CHAPTER XXVI.

Otago Witness, Issue 2689, 27 September 1905, Page 64

CHAPTER XXVI.

It was getting late by this time. Gradually the guests were thinning, and the Splendid rooms were taking on a deserted

appearance. Jessie sat in one of the corridors, hidden away behind a bank oi palms and azaleas, and longed for the time when she could rest. Fiom bead to foot she was aching with fatigue. She had not been used to excitement lately. , The close atmosphere of the Bond street establishment f.nd the want of regular exercise in tbe pure air had told upon her. Now that the excitement had passed away she realised how tired she was. She laid her head back o gainst the Avail and closed her eyes. So utterly -exhausted was she that ibe did .no seem to c.u-e what happened. And there- would bo much to be done in the morning. If only Vera Galloway could be restored to her proper place, Jessie vowed that nothing should prevail upon her to carry on the adventure. She slept just for a moment. She might have stayed there till daylight, only Ronald came along and found her. At the sound of a human a nice Jessie* became quite alert md vigorous again.

"How you startled me," she said. "I ■eras asleep. Im there anything fresh — any new complication V" Ronald dropped into a seat by Jessie's side. He was looking just a little grave and stern. It was possible to detain Jessie there foir some little time.

"There- is nothing fresh, "' he said. "I have a few words to say to you, Jessie. Everybody is going, and only a few of Lady Merehaven's intimate friends remain."

"If you are one of them you will not be expected to leave just yet," Jessie smiled. "But why took so serious, Ronald? Have I clone anything?" "Upon my word', I don't know," Ronald said in some perplexity. "I don't like it, Jess. If you look at it from a proper ' point of view, you have no business to be (her© at all. Lady Mefrahaven is a dear friend' of mine. What would she say if she knew everything? As a matter of fact, she is bound to know everything sooner or later."

"But you can't blame me," Jessie protested. "Look at my position. I was quite desperate. I had been dismissed from Bond street for no fault of my own ; I had a sister practically depending upon me ; it was useless in ih& circumstances to try and find employment elsewhere. I was face to face with something very like starvation, my dear Ronald." Ronald's face softened, but the perplexed frown on his foce was still there.

"0h ; I know it," lie said, eagerly. "I see your position entirely. At the same time, it is quite wrong. I am looking at tbe social side of the question. And the wiM-st of the affair is that you must go on now till Vera Galloway comes back. I have been trying to find some way to achieve that without delay. _ If it can b& managed, you must promise never to change your identity again." Something like- tears rose into Jessie's eyes. Ibe dull, tired- feeling was coming over her again. "Don't blamie me, dear," she whispered. "Think of my position. I had not met you this afternoon ; I did not dream that ■you atill cared for me. And yet I fancy that I would have done the same in any case. A good and noble- girl comes to me in great trouble; she asks me to help her out of a grave difficulty to save cm© sihe loves. To help her I do this. And she has more or less succeeded. Between, the two of us we have gone far to save a nation. Tell Lady Merehaven if you like, but do not spoil -everything in the monneni of victory."

"I don't want to," RonaM said. "It would bs . ridiculous to speak just yet. But any moment some unexpected accident may find you out. It may come before bedtime. And what would happen to you then? I am veay jealous for the good name of my future wife. Dr Varney "' "Dr Varney i& standing by me nobly, and he will see that I am safe," Jessie said. "Dear old boy, don't be afraid. Trust me a little longer, and I am quite sui'e "

"My darling. I trust you implicitly,' 1 Ronald exclaimed. He bent forward and kissed Jessie's trembling lips. "Only I am ho miserably anxious, so fearful lest But somebody is coming."

