"VERY BAD NEWS."
"Saxa! What is it? I say, don't stand looking in that stony way,"
cried Dana, seizing and shaking her sister by the shoulder.
"Don't, Dan," she said in a low, hoarse voice. "But you look so
strange."
"Yes; I've come a cropper," said Saxa, with a hard, set look in her
handsome face. "Is--is it all true?"
"Yes," said Dana fiercely. "I can think of a dozen things now which go
to prove it. I've had a faint suspicion for some time."
"I hadn't," said Saxa in the same low tone. "I did not think he cared
much for me, but I thought him too much of a gentleman, and too loyal."
"They have both neglected us shamefully."
"Yes, sis, they have," continued Saxa slowly, "but I didn't mind so very
much. I never cared for him a deal. I never felt that it was what
people called love, but one has gone on for years with the idea that one
was to marry Neil Elthorne, and I feel now as if I had come down heavily
all at once, horse and all."
"Yes; they've fooled us both," cried Dana, and there was a deep silence
in the house now, for the dinner bell had ceased to clang. "What are
you going to do? We can't go in to dinner now."
"Do?"
"Yes, we can't pass this over in silence."
"No," said Saxa slowly, and as if she were thinking out her words before
she spoke them. "I'm going in to poor old daddy to tell him how we've
been thrown off the scent."
"It will half kill him."
"No, it will rouse him, I say. He shall know everything we have heard,
and then we shall have the truth from those boys. Oh, if I had only
known before!"
She drew herself up--pale now--with wounded pride, and the agony of
spirit which made her speak through her set teeth.
There was a sharp tapping at the door. "May I come in?" cried a
familiar girlish voice.
"Yes," said Dana; and Isabel came quickly into the room.
"Come, you two," she cried. "We're waiting dinner. Oh, I see," she
added merrily; "dress. Saxa! Dana! what is the matter? Have you had
bad news?"
"Yes, baby dear," said Saxa solemnly; "very, very bad news."
"Oh!" cried the girl wildly, as she turned ghastly pale. "News! Tom's
ship?"
She reeled and would have fallen, but Saxa caught her, and kissed her
affectionately.
"No, no, little one," she cried hastily. "It isn't that."
"Ah!" gasped Isabel, "I thought--Then you two are in trouble."
"Yes, dear. Who is with daddy?"
"With papa? Only the nurse."
"Go and send her away, little one. We must go in and speak to him quite
alone."
"Then it is some great trouble."
"Yes, dear. You will know quite soon enough. Now go."
Isabel, who had looked upon them both as elder sisters, whom she must
obey, almost from a child, left the room without a word.
"Will it be best to go to him, Saxa?" said Dana hoarsely.
"Yes; we may be girls who have been laughed at through the country for
our love of horses and the hunt," said Saxa firmly, "but we have always
been ladies, and we will show these men that we are not to be treated as
if we were already their wives and slaves."
"Papa is quite alone now, Saxa," said Isabel, reappearing at the door.
"O Saxa, dear--Dana--can't I do anything for you?"
"No, dear," said the elder sister gravely, "it is not your fault."
"Nurse said you must please not say anything to agitate papa," said
Isabel gently.
Saxa looked at her half pityingly, and then went slowly out, followed by
her sister.
"Nurse!" she muttered in a contemptuous whisper, as she went along the
corridor to Mr Elthorne's door. "O Dan, quick; let's take the leap,
and have it over, for, after all, it can't be true."
She turned the handle of the door, and a cry of welcome arose from the
couch.
"Ah, my bonnie Dianas," cried the old man; "this is good of you to come
and see me before you go down. Why, how bright and handsome you both
look."
Saxa went straight up to the couch, took the two hands extended to her,
and bent down and kissed the sufferer; and for the first time now the
hardness of her task became plain, and she began to shrink from hurting
the poor weak invalid, lying so helpless there.
"Dana, my pet," he said, kissing the younger sister in turn; and then
excitedly: "Why your hands are damp and cold. What is it? There is
something wrong."