University of Virginia Library

48. CHAPTER XLVIII.

Regina and Mr. Gray counted the days until
they could expect to hear from Valparaiso. With
the ordinary delays, it would take sixty days to
go and return.

They put the spiritual telegraph in operation
every week, but with no definite results.

One day Mr. Rhodes stepped into Mr. Gray's
office.

“We got a little news from Valparaiso last
night,” he said.

“Indeed! By the usual process?”

“Yes—by telegraph.”

“What is it?”

“Colonel Wade has left the city.”

“With Mliss?”

“Of course; he isn't the kind of man to leave
her behind.”

“Do you know on what day they left?”

“No; they don't appear to be very good on
dates on the other side.”

The conversation then turned to other topics.

When Mr. Rhodes went out, a gentleman, who
had overheard the conversation, approached
Mr. Gray with a mystified air.

“Didn't that gentleman speak of getting news
from Valparaiso by telegraph?” he asked.

“I believe so,” responded Mr. Gray.

“Is the man crazy? There is no telegraph to
Valparaiso.”

“O! this is something new! If it works it
will revolutionize the world.”

“What is it?” demanded the gentleman. “Is there
any money in it?”

“Millions of money—if it works. We are experimenting
now.”

“Experimenting? Formed a company? Any
shares for sale?”

“Haven't got so far as that yet. It is a telegraph
without wires.”

“That's just what is wanted. Wires are always
breaking down. If you form a company I wish you
would give me a show.”

“I will. I am afraid, however, you won't approve
of the principle.”

“What is the principle?”

“Why, it's a kind of spiritual telegraph. Spirits
are supposed to send messages concerning their
friends.”

“Spirits be d—d!” exclaimed the other. “What
we want is to know the price of wheat in Valparaiso.
Can they tell us that?”

“I dare say. The ghost of a wheat speculator would
be likely to post you on the price of wheat.”

“I see money in it,” said the gentleman, excitedly.
“Let us station a ghost at Valparaiso, another at Liverpool,
another at Paris, another at Portland, and so
on all over the world. Don't you see, with these secret
means of information, we could coin money?”

“Perhaps—if the ghosts would organize themselves
into a force for the especial purpose of gathering news;
but they seem more intent on giving us information
about absent friends or their own condition in the
other world.”

“What do we care about the next world. What the
great North American people want is to get the earliest
news from different points in this world. If your
spiritual telegraph will give us that, it will be a success—if
it won't, shares won't be worth a d—n.”

“I don't think shares are likely to be worth much,”
replied Mr. Gray, and the two gentlemen parted.

In the following days the spiritual telegraph reocatedly
reiterated the announcement that Colonel
Wade and Mliss had left Valparaiso, but were at a less
as to their proposed destination.

The telegraph asserted, however, that Mr. Forbes
the agent of Mr. Gray, was returning on the steamer'
instead of following Colonel Wade, as Mr. Gray had
directed, in the event the Colonel was not found in
Valparaiso.

The steamer came in on time. An hour after, a little
to Mr. Gray's surprise, Mr. Forbes entered his
office.

“I bring you bad news,” said the latter. “I have
been foiled completely in the object of my mission.”

“So I have been informed,” said Mr. Gray.

“Informed! How, pray? I took the first steamer
home, and traveled as fast as the mail.”

“I was informed by telegraph,” gravely replied Mr.
Gray.

“By telegraph?—to Valparaiso?”

“A little private arrangement of my own. Now,
give me the particulars about my ward.”

Mr. Forbes related his interview with Mliss, or with
a girl he was led to believe was Mliss. Expecting to
meet her the next day, he had taken no means to as
certain that his chance acquaintance was in reality the
girl he was seeking.

H also informed Mr. Gray that the character of
Colonel Wade was not such as to inspire confidence in
the purity of his relations with his young charge.
What made it the more probable that he had made the
young girl his victim, was the circumstance that, notorious
as a man of pleasure, he had resisted, so far as
known, the seductive blandishments of the demi-monde
of Valparaiso.

It was apparent, also, that Mliss had accompanied
her protector willingly, even while knowing that means
of escape were at hand.

Mliss seemed lost, indeed. She was farther away
than ever, and flying from him of her own accord.

