. The lady noticed a solitaire diamond which he wore on his finger, and which was quite conspicnous during the handling of the chessmen. After a time she referred to it, though not rudely : " I have, been admiring your ring, Mr Romeyn. You cannot consider you are without resources while that remains."" " It would bring me a handsome sum, I dare say ; but as ib once was my mother's, I do not care to part with it. If I am driven to commit suicide," smilingly, "in this lonesome city, I will take the ring with me to the: bottom of the, bay." " That would be a piece of extravagance,' she smiled in return, M But you will' not

commit suicide, I assure you. I don't fear it f or you v You are' too sane and too healthy. Only morbid people kill themselves." ', "And what, kind kill others I—they all seem to be insane, too, according to' our intelligent juries." He asked the question carlessly, with his eyes on the chees-boajrd. She gave him a frightened glance, drop ping the, piece with which she was about to check his king* it rolled on the carpet, and there was quite a stir to find it. By the time it was lecovered Mrs Jardine wasquite herself again. "Check!" she cried, placing the knight in .position. He removed his king out of check, and the game went on : but Mre Jardine's hand trembled, and she did not play with her former attention to the game. That night Anatole did, not crowd himself upon his tutor. He only aeked that the doors communicating between their roomß might be left wide open, and that Mr Romeyn would not turn his light entirely off. " Whenever I leave mine burning it goes out," he said. He really was, considering hia ill health, a wonderfully courageous little fellow. Oscar could not refrain from kissing his cold cheek as he bade him good-night. " Remember, I'm a very light sleeper ; I shall awake at the least alarm. So sleep sweetly, Anatole, with your guardian so near." Like that first day were many others that followed after — a quiet routine of study and recreation ; riding, music in the evenings, with never a change in the programme. It suited Oecar Romeyn, in his present mood, better than any other life would have done, It was a relief to him to find that Mrs Jardine received no company— had not even calling relations with her neighbours. Had visitors invaded the house, he would have kept to the privacy of his own room ; as it was, he could help to pass the slow, intolerable days in the bright society pf his little pupil and Isabella Jardine. They were not inquisitive about him. They liked him and he liked them. He was an elder brother to both of them. He, who had heard all the great artistes of the day, was interested in their music, too, which was full of expression and sympathy, if somewhat faulty in artistic finish, A fortnight passed on. Nothing happened in the least mysterious by day or by night. Anatole got so that he rested well. Every day he wont to the post-office with his tutor who waa still .looking for that letter which never came. On these excursions the Spanish, boy attracted many a glance of interest. He was too sallow and two thin to be handsome ; but he waa extremely interesting — sogtaceful, so gentlemanly, with such fine eyes, and so prettily attired. His pockets were never empty of gold and silver, and he gave some to the ragged urchins who hooted after him. It was not to buy their silence, but; because he was generous. Day by day his tutor admired and loved him more, And alas ! day by day the child declined. It was impossible to be blind to the fact. He could not ride so far— he could not walk so far as when Oscar first began to accompany him. The circles around the great, lustrous eyes deepened " Have you no physician in attendance ? Oscar asked Mrs Jardine, at the end of a fortnight. " One comes in occasionally. We thought Anatole much improved, and he has not been in, now, since the day before you came. I will send for him at once." She did so. Mr Romeyn was present during the examination of the patient. His lungs were sound — his heart was all right ; the doctor could detect no local disease whatever. All that Anatole could tell him was that he felt languid, that he was not strong, that his head was sometimes giddy, and that he had a constant faint feeling about his heart and stomach, as if he was hungry, although he was not hungry. "It i 3 nervous dispepsia, as I said before," concluded the physician. I will prepare a tonic, and can but continue to recommend nourishing but easily digesting food, with plenty ot outdoor exercise. Romeyn knew that the child took all the outdoor exercise that his strength would permit ; and he felt discouraged at the resnlt of the interview, more so than Mrs Jardine appeared to be. However, the tonic which the doctor sent did Anatole considerable good at first. It quickened his appetite and increased his strength before he had taken it three days. It was during this third week that Oscar and his little pupil were taking their morning walk to the post-office. They had called and received the usual answer, as far as Oscar was concerned ; but Anatole had received a letter in Spanish from his papa, and he waa wild with delight. He could not wait to reach home before breaking the seal ; so Oscar stood with him, a little outside the crowd around the door, on the pavement, while he read his missive. As they stood thus together, Romeyn waa suddenly startled by a hand falling heavily on his shoulder, accompanied by a hearty voice, calling out : •• Oecar Averill ! well, of all my surorises, this is one of the greatest !" Oscar turned so sharply upon the friendly face beaming upon him, and turned so white, as to strike dismay to the other's consciousness. " Hush !" was his first answer, "do not call me by that name, please —not here — not in this child's presence. I am not known by it now— not in San Francisco. " "Oh, excuse me!" was the puzzled response, and the gentleman stared, embarrassed, the hand which he had offered falling to hia eide. "Nevertheless, I am glad to meefc you, John," continued Oscar, recovering himself, and seeing that Anatole was absorbed in his letter. "What's up?" queried the friend, taking his hand and pressing it. The speaker was a genial -looking, well dressed gentleman, not so elegant as Romeyn, but still a gentleman. He had the air of a man of business who had roughened a little un<?er the influence of California life. Older than Romeyn, but not over thirty. <l Ie it possible that you have not heard of my — my misfortune?", half Avhispered Oscar. "The papers were full of it. " " I have heard nothing, my dear friend. The fact is I've been out of the world the last four or five months, off in the mountains attending to my mines. But it has paid ! I'll tell you, Oscar, I stumbled upon a rich •find.'" 11 1 congratulate you, Harris." ••Do you mean that you have failed ?" continued the friend eagerly. "If so, never mind ! I can (pub you in the way of getting back as much as you lost. Tell me about it, Oacar." "Call me Oscar,bufc not that other name," said Romeyn, nervously. "You will get me into trouble if you forget. lam known as Romeyn. " Well, here's ago ! -My boy, have you been doing — anything wrong?" hesitating on this leading question. "So they say," Mas the bitter answer.