Somebody came d'owa the* corx-fdoi, pushing tbe azaleas carelessly asids from, time to time. The newcomer was evidently looking for somebody. Then, the grey face of Leohmei-e appeared, white and excited as Ronald had never seen him before. He paused before tli>e others. "Miss — cr — Galloway, I have been looking for you every \v here," he said. "It is of the utmost importance that " '"Oh, dear !" said Jessie, with a littlo broken lau°ih. "Please don't tell me that I have to do anything else to-night. I am utterly worn out. If I could go straight xo bed——" "So you may as far as I am concerned," Lechmere said curtly. ''I beg your pardon, but I fancy I have made a discovery of importance. That man, whom you took to be the King of Asturia — I mean the man you saw in the Countess Saens's dining room. What became of ham?"

"Rpally, I cannot tell you," Jessie said. "Let me think. I fancy Mr Maxwell said something about him. Yes, that, was it. Ihe man you mention drove to the office of the Mercury. Mr Maxwell would have followed him only he oould not spare tho time." L-eehniere nodded, as if pleased about something, but the stem, look was &till on his face.

'•I fancy that is all that I need bother yon about at present," he said. "And I don't think that we shall need your services any more to-night, my dear young lady. If you ca-n contrive to sea Dr Varney on youv ride before breakfast in the morning, you will be doing everybody a 6ervice."

Leohmere swept away as hurriedly as ha had come. Evidently he had work of importance before him. "He lias given me one useful piece of information," Jessie said, as soon as Lechjner had gone. "If what he remarks is correct, Miss C4alloAVUy is in the habit of

riding before breakfast. Yas, 1 shall be able lo fulfil that part of the programme, Ronald. It will be delightful to be on the back of a hoifs ayain, even in a borrowed habit, which 1 sincerely hope a\ ill lit me "

Ronald looked at tho mass of chiffon and the quivering fall of di apery before him and smiled. The drc&s might have been made for the wearer, so perfectly did it seem to fit her.

'"Ihis is quite another matter," Jessie said. '"One can do wonders with a little Lice and a bow or two of chiffon. But a close-fitting riding habit is quite another thing. I daresay I shall manage. There is only one thing that really fills me with i error."

"I should like to know what that is," said Ronald.

"Why, Countess Saens. lam quite suro that she knows what has taken place — at least, she suspects, and will track our mixed identity, or she would never have tried to gain admission to the hospital to-night. I am. perfectly sure that she will make another attempt in the morning. She v clever and unscrupulous, and the, is certain to get her o-wii woy. In the accident ward of a hospital there is always a case o<r two that needs identity, and there will be the chance of the Countess. She professes to have mL=ped somebody, and she will be able to walk through the accident ward. That Is all she requires. And I am quite certain that she will do this thing in the course of tlie morning. Don't you agree with me':' 1 Ronald was fain to agree with what Jessie said. Perhaps some- scheme for baffling, the Countess was already in the air, or Lechmere would not have suggested that early morning visit to Varniev.

, "I have been tihinking the matter out," Jessie went on. "Why "could not Miss Galloway be removed to a private ward? If Dr Varney called at the hospital he could see the patiewt and drop a hint to that effect. You see what is uppermost in my mind, Ronald? A private ward affords, chance of escape, also chance for me to take Miss Galloway's place and let her come home."

"You are a friend in need," Ronald paid as he kissed the red lips again. ''It was a lucky thing for Vera Qallo-way when she thought oi you. But there are risks even in the scheme. Suppose the maid who was present when the robbery of the Countess Saens took place comes forward and identifies you, what then? You will bo charged with burglary, and perhaps convicted. The police will find out ail about you — your name will figure largely in the newspapers."

Jessis hesitated a litfe before she replied. Her head fell forward, and she foil almost asleep on Ronalds arm. Nothing seemed to matter to her now, only that she had a good night's rest.

"I don't seem to care," she murmured. "J don't fancy that the Cotmteiss would go tint far. It isn't as if she stood any chance of recovering th<* stolen papers. And she would -have to give a description of the missing documents, which would not su : t her book "at all. On the whole, lam prepared to take any risk so that I can spare Vera Galloway further misery." And Ronald had nothing further to say. It was good ta know that ha had ths love of a girl like this. She should carry out her resolution, and he would maintain a loyal silence for the present.

(To be continued.)