SHORT STORY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12860, 8 May 1905, Page 3

SHORT STORY.

r THE INTERFERENCE • OF DOTTY. She hurried to get away from the grown-up 'folks they never understand a little girl; •only Aunt Alice, and she did not always .comprehend or she would not have changed her mind about the circus. i Dotty dropped her forlorn littlo face in her hands. It was almost more than she ■could bear, tho thought of. missing that .eireiu. ■ Aunt Alice had been scandalised upon discovering Dotty's ignorance of this timehonoured institution, and the stories she told her litle niece of what happened within that canvas-shrouded arena were better than any of the. fairy talcs Dot loved so well. Was it possible that one lady could drive eight horses abreast from a golden chariot? .And the clown in motley garb and painted face, tumbling and performing excruciatingly funny antics. Bitter tears welled into Dot's eyes at the thought of missing that clown. Then as the oilier delights crowded upon her memory she commenced to sob until her whole tiny frame was shaken with grief, Thus Aunt Alice found her later. .Miss Hartley paused astonished. Her niece was usually the sunniest of children. "Why, Dot!" Miss Hartley sank upon her knees at the little girl's side, her pretty grey frock falling in billowy fulness upon the floor. " Tell me what is tile matter, dear one." "N-u-n-notbing," gasped Dot. Not for worlds .would she- have confessed her disappointment. If Aunt Alice could not understand without words what was the use of explaining? " Arc you not feeling well, sweetheart?" "Y-y-yes," blubbered the weeping one. "Why, I don't see—" Miss Hartley paused and regarded her small niece doubtfully. By some keen, intuitive perception Alice Hartley suddenly knew the trouble. "Oh, Dot," she. said sorrowfully, "is it about missing the circus'.''' Dotty, ashamed to confess the truth, and not knowing what else to do, continued her watery occupation. For an instant Alice Hartley feli utterly helpless. How was it possible for her to give up the* automobile excursion, when, Gregory Hueslid had arranged it entirely on her account, and would surely be offended if she broke the engagement'.' " Oh, darling, I feel so bad." she said, with such heartfelt contrition that Dotty made a brave effort and lifted her face all tremulous with emotion. At the sight of that pathetic little countenance tears came to Miss Hartley's own eyes. " I didn't know you cared so very much," she said. " It's—it's only thinking that I was surely going, and ,ij have never been anywhere." Dorothy ended with another burst of unhappiness. It seemed a worse tragedy the longer she thought about if.

Alice Hartley remembered with a sudden pang of pain what a lonely, motherless little girl Dot was, ami how few real delights ever came to her.

" Never mind, dearest, don't cry any more, and we'll fix it to go after all." " But—but, you've pot to do something else. Mr. lluestid wauls, you." "1 do not know whether lie wants me or not," ruefully. "At any rate, beloved, you want mo more than he does, so we will just let. that old auto party slide and do the circus instead, I care very little for automobile-, any way, and 1 dote on clowns and animals."'

Dotty leaned forward and gazed into her young aunt's face with eves too old for the childish countenance.

"You are sine you don't mind so very much?" she asked. Dotty bated to be selfish, but she did want very hard to go to the circus.

"Of course Ido not mind. I would much rather go with you than automobiling, only ] thought for a few minutes that I ought 'o accept that invitation. We will have a lovely time, and you shall be astonished enough when you see the beautiful little lady in spangles juui} through a paper hoop and land on the back of a white horse."

The circus proved to be more remarkable and entrancing than Dotty in her wildest and entrancing than Dotty in her wildest dreams had dared to hope. Sho reached home in a speechless slate of ecstasy, and went straight to the nursery. She did not want to 1*; bothered by the grown-ups until there had been a chance to live over again in delicious memory the events of that deliriour day. She ate a small supper iu blissful unconsciousness, her appetite having fled before* that feast of peanuts, and plain bread and milk seemed very uninteresting. It was late in the night when Dorothy, lying wide-eyed in her little white lied, resolved, since sleep seemed impossible, to seek Aunt Alice and climb in beside her, as she did sometimes when pursued by bad dreams.

