Hutchinson gazette., 1898-04-21

uLLl6 uTdWluB-TOOu, anu as sue puSuSu
open the door, suddenly there flashed
across her mind remembrance Of the
fact that large portrait Of Dick was
standing on little table near the
fireplace. Quick as thought she walked
straight to the table and turned the
portrait face downwards, carelessly
throwing over 1t the pretty lace trife
which adorned the top of little chair
which stood close by.
She battered herself that the old lord
had not seen or at any rate noticed the
action, and turned to him eager to hear
what had happened to Barbara.
"Tell me- is she much hurt?" she
asked. my poor old Barbara. How
was it?"
He told her then exactly how the ac-
cident had happened, and how they
had taken the old lady las he called
Barbara, with an air of being himself
quite a boy) off to st. Georges, she
being insensible and not able to tell
where she lived.
ITO st. Georges! Is that hos
pital?" Dorothy cried. "Oh, my poor
Barbara! She will think that the end
Of the world has come"
"Oh, no. She is much better off than
she would be in any private house"
said Lord Aylmer, soothingly. But I
am most grieved and sorry to tell you
that her leg is broken, and she is
naturally very anxious that you should
hear of her, and, If possible, that she
should see you"
"oh, I'll go. I'll go at once" Doro-
thy cried. Would you be kind enough
to get me a cab? / won't lose another
minute. Oh, my poor, dear old Bar
barap
MAY 1 drive you there? l have my
carriage at the door," he asked.
In an uncomfortable burst of graft
tude Dorothy put out her two little
trembling hands and took his. "Oh,
Lord Aylmer," she cried, "how good
you are! 1 won't keep you waiting a
minute. 1 will be ready before you
know that l have gone"
She ran out of the room and came
back with her bonnet on and dust
cloak over her smart tea-gown, but not
before Lord Aylmer had quietly gone
to the table and looked at the portrait
which she had SO adroitly hidden. Yes,
as he had suspected from her move
ments, it was a portrait of Master
Dick! He put it down again and
walked to the window, where he stood
looking at his handsome carriage, with
it's satin-coated horses and the two tall
servants in their resplendent liveries.
Lord Aylmer wondered how long the
fascinatlons of a photograph would
hold out against the fascinations Of
such turnout as that. And Dorothy
all the time was thinking how lucky
1t was that it was not Lord Aylmer
who had picked up Barbara, and how,
now that she had got in touch with
him, she would be able to work things
into a straight and comfortable state
and send for her darling home again,
instead of going out to India to join
him.
81 haven't been long, have II" she
said, as she came in.
Very quick, indeed" he answered
approvingly, and added to himself,
"Pon my word, but Master Dick has
very fair taste-knows the right sort
when he sees it."
Il will put my gloves on as we go;
do not let us lose any time" she said,
going toward the door.
He handed her into the carriage with
an air Of Difference he might have
shown to a princess, then he got in
himself and sat beside her.
Back to St. Georges Hospital" he
said to Charles.
"Yes, m'lord," said Charles.
And, as ill-luck would have it, at
that very instant the lady with the
serene eyes who lived on the floor
above Dorothy's fiat came down the
street in time to see them come out and
the old gentleman hand her into the
carriage-nay, in time to hear Charles
reply Of Eyes, m'lord."
AS If by instinct the two women
looked at one another-there was no
expression in the serene face of the
lady who was on foot, nothing notice
able about her excepting cold severity
in her eyes; it was but the glance Of
a moment, yet Dorothy, who guessed
what was in the mind of the other.
grew scarlet from chin to brow and
turned her head away that Lord Ayl-
mer might not see that her eyes were
filled with tears.
"Will you be able to get on without
your old servant?" Lord Aylmer asked
as they drove along.
81 must, for the present" answered
Dorothy.
But meant-have you-that is"
You meant have another servant?"
she finished. mo, have not. must
see about some one to take her place
for the time. l wonder where l shall
go to look for one?"
you don't know this part of London
we'll, then?" he asked.
ST don't know London we'll at ALL F"