LAWYER BELL FROM BOSTON.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 303, 22 December 1893, Page 3

LAWYER BELL FROM BOSTON.

BY A CELEBRATED AUTHOR.

BOOK ONE.

THE ADMIRAL'S POCKET-

BOOK.

CHAPTER VI

A PIiESUMPTUOUS AND DISHONOURABLE

COWARD !

When bhe sleigh returns, Lawyer Bell is in bhe Park. He has gone bhere expecting to see the admiral and his niece in one of tho drives. For once he is at fault. The admiral has anticipated this, and much to Misa Elliston'a surprise and disappointment, he drives down town, ventures into bho Bowory, and narrowly escapes naif a dozen accidonbs, for tho sbreets in bhis neighbourhood are . congested, and bhe traffic ia mainly composed of heavily laden vehicles whose drivers are nob parbicular as bo a few crushed limbs—belonging, of course, to other people. Admiral Elliston has broughb his niece oub professedly upon a pleasure excursion, and Miss Elliston bbinks his conduct inox-, plicablo. Sho has opposed his will, and ho takes a savage delight in torturing, her ; therefore the drive is a failure—a source of discomfort—and tho the merry jingle of the sleigh-bells appears to be a mockery. Mr 801 l knows nothing of bhis, and comes back to tho hotel too late for lunch. He is disappointed and ill-bompered ; for, bo make matters worse, ho lias encountered Freddie Hoskins no lees than three times, and each time tkey have glared ab each other things unutterable. In the mosb moderate and reasonablo of language, these ' glares ' meant fire, thunder and blood 1 Ho hangs about tho dining-room, tho smoking-room, the roading-room, and every othor room where thero is a chance of seeing the'admiral. He wants bo bo aesured that thero has nob beon a hurried flight. But tho Englishman does not come in to dinner. What does this mean 1 Mr Bell callß the head waiter, and asks if the admiral ia in the room. This is rather hypocritical, for he knows thab he is not. • No, sir,' the waiter replies, i * Diuner has been served in his apartments. If you have a message ' 'Oh, no—thanks—nothing of any importance. I saw him reading an English newspaper this morning and merely thought I should like to borrow it, I shall see hinvafber dinner.' Mr Bell is satisfied and breathes a sigh of relief, bub as timo goes on he is certain that Admiral Elliaton is avoiding him. He does nob like bhis, and finally questions the clerk. ' The house appears to be full,' he observes, carelessly. * Winter season,' eaya the clerk, laconically. * Can I have two suites of rooms on the firsb floor — say bo-morrow—or the day after ? I know bhab there are none vacanb now, bub you may have some of your visitors going?' The roomß occupied by the Ellistons are on the first floor, and consist of two suites. ' Really can't say, Bir,' the clerk tells him, * but will let you know as soon as wo geb notice.' Lawyer 801 l presents him with a cigar, and retires for the night. The Elliaions havo not given notice that they are going yet, at all events. Next morning ho has bwo aurpriaes. Tho head-waiter hands him the identical newspaper he has seen the admiral reading, and with ib bhe admiral's compliments. "What's this?' he demands; then his face undergoes a change of colour, and he uses an epithet that the head-waiter never forgets. The man's intentions were no doubb very good ones, but John G. Bell does not appreciate thorn, and he tells him so. Ho breakfasts at a lonely table, and reads a letter from his sister, 'this is what tho letter says : •Dear John,—l have had quite a warm time of ib with papa. Fancy how silly of him to tell little Iddy Jones all about my love affairs ! I didn'b know until ho came back from New York to-day, and I am so delighted thab you have ruffled his pretty plumage 1 Of course you have heard something, 'and you wonder why I did not tell you that 1 had a lover I intended to, dearest John, as soon as ever you came home, and he asked me not to write or let you know anything until he had seen you. Oh 1 he's bhe dearest fellow in bhe world, only in some trouble with his family. He says that it can't bo cleared up in five minutes, and begs of me to trust him, and I do— l do. 1 DO. And now you can't see him for a time because ho left Boston to-day. Oh, dear, what a world of cross-purposes it is ! With fondest love, Your wilful sister, ' Evie. 'P.S.—lddy Jones is real mad with you, and he looks spiteful, too. Little wrebch that ho is 1' Lawyer Bell looks worried, but ib is nob bhe spiteful Iddy Jones tliab worries him. He is thinking about hia Bister, for she is very dear to him. Hia self conceit ia pricked a little, too. He is annoyed to bhink that she has been fooling about with 6ome fellow for three wholo months and kepb co quiob aboub ib. It was her duty to have ab once sought his superior advice. ' A lover whose family is a mystery—who is perhaps a mystery himself,' hg soliloquizes, ' ia nob a fib Buitor for Misa Evelyn Bell. I don't suppose my people know where he has really come from or who he ia. An Englishman, eh 1 Probably an export who has come over hero to surprise us with some new swindling dodge.' He ia beginning to feel warm with righteous indignation when ho" remembers that Miss Elliaton, by her uncle's confession, is a woman to bo shunned. Greab Heaven 1 What a coincidence. And he feels ready to bow down and worship bhe very ground she walks on. It's a limp now, bub that makes no difference to hia ardour. This decides him not to interfere too closely with his sister's affaire dv caiur, but a8 her brother it is his righb and his duty to ' • Pardon, sir,' Interrupts a voice at his elbow, and he turns to face the hotel clerk, who nods and smiles, saying : 'You told me to inform you immediately, sir, when we could let you have bwo suites of rooms on the first floor. If you still require them we can give you possession tomorrow aboub midday.' " Ah, yes 1 Some one leaving ?' ' Yea. Admiral Elliebon and Ladies.' replies bhe clork, «They leave ab ten tomorrow morning.' « Thank you,' says Bell, ' bub 1 have made other arrangements. You don't know where the Ellistons are going to, do you.' ' No, sir. The baggage has to—' The clerk stopped short very suddenly indeed, for ho observes Admiral Elliaton standing beside him, and stammers : 1 But here ia the gentleman himself, sir ,; _ The hotel clerk flits away in B orne con'fu' aion, and Lawyer Bell meets the somewhat quizzical gaze of the Englishman with per. iect sant/ froid. ' Ah, good morning,' ho says, easily, «] have just heard thab you aro shortly leav ing.'

sing my affairs with th i servahte I JMMB angry rejoinder. 1 sent yu paper you were so anxious to ngj i JJg permit me to inform P from Boston, tbab in X claim your acquaintance if 1 ever uavo misforbune to meet you. , •All right.' says Bell. *>««£. _-_ . Tho admiral burns on his heel,!htegrey eyea glinbing with fury. An topwjjg escapes his lips, and his moustache bristles* while his red face becomes fiery. «He'll die of apoplexy if he does that son of thing too often,' Mr Bell murmurs. Z can'b for the life of me think why I amr 86 obnoxious to the old gentleman. lam note bad looking fellow, as fellows go this sidfr of the water, and when my heart is mi» thing I hold on with tho tenacibj-of bbc besb British bull-dog bhab Admiral EhstoK can produce 1 A member of his family baa become possessed of my hearb, and 1 muso follow it! Nr; one has ever dared- bo can me a hearties, fellow, and they never shall i He smiles to himself, but his face 18 lull of determination. He is more than ever convinced thab the admiral ia a bad man, and that he is exercising some peculiar power over-his niece. (To le Continued.)