Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-08-02

| evening, was tue reply, III not, on
Thursday morning. Think, my dear
Kate" she continued, "you had better
write line to your father; he might
not be pleased. l wish we had had
longer notice"
II will do so, if you wish it, replied
Kate. "Papa will not have my letter
before tomorrow morning; he will be
sure to come at once, and it will be
change to see him"
2Do so my DEAR" said Mrs. Den
bigh; "it will make my mind much
easier if l know he is with you"
Anxious to please her friend, and
remove all anxiety, Kate wrote at
once, and then withdrew with Miss
Denbigh to assist in the necessary
preparations for the journey.
The brother and sister left u.s.
Kate and l stood in the porch watch
ing them walk down the road.
"Dear Miss Denbigh," said Kate;
show good she is II love her very
much. wonder if any amount of
trouble or discipline could ever make
such life pleasant to me ?"
II think not, Kate" said |; each
one to her mission. Yours is to shine
in the broad rays of the MONDAY sun,
hers to give light where all else is
darkness"
How little we thought, either of US,
as we fingered in the porch, of the
event so soon to startle US from our
quiet monotonous life.
The day passed TRANQUILITY enough.
We sauntered in the garden, and from
there into the library. Here Kate
found a book that suited her wonder
fully. She took possession of it, and
nodding her head gayly to me, said :
Il may as well say good-day, Made
laine, for until the er-bell rings,
you will see no more of me. | am
going to wrap myself up in this pret-
ty romance. If anything occurs, and
you want me, may be found in the
summer-house. Good day"
| heard her blithe voice singing,
"true as the Stars will I be to thee"
and she was soon hidden amongst the
trees, and I went into the house.
1t was warm and rather oppres:
sive July day. The profound silence
of everything struck me. Old Mrs.
Denbigh was in her room, the servants
in their quarters, which were divided
from the rest of the house by curl
GUS old passage. The only sound in
the drawing room was the lazy hum
ming of the summer flies in the win
dow. | missed the cheerful voice that
generally filed the house. Kendall
Villa was rather lonely. The road
that run in front Oft lead to Rotting-
dean, but it was very seldom that we
saw any passers by. Occasionally a
carriage, farmers wagon, hay-cart,
or the carrier from the neighboring
village, varied this scene, but there
was generally very little to see. I
should not like to live always in such
lonely house.
l cannot explain why, but as l sat
by myself in the drawing-room a sud
den presentiment of fear seized me.
| do not know what it was. 1t might
have been the supreme quiet and still
| ness OF all around,--a sudden chill, a
, tremor ran through me. | shook il
of, and laughed at myself for being
| nervous. Just at that moment a dark
} figure came between me and the sun
light. | raised my head from the
: work l was holding, and almost
! screamed aloud at the figure that met
| my gaze. 1t was that of a man, q
gypsy, or tramp, | should imagine, witt
swarthy, evil face and flashing black
, dreadful eyes. When he saw that he
: had attracted my attention,he touched
; his cap and asked for charity. Now
l was not very well supplied will
| money, and only the day before l had
nearly emptied my purse in paying
4 for some purchase had made at Rot
t tingdean. | took a few halfpence
and threw them to him. He tocE
r them up, counted them, and looked a
r me with sullen face.
ais this all you mean to give me ?
:. he said.
t at is nearly all l have" was N,
r reply.
e He muttered something and walked
: on. l felt paralyzed with fear, yet
e was ashamed of myself; for what wa
d there to alarm me? I sought Kat,
l. in the snmmer-house.
:, "Kate," l said, "do you mind hay
l. ing companion? am nervous a
S being all alone"
/. "To be sure you must be,poor child,
l. she said. "Come here and sit wit
n me. How careless | am"
told her in few minutes how th
d beggar man had alarmed me. Sh
t merely smiled and said, "Madelaine
e you are a goose, and would be fright
b ened at your own shadow"