“The Heart of Dolores.”

Wairarapa Daily Times, 19 September 1928, Page 7

“The Heart of Dolores.”

DOMESTIC STORY BY A POPULAR NOVELIST,

CHAPTHR XXlV.—Continuecl. Mrs Drayton was charmed to accept Miss Morell's invitation fur her daughter, and responded quite eagerly to the suggestion that Madge should join her sister. It was, as she explained to the colonel, quite providential! As it happened Madge had a new coat and skirt, a blouse or two could be purchased, also a hat! “I shall only need a couple of pounds, Maurice, to get everything! I declare it ’s quite wonderful, my darling girl should have the chance. Mr Morell has a distinguished air, and— I’ve looked him up in Burke, my dear —he has a splendid house, and 1 should judge, an ample income. I gather he only practices the law as a hobby. Mr Middleton tells me Ombre Court is a most magnificent place.

She was so occupied with plans for Meg’s advancement that anxiety on Dolores’ behalf quite disappeared. She was indeed inclined to lie thankful to an all-wise Providence for having so directed affairs, that Dolores, the most insignificant of her offspring, should prove the means of securing her dear sister a grand match. The whole household buzzed with delight. Dick gave his sister instructions relative to the claiming and capturing of Tom, with a lordly air. Barbara hung round her in fon adoration. Larry was the only one who stood aloof.

But then as the family said, he was alwavs silly over Dolores.

“The genius of the family, my dear brother,” observed Dick, “has justified your hopes, and achieved a remarkable if eccentric reputation. She has been accused of theft and, single-hand-ed ,lias embattled at midnight with a ruffian. Moreover, she has afforded Megan opportunity of retrieving the Meg an opportunity of retrieving the marry Morell and shower upon our devoted heads prosperity and wealth!

Larry’s pale face went scarlet. “Leave off, will you?” he said roughly. “I feel I’m a cad, but you're ten times worse. I tell you we're both of us idle humbugs, staying at home here doing nothing while she—" he gulped—“she has been working day and night. Leave off, I say shut up!” and with his sensitive bps aquiver Larry slammed the door, his limp unusually apparent. Dolores’ little green purse lying snugly in his pocket was heavy on his mind. Tom had told him in an eloquent five minutes something of what his sister had been through, ending the dissertation with the production of a small parcel, sent him by Dolores with her love. The packet proved to contain Dolores’ purse with five bright - sovereigns, the fee for the term at the artschool.

lie -was minded to spend it all in a present for her; had an impiuse to take the train and go down to Ombre Court and thank her. But in his heart he knew that the one and only thing that he could do in return was to pa\ the fee, and tell her all. or at least a part of what he felt. “And I never wrote to her,” the boy felt a burning sense of reproach, “beast that I am—l never wrote to her.”

But the letter Dolly had from him next morning paid for all her suffeting, all the sense of neglect that had wounded her tender heart.

She kissed the precious piece of notepaper, and, tenderness still welling up in her, threw her arms round Miss Morell’s neck with a passionate affection that delighted that warm-hearted woman.

Dolores was delighted to see her sister, and admired her beauty more than ever. Meg, however, was conscious of an alteration in Dolores. The girl had acquired a certain reserve of manner, a charm of speech, a sudden wistful lighting of the eye that puzzled Beauty and set her thinking. It seemed to her Dolores had improved!

Meg had caught sight of Jack Ainslie as she came from the station to Ombre Court and had recognised him. He, on his paTt, did not identify the dazzling young creature in Morcll s motor, with the long-legged school girl of some years ago. He could only stare with greedy and astonished eyes. Meg’s progress through the town was almost a royal one. Men, women and children invariabl ystared; her beaut} dominated them. For the moment the sight of her drove other things from Ainslie’s mind. He had passed a night of torture, and fierce unrest. Colonel Drayton’s curt wire with its absence of information brought him no relief. In agony of mind he turned to Angela for comfort. On his way to the school house he passed Tom’s motoV, and encountered Meg. He decided he would call on Angela later, and assuaged his anguish by a long telegram to Colonel Drayton. How, Angela had hoped- that many things would come to pass that afternoon during her interview with Jack. She waited with white face and brimming eyes for two hours, hoping against hope. But still he did not come, and, with a sick pain at her heart, at last she gave up waiting. She decided that Rachel —grown much weaker —should have a quictiug draught next day a draught that would send her tp the land of eternal sleep.

