Hal, who had walked to the end of the apartment, half choked in his efforts to repress the tears which would flow into his eyes, now, at a sudden cry from the lips of Flora, rushed forward, and raised Lotte from the ground, while Flora rang the bell, which brought into the apartment her maid--a young, but strong, good looking, and seemingly good-humoured girl.
“Help me to bear this young lady into my dressing-room,” she said; “she has fainted; be very gentle and tender in your movements, Mercy, for she is very ill.”
“Poor dear young lady,” said the girl, gazing upon Lotte’s ghastly features. “She do look bad, surely.”
She received her from Hal’s custody, and lifting her up in her arms as if she had been a child, she bore her tenderly to Flora’s chamber, and laid her gently on the bed. As Flora was following, Hal detained her, and in a few brief words, acquainted her with the circumstances which had attended his meeting with Lotte; he left her to obtain the rest from her own surmises, or from any communications Lotte might make, and he took the opportunity of bidding her farewell, promising that he would pay a more formal visit, and make a more protracted stay, within a few days.
“Do not fail,” said Flora with some earnestness, “for my father is very anxious to see you here; he has made many inquiries respecting you, and I--I--do hope you will come soon.”
She need have been under no apprehension that he would stay away. Her beauty was a magnet which would have drawn visitors loving her far less passionately than he.
He made his way home, defiantly challenging the ideal to produce such exquisite and perfect loveliness as the real had that night presented to him.
Flora hurried to her chamber, where poor Lotte yet lay senseless. She was too ill that night to leave her bed. She was placed under the careful skill of an eminent physician, who at once declared her illness to be occasioned solely by mental distress, and treated her accordingly.
We may here mention that Mrs. Bantom grew very uneasy when nine o’clock came and Lotte had not come back, and by ten Mr. “Jeems” Bantom was dispatched in search of her, with strong injunctions not to go about his task as if he was anxious to give her into the custody of the police on a charge of petty larceny, or to act in such a way as to induce persons to believe that he was on the prowl with the view of dishonestly possessing himself of property which “wasn’t his’n,” but to proceed at once, and make his inquiries in a clear and straightforward manner.