There was a little hope in the intelligence that the
fugitives were journeying toward Buenos Ayres. That
port might be reached in thirty days—twelve days to
Havana, and eighteen from Havana to Buenos Ayres.

If Mr. Gray was not a man easily convinced, he certainly
was not a man easily shaken in his faith. He
believed in his little pupil. She might be made the
victim of violence, but he felt that her soul could not
be corrupted.

And if she had been betrayed, did she not need an
avenger? If overwhelmed by fate, did she did not
need some friend to rescue her from despondency?

Somehow, his heart refused to believe that the worst
had happened. Mr. Forbes said she looked tranquil
and happy. If he knew Mliss, tranquillity and happiness
would depart with innocence.

Mr. Gray determined, therefore, at whatever sacrifice,
to proceed at once to Buenos Ayres, and confront
the villain who had stolen his ward.

Regina's noble nature shone out like pure gold. Her
face paled a little when she heard Mr. Gray's purpose;
but she said, without hesitation, “Go; Mliss needs
you.”

Bob was summoned from Red Mountain. During
Mr. Gray's absence Regina would need a protector.

The return mail brought from Bob a characteristic
letter. It ran as follows:

Regina, a little frightened, showed the letter to Mr.
Gray. “What shall I do with that wicked brother of
mine?” she asked.

Mr. Gray was a little perplexed. He had a tolerable
distinct recollection of Clytie's alluring glances, and
he had not much faith in Bob's power of resistance.
His acquaintance with hoodlum dialect did not furnish
an exact definition of the phrase “a little sweet,”
Was it simply a flirtation, or was it a serious affair?
The allusion to the chances of “a row” indicated the
latter. The foolish girl might be compromised in the
eyes of the austere moralists of Smith's Pocket, and
yet not be lost past redemption. An invitation from
Miss Shaw would set her right in that quarter, and
could not seriously compromise Miss Shaw.

“I think you had better comply with your brother's
request,” he said; “Clytie is a little lady in appearance
and manner, and if Bob is really attached to her
her presence in the city may have a wholesome restraint
upon him.”

Regina indited a friendly little letter to Clytie, expressing
a desire to form the acquaintance of a young
lady of whom she had heard so much from her brother,
also from Mliss and Mr. Gray, and concluding by inviting
Miss Clytie and one of her brothers to visit her
in the city.

In due time, an elegantly-written letter came from
Clytie, thanking Miss Shaw for her expressions of
friendliness, and also for her invitation, which was
gratefully accepted.

Regina awaited the coming of her guests with some
misgivings. She had not that implicit confidence in
her brother's fine sense of propriety which would have
justified pleasant anticipation from a visit of one of
his lady friends. She thought of the night of Bob's
farewell party and shuddered.

Being informed what day they might be expected,
Mr. Gray and Regina rode to the boat to meet them.
It was night, and Regina sat in the carriage while Mr.
Gray went in search of the travelers. Mr. Gray had
hardly disappeared when Bob came dashing through
the crowd and into the carriage. He was the same
Bob as of old, brown as a nut, but joyous, boisterous
restless. He kissed his sister a score of times, swore
she was the best girl in the world, and that he was going
to be worthy of such a sister in the future.

“But where is Miss Clytie?” asked Regina.

“O, Mr. Gray will take care of her. Thought I'd
give him a chance. Isn't Gray a brick, though? Did
the handsome thing about that claim.”

“Yes,” said Regina, “Mr. Gray has been very
generous.”

“Needn't blush, sis. Don't know how it'll come out
between you and Mliss, but I give my consent.”

“Hush Bob. Don't talk so.”

The rush of passengers had ceased, and among the
stragglers Regina recognized Mr. Gray with a lady on
his arm, the two preceded by a stout youth of thirteen
whom Regina had no difficulty in recognizing as
the just Aristides.

“This young gentlemar,” said Bob, pulling the
youth into the carriage, “is the best friend I had in
Red Mountain.”

Miss Shaw, though not greatly interested in boys of
thirteen on general principles, gave her hand to the
equitable youth and bade him welcome to San Francisco.

Miss Clytie's fair face now appeared at the carriage
door. The two young ladies were formally introduced.
Regina was charmed to see that her guest had
at least the appearance of a lady. The sense of relief
imparted a cordiality to her manner which made Clytie
feel at home at once.