“Not a bit of it. I was only more cautious. But one night I purposely let myself be seen by him, on a rare occasion, when he happened to come home before daylight. It was to be my last visit, for I was about to leave the neighborhood.”
“Did he know you?”
“No! for as soon as he got a glimpse of my face, he blazed away at me with his revolver, and you may rest assured, I didn’t stop to claim his acquaintance! All, he had a good chase after me, and I had a good run and a good laugh! When I returned to the city, I couldn’t keep the joke to myself. I had to tell Harpe, for which I was afterwards sorry; for the scurvy fellow, with a party of his companions, having met the poor little girl in the city after Lyon had left, took advantage of her unprotected state and followed her home, and would have intruded into her house, if they had not been prevented by her servants.”
“Reding,” said Dick, gravely, “after what I have told you of this young lady, I hope and trust that you will abstain from speaking of her anywhere, and from doing anything to annoy her at any time. In a word, I appeal to your manhood, to treat her in all respects as you would treat the most honored woman of your acquaintance.”
“I never wished to do otherwise, and as I never expect to see the little angel again, I shall never have a chance of doing otherwise. But here, I declare, the day is breaking! And we ought to do the same! Wake up, Harpe! Come! Good night, Hammond!”
And so the party separated.
Dick Hammond remained, walking up and down the room in deep thought. At length he took a sudden resolution—to seek Drusilla.
CHAPTER XL.
DICK’S NEWS.
If Sorrow has taught me anything,
She has taught me to weep for you,