, 1875-10-31

| IT haye been frightened" answered. " but
do: not disturb yourself, Miss Burke 1t Was
| probably nothing"
at could not have been ANYTHING, or must
have heard it, J" she aaia. half to me- and h&lf to
| Ellis
spray, do not trouble yourself" I responded /;
| II am ouly aerry you got up At AL ,
| She staid for few minutes, but getting no
| encouragement to remain. returned to har own
| room. assuring me If she heard sound abe
would be with me in moment.
| The inatapt she WAS safely gone turned TO
Ellis, desiring her in the first place to close and
| lock the door; and in the second, to prepare to
remain with me- until the morning, for was 80
unhiuged BY the circumstance, triaing though