The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-08-13

4 i
! to Philip Rayburn, telling him all !
| had heard, and all had done, CO.
/ closing the sheets Of paper as proofs.
I felt very manly at last, so to vlndi-
| cate nv sisters truth; and it made me
emile to be able to write that / ex-
pected him to apologize fully to Lou
ise, and after that never to darken
our doors again. / finished the letter,
sealed it. coaxed the butler to deliver
it at once into Mr.. Rayburn' 5 hands,
and had ten minutes to compose my
self before Emily politely attended
her visitor to the door. Then she
few up to her room again.
My spirits ran SO high / could hard
IL keep from shouting my secret
aloud. / found Louise sitting lone
somely in her chamber, ike Mari
ana in the moated grange" and /
kissed her hand again and again, tell
ing her l would set everything right,
while she looked at me half frIghten-
ed, and wholly puzzled. Then [ i'm
ltated an Indian War.whoop at Emil
ly's keyhole, and as It grew darker
lay in wait for her behind an open
door, and sprang out at her when at
last / heard her gliding step. / liked
to see her shrink and shudder. At
tea she was pale and thoughtful while
my father and mother and Louise
grew kinder than ever, heaping her
plate with delicacies, and dehghting
to pet her. But | took no trouble to
pass her anything but strawberry jam,
which [ knew she hated. uo sf
The night was clear-there were
stars in the heavens. After tea we
all went into the parloF; Emily
played, and sang, and chatted, with
now and then restless glance at the
clock on the maDteE niece. At ten
she said she would retire, and babe
US all good night. That was the sig
nal for general departing. and be-
fore long was going up the stairs
noisily, so that Emily might hear me
aud think all were out of her way at
last. But no sooner had I slammed
my door than / turned again and
crept down stairs quieter than any
mouse, past all the sleeping rooms,
down to the drawing room, and there
| waited in the dark. ! always liked
to stay 10 the dark, imagining gro
tesque creatures IN every corner IN
seeni and there l lay on the sofa
very eontcntedly, hearing the clock
tick and my heart beat. x-ra
At last | became conscious by some
instinct finer than hearing, that Emily
was coming down from her room
The clock ehimed eleven. and / began
to fear ny plot would fail, or why was
there DO word to me from Phiiip2
How softly Emily gifted down, like
some impalpable presencel She stood
hesitating an instant on the lower
stair, when the door bell rang peal
which startled all the sleepers.
l ran out with a shout. Emily
would have fed from me, but [ caught
her hand and dragged her to the
door, which / opened. There stood
Philip RaybuTn, his eyes ablaze with
fierce Indignation, grasping the fatal
letters In his hand. He held them
up before Emily; he compelled her
to recognize their meaning then cast
ing them at her feet with gesture of
utter scorn, he strobe into the parlor, |
drawing me with him.
l was proud then, as [ collected all |
my four feet high dignity, and called |
him to account He did not notice |
my manner, though; he was too full |
Of wrath aud grief and contrite love. |
! almost began to pity him at last, but |
remembered that would never do, so |
l told him that I accepted his apollo |
gies. but he must never insult US By |
his presence again. That moment
Louise came in hurriedly, looking
terrified and perplexed.
Where IS Emily, Charliel Who |
rang the bell, and why is the door |
open? o, Philip"
" [ will go and find Emily | said. /
" / will leave you with Mr.. Ray burn. /
He has a confession to make to you,
Louise, and after that you will forbid |
him the house s
Emily was not to be found l hunt
ed fer her above and below, but she /
was gone. The hall door still stood |
open She~bad fed away with her |
guilty conseienee under the keen eyed /
stars 50 went back to the parior
without her; Louise and Philip were |
at the door
=" | will come early to morrow, he /
said, smiling brightly, and, Louise |
smiled brightly too. -.-...
" What! Have you not forbidden |
him the house?' [ exclaimed. a
No. Charlie! that / cannot de-
And with an astonishing lack of /
spirit, she let him fold her in his
arms.
I have decided TO have nothing |
more to do with my sisters love-
affairs or the family dignity. My |
little part IS played, and now l will /
hide away behind the curtain with /
my dreams of fairies and elfs.-