Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1863-04-03
The Tenant of the Lumber Room

house at Brocklehurst, if it suited me on
inspection, and ! hired boy to pilot me
thitber.
"There," he said, as we came out OF
a thick fir plantation, and stood on the
edge of dreary broken bit of common
covered with gorse and heath, do you
see that red brick house yonder by the
gravel pit p Hooked the way his finger
pointed, and through the gathering twi-
light just discerned long, low building
"Pu tell you what, sir, he said, IN low
tone, and closer to my side, " there's not
n lad in all the village would venture
round there after nightfall, for there was
a murder done at that house not two years
ago"
"Murder p l exclaimed.
"Yes, and the cruelest murder it was,
too. An old gentleman used to live there
NOT SO very old either, not much past
sixty, I've heard say but however that
might be, he lived there quite alone, ex-
cept for one young servant woman, who
kept his house. A pleasant spoken lass
Ann Forrest was, and many's the kind
word she's said to me when she's been to
mothers shop. She always seemed to
take great care Of her old master, and DO
wonder, for he was the best old man that
ever lived, and was good master to her;
but he had money laid by, and that must
have tempted her, for one morning some
laborers going past found the front door
open, the house des srted, and the poor
old gentleman lying covered with blood,
and quite dead at the bottom of the gar
den. They say he used to 60 down there
to smoke his pipe ct night, and she had
chose that time, when she knew he could
Law hold of nothing to defend himself
with. An old iron box, in which the old
man kept his money, and which only she
knew where to find, was lying, turned
bottom uppermost and empty, in the pas
sage: and there were clothes, and many
other things, scattered about the floor OF
her room, and in one Of her drawers they
found long knife which she had hidden
there. But they never found her; and
from that day to this no one has heard OF
her"
1t was horrible story to listen to, with
the black darkness closing round US, and
the lonely house close by. We fastened
on in silence across the common, down
dark steep road, and through some mea-
dows, until we reached the house.
The clang of the bell echoed through
the stiffness within; then silence settled
down once more. l waited long, then
rang again, and at length there was
sound of steps and voices; at first, far
away, then nearer. A key grated in the
rusty lock, and the door was partly open
ed by an old man, whose short thick-set
figure at once filled up the way, as tho
to prevent hasty entrance. Behind
him stood a woman, somewhat bent by
age, and holding in her hand lantern.
Both stared at me in silent wonderment,
as, addressing myself to the old man, j
told my erraud.
said that had meant to arrive soon
er, but need give but little trouble, as
some bread and cheese and bed for the
night were all ! should require. The
man stood doubtful, as though half in
clined to shut the door in my face then
his mind changed, and without a word,
he took the lantern from his wife's hand,
and signing to me to follow, led the way
across a bare, and lofty hall, and along
two stone passages, to large kitchen,
where fire was blazing. Setting down
the lantern on the table he turned round
and said: " You'll see, may be, that this
is the kitchen. If you're too proud to
sit here, there are other rooms in plenty,
but you'll find no fire or candles and
without waiting for reply he walked
away. / turned to the woman who had
followed us, and now stood by the fire,
and asked some questions carelessly; but
she answered me briefly, with hurried
glance at her husband and weary of at
tempting to coneiliate, said abruptly
that as my time was short l would see
the house at once.
There's very little you'll be able to
see at this time of night" old Pearce said
gruffly, from the window where he stood
"At least" ] answered, al can &C
through the rooms and get some notion oI
their size," and made move.
For moment it seemed as though
they meant to let me go alone; then
Pearce stepped suddenly forward, anC
barsbly calling to his wife to bring the
keys, caught up the light. Preceded By
my unwilling guides | traversed long
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