“And then” —in the silence of her room she spoko out fiercely “then he will be mine! ’'

But on the morrow, many strange things came to pass. CHAPTER XXV.—A LAST STAND. Dr. Ainslic paid his usual visit to Dunkerton House early the morning following Meg’s arrival at Ombre Court. Miss Dunkerton received him

BY MARGARET HAMILTON. Author of —“Love Never Faile th,” “A Girl’s Money,” “At the Eleventh Hour,” “Love, the Conqueror,” etc.

“No news from Dolores, I suppose?’ heasked anxiously. “I’ve hoard nothing.”

with the sweet serenity, faintly tinged with passion, that always appealed to him. The first impression of Meg’s beauty had worn off, and he was glad to sun himself in Angela’s smiles and soft-voieed appreciation. “I’m afraid Rachel’s very ill,” she said with a low sigh.

“It’s only what I expected,” he followed her from the sick room, “you must lie brave,” he said, and patted her arm. She would have clung to him for sympathy had he shown a disposition for caresses, but his mood was not responsive, and she was far too tactful to force a demonstration.

“I wonder if Hannah lias had a message,” lie looked at her expectant.

“I’ll try to find out. I don’t think, Jack, there’s any cause for fear. J fanev Colonel Drayton knew more than he chose to admit, anyway, if he doesn’t move why should we?” “That's all very well. But it makes me feel an utter brute to imagine that child —she’s little more —wandering about.”

“Don’t worry, Jack, dear Jack!” She put out her hand and touched his arm. It was joy inexpressible to her to lie near him. The very feel of his coat sleeve thrilled her. There were moments when she could haidly breathe, for the sudden blinding ecs-; tasy that thrilled her.

“For once,” she said and her voice quivered, “for once think of me. I am in trouble, Jack. Poor Rachel is inv brother’s child. He was very dear to me. You don’t think,” she leaned against him, and this time his arm closed round her, “you don’t think I've been unkind to her?”

•' <Rubbish! ’’ he said, emphatically,

“you’ve been the best and most devoted"nursc the girl could have, horn yourself out looking after her. It was very line of you, Angela, to take all the strain yourself. But I’m glad you sent that woman away. I never cared for her.”

Angela hid her face on his shoulder, and trembled as he carelessly smoothed ] ic . r hair. His dislike of the woman who attended Rachel had made things easier for her. the “graaen image, as poor Rachel called her, had left some time ago, and the girl had been too weak to protest. “You’ve been an angel to her, dearest, if ever there was one.” lie kissed her, genuinely stirred; and it was on this affecting spectacle that Hannah, with an impish sense of what was happening, ushered in Tom Morell and old Middleton!

The woman recovered herself first. With a swift smile and a gesture towards Jack that somehow excused if not explained the situation, she came forward to receive them. “You’ve come to see your ward, I suppose, Mr Morcll?” she said, sweetly. Old Middleton, most susceptible of men, felt captive immediately to her voice.

“I’ve come as an ambassador merely, Miss Dunkerton.' May I introduce mv friend, Mr Middleton ” She was a marvellous woman. Tom admitted it once and for all when he saw how she took the news. A T ot a muscle of her face twitched, not an eyelid quivered. She bowed and smiled, lifting her fine, brows interrogatively. “Tarnham,” she said, “is a delightful old town. You’re fond of the country?”

If Toni had hoped slic would show the faintest recognition as to the purpose o fold Middleton’s ■ call he was badly disappointed: “Yes, I love the country” —old Middleton at times was like a parrot <<p u t —but —” lie sought help from Tom in vain. “I called, I came,” he coughed, “as a matter of fact, Miss Dunkerton, I learnt from Mr Morcll that your niece is ill. As you arc peihaps aware, I am an old friend of her mother. My youth was spent in the West Indies, and I knew Aimec Desler well. She was little more than a child.” The colour tinged his cheeks as he spoke. When one came to look at him quite closely, he was not old at all! Despite his lined face and weary eye he was not more than seven and forty, though he looked Tom’s senior by many years. “Aimec married your brother quite young. She was barely sixteen. 1 left the West Indies when I was one-and-twenty. I married shortly after my return to England. I had the pleasure of seeing Aimec once during her sta} with you. Wo met in London; I. ought, I feel, to have come down to sec her child, but,” he shrugged his shoulders, bent and bowed, “life hurries past us, leaving so many things undone. But -when I heard that Aimec’s little girl -was ill I would delay no longer. May I see the child?” be Continued).