The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1870-05-17


I ted.
"Myra," said Mrs. Furnival, suddenly,
"were you in the garden just nowP"
Yes; l went for these" And she came
quickly, bringing handful of lilies. care
they not sweet.
Mrs. Furnival looking earnestly in her
face. 81 wish you would remember rules
Myra, and be less childish
We went next into that boudoir which
was already in bad odor, and then, after
Mrs. Furnival had carefully closed the door
she sat down-jjust within reach of the last
rays of summer twilight.
Z" am suffering from horrible suspicion"
she said. "Ethel, can you guess it?"
"No," answered stoutly; and in truth
/ could not.
She looked in my face for a moment, and
then, growing stern, said, "'Was Myra
Richardson with you all that Saturday."
Yes" returned stifly; for I was SO
confused that l scarcely knew whether she
meant to imply suspicion of me or Myra by
the question.
Most mysterious" muttered Mrs Fur
nival, leaning back in her chair YEARLY; 81
But at that moment Miss Morton knocked
at the door, ard I was obliged to go
away; but it was in very disturbed frame
| of mind
All this was very perplexing and uncom-
Portable, and I became very miserable.
Naturally | watched suspiciously my
school-fellows, more especially Myra; but
nothing could discover which could at all
help me to understand Mrs. Furnival's
strange conversation. The girls were all
looking forward to the breaking-up dance,
and were much more occupied with toilet
matters than robberies; indeed, / doubted
if any one of them but myself recollected
the mysterious robbery at all.
There are some scenes that stamp them
selves indelibly on the memory, why or
wherefore we know not. have been to
many gayer dance thar that school-party,
many one I enjoyed more, and yet l
think | remember that one more distinctly
than any other.
was just in the midst of a very anima-
ted conversation with one of my partners
tall young man whom I regarded with
almost veneratioE as he rejoiccda an the title
of captain; when Mrs. Funival touched me
on the shoulder, and said, Ethel, have
you seen Myra?"
turned sharply round.
"She was my Uis-a-vis in the last set of
lancers." I answered. "She can't be far
off. Do you want her Mrs. Furnival?'
"No-that is, / do not see her in her
room, and do not want her to be wander
ing about in the grounds now the dew is
falling heavily"
knew the principal well enough to OBJ
serve that she did not speak quite natural
ly; besides as she spoke she glanced again
round the ballroom in manner strangely
anxious.
81 will go and see, if you like,'' / said.
~ am not afraid Of the dew; and if Myra is
anywhere, she is sure to be in the rose gar
den."
ran off as spoke, wrapped my opera
cloak round me. The night was clear but
damp, and the starlight fell softly over the
garden, making no unpleasant lounge for
over-heated and imprudent dancers. There
were but few, however, and those chiefly
on the lawn just in front of the house, so l
found the rose-garden quite silent and soli-
tary.
gave but one quick glance around, and
was about to return to the ballroom and
my interrupted conversation, when again
that peculiarly light step, which had dis
turbed Mrs. Furnival and myself that
Sunday evening, fell on my ear.
Before saw her I knew it was Myra.
She came along in the starlight, her satin
dress glimmering in an almost ghostly fash
: ion, and with her fower-wreathed heaG