As she touched the handle of the door a stifled sound arrested her. Could it be that Aunt. Alice, too, ■ sometimes had horrid dreams'.'

Dotty felt overwhelmed with dismay. How could she, such a little girl, ever comfort a big woman like Aunt Alice? There came an unmistakable sound of sobs from behind that closed door, and then tin.' tiny, shivering white figure heard indistinct words mingled therewith. "Oh, .1 had to take her! I could not disappoint my little love. She has always depended upon me, and I could not break my word. He need not have written such a cruel, cruel note, and to-morrow morning he starts for California. He does not give me a. chance to write nor an opportunity to explain. 1 must let hi in go believing that 1 do no care."

Softly Dot pushed open the door, curiosity getting the better of her terror. Who could Aunt Alice be talking to at that hour'.' The little girl stood upon the threshold, bewildered at the strange sight which met hoi eyes. Prone upon the bed lay Aunt Alice. still dressed in her pretty dinner gown, with a letter crumpled in one hand, while in the other she held a picture of Mr. Hueslid, that big, sombre Mr. Huestid, who always embarrassed Dot so much by his steady regard. Softly Dot withdrew and fled back to her room. It was all very puzzling indeed, and hard to understand. The only thing Dorothy could make out of it was that Aunt Alice had offended Mr. Huestid by going to the circus, and so he meant to leave for California without saying good-bye. There was no sleep for Dorothy that night. Aunt Alice was crying and something must be done. Hastily she dressed herself, buttoning her boots all wrong, and braiding her hair unevenly. Then she sat doivn by the window and watched for dawn. Even for the sake of Aunt Alice she could not go outdoors in the dark. As soon as the sky became grey, and a faint streak of crimson across the horizon betokened that, the sun was getting no, Dot stole downstairs, and after much difficulty opened the big front door, letting herself out on to th» silent street. She had been to Mr. lluestid's rooms once with Aunt. Alice, and remembered how crowded they were with people all chattering at once and drinking tea. He lived right across the square in the huge apartment house, whose roof Dotty could see from her nursery window. The janitor, who was washing sidewalks, looked bewildered when the small figure confronted him and demanded admittance to Mr. Huestid's rooms. "Sure, and he won't be up yet,'' the man said doubtfully. " Then he must gel; up. I have a very important message for him." Dot was outwardly calm, but inwardly tremulous at her own audacity. At length the janitor was prevailed to take her up in the lift and ring Mr. Huestid's bell. He expected delay, as it was an hour when even the liveliest of bachelors are supposed to be asleep, but the door was opened almost immediately by Gregory Huestid himself, attired in somewhat dishevelled evening clothes. " Dotty !" ho exclaimed. Dotty, naturally shy. Hushed painfully and hunsr her head. "II must speak to you a minute," she faltered. Mr. Huestid stood aside in dazed fashion and let the unkempt little girl enter his chambers. '" It is about Aunt Alice." Dotty spoke explosively. "Please do not be angry with her for taking me to the circus. She saw how dreadfully I wanted to go, and Aunt Alice is alvvay? good to little girls. She is homo now crying, and she has never been to bed all night, because you told her you were going away. Aunt Alice can't bear to have folks angry with her. I went to her door and heard how bad she felt." Mr. Huestid interrupted this flow of eloquence with a, beaming "ountenance. "Dot," ho cried .. cordially, "you mustbreakfast with me, and then we will go and make it up with Aunt Alice."

When Mr. Huestid and Miss Hartley met half an hour later, just after the- household had discovered Dot's absence, there was an (tor lack of conventionality iu their appearance and greetings. '• 1 am not going to California, Alice," Mr. Huestid said abruptly, but it was long after their marriage before he would eonfesr how he ami Dotty happened to be together that eventful morning.