CHAPTER XI.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 351, 16 March 1889, Page 6

CHAPTER XI.

A NEW DEPARTURE. It was the first time that "Bob Mornington had ever ventured to call Dulcie by such an endearing name, and it brought o tinge of coloui to the paie young cheeks. She lifted her dark eyes to his, and he paw thab a *oft shy light, which i«ent a delicious tin ill of p easure through his frame, trembled in them. ' No, Bob, not vory,' she answered, with resolute courage. 'I was so high up, I mis-id those awful daik heels,' shuddering at the recollection, in spite of her fortitude. • Th»»nk God ! But Dulcie, what on eirth induced you to ride at such a fence? It was pure lunacy.' • You told me, if the worst came to the worst, that I was to give you a lead and eto Btiaight as a die, bo I tried to do my best. You are not angry with me, aie you, Bob ?' •Angry? No. II ow can Ibe angry? But I never ppent such a miserable time in my lifrf as when I saw you dangling from the saddle, and Butterfly, to "all appearances, kicking your brains out.' • Oh ! we should have been all right had that hnrrid horse- pond not been in the way,' said Dulcie, raising herself to a pitting position. • Butterfly jumped most bo — be — beautifully,' shivering violently. She was beginning to feel chilly, and, though she would nob have owned to it, just a trifle faint as well. •I'm afraid the young lady is cold,' said the gentleman, who still retained hold of •Butterfly's bridle, and had not yet contributed:.towards the conversation. ' She is wet to the ?kin.' He was a man about seven or eight-and thirty years of age, of .medium stature and slender build. His* hair was sandy in colour, a« were the eye-brows, and his comp'exion of that comfortably ruddy hue that suggests a liberal worship of Bacchus. The features were strongly marked, and there were linns of tompev about the thin, tightly compressed mouth which a short squarecut led beard was unable wholly to conceal. Taken altogether ii< was an ordinary enough face, of the florid Saxon type, save for the eyes ; but these could not fail to attract attention. They .were a very light grey in colour, while the pupils were so singularly large and dark as to contrast strangely with their fiurtoundings. They shone with a brilliant vital light that betokened strong, artd possibly ill-regulated, passions, and moreover were charged with a" amount of animal magnetism which thrilled the object on which they rested, and, quite independently of the will of ,the owner, compelled an answering gaze— strange, powerful, searching eyes, extorting a species of reluctant admiration, though failing to inspire either trust or confidence — eyes that dwarfed every other featme in the face, reducing its meri,bs or demerits into insignificance, and exercising a curious but "epellant power. ' I wish I had a shawl togive you,' said the stranger, civilly, addressing Dulcie, who, partly from her immersion in the horse-pond,, and partly th tough a nervous reaction, was now,- trembling in every limb like an aspen -leaf. • Thank you,' she replied, gratefully. ' I feel muoh better now, and think the best thing I can do is to ride home at once.' • I am afraid, even if you were , well enough, which I doubt, that you. cannot do as you wish. The pommels of your saddle have been crushed out of all shape in the f alii and it , is impossible to use, them us they are at present.'

■ DulcieJooked, and to her annoyance perceived the 'gentleman- had not overatated the cRRei * What am I to do thon?' she asked helplessly ' And how shall 1 ever pet home ? Mamma will be most dreadfully angry with me for staying out so lato and appearing in thia state,' glancing uneasily at her torn and saturated habit. The unknown smiled a smile of indulgent amusement. * I will undertake to square mamma,' he said, soothingly, 'pro-ided you promise to listen to my proposition.' 1 Ye?, I promise. But you must be uncommonly clover if you can 44 pquaro " mamma. It's more than « c are able to do, isn't it. Bob ?' looking round to see what he was about. ' I daresay,' rejoined the stranger, familiarly. 'However, do you think that young gentleman,' signifying Bob with a turn of the head, 'who, 1 presume, ! is your brother, would -' I 1 No, not my brother,' interrupted Dulcie, hastily, turning suddenly red. ' Not your brother ?' arching his eyebrows in affected surprise. ' Well, your cousin, then ?' fixing his light eyes full upon ' the girl's. l , •No, not my cousin, either, my— my friend,' she paid firmly. 'Ah ! your friend. And a very convenient one too, no doubt. Well, I wad going to remark, befor" this little digression took place, that perhaps your frieii'l,' laying a marked emphasis on the word", 1 would be good enough to lead your maro home, while I take you a short cut to my house, which is nob far off, where you can get into some dry clothes boforc being driven back to your destination, wherever thnt may be If you will place yourself for a short while in my hands, I not only undertake to deliver you up safe I and sound to mamma, but moreover to pievent that es'imable lady from administering any reproof on the follies of friendship brtween maiden and youth.' She had listened patiently, nay, oven gratefully, until the concluding sentence, but it decided her immediately on rejecting his ofl"6r. There was something about hu manner excessively antipathetic. ♦ Thank yon,' she said, coldly, • I greatly prefer ri-king the lecture to availing myself of your intervention, and therefore elect to ride home. No doubt Bob will manage to mend my pommels up sufficiently to enable me to stick on. Bob,' looking very dignified, and calling to him to approach her side, ' cmne here ! I want you !' ' What is it Vhe inquired. ' Can Ibe of any nee ?' 'This gentleman,' with a slight inflexion of the voice, 'wishes me to dr-ve home with him ; but I'm quite sure I can ride all right. ' He looked at her dripping garments and slender, trembling form. He had been selfish once, bn» he would endeavour not to be so again. This time he wou'd try and ♦ hink, not of what he liked be3t himself, but nf what was hest for her. ' No, Dulcie Ta"-e my advice, and drive back like a good girl.' ' Are, you in earnest, Bob?' she asked, looking very serious at the prospect of a prolonged tetc.-a-tc.te. with her new friend, who impre°ped her as being decidedly free-and-easy in manner. ' Yes, most certainly.' ' Vf ry well, then. Bob,' said Dulcie, submissively. ' I'll do what you wish.' 'That* being settled,' snid the stranger, 'we had bettf r sta> t immediately. It* not very far to walk ; but under the rircu instances,', glancing at Dulcie's bedraggled hab t, 'I think you would be more comfortable riding, and if you cf»u mannge to stick on with my saddle, Dandy is as quiet as a sheep.' * Yeß, you had better ride, D^cie,' interposed Bob, so decidedly that she allowed herself to be lifted on to the cob without a word. The stirrup waa then shortened and her left foot placed in it, while the reins were held by the gentleman, who now walked close by her side. ' If you feel inclined to slip off,' he said, 'jusL steady yourself against my shoulder. Don't be afraid. I will not let you come to any harm. 1 She glanced at him with a smile, half of amusement, half of contempt. It looked such a narrow, stooping shoulder as compared with Bob's great broad one. Blunderbuss's capture had now been successfully effected, and, with a few parting words, B b marched off in an opposite direction. By degrees Dulcie began to find an element of romance creeping info the situation. Here she was riding sideways on a gentleman's saddle, mounted on a strange^animal, with a sttange man — whom some people might call good-look-ing, though she did not — walking within a yard of her, and every now and again honouring her with a prolonged stare with those very curious eyes, whose gaze she could not parry, glances which filled her with a sense of irritation and confusion. She tried once or twice to return them defiantly, but found on each occasion that she was forced to drop her own eyes under the unpleasant power of the stranger's. The\ fascinated her as a reptile fascinatee a, bird. '•Where are we going?' she asked abruptly, feeling any conversation, however trivial, more endurable than this probing silence. *Is io possible you do not know ?' in accen's of astonishment. ' Yes, quite possible. Otherwise I would not have asked the question.' ' We are going to Brabazon Hall.' 'To Brabazon Hall ?' opening wide her large dark eyes. ' Why then, you,' ns a sudoen light burst- in upon her comprehension, ' you — are — Mr Denver?' ' I am. Does that fact surprise you so very much ?' ♦ To tell you the honest truth, it does.' ' And pray, may I ask why V She hesitated. • Well, I am waiting for an answer.' 'I fancied, somehow, that you were different.' 'In what way different?' be asked, apparently greatly amused by her candour. Thip was a" poser, but, having once floundered into an awkward position, Dulcie was not one to eat her own words. ' Oh,' she said saucily, ' older and uglier, you know.' Then, when she perceived what a flattering construction Mr Denver evidently placed on thi-* unconpidefred speech, she set to work and blushed, as only a very tender, thin-skinned young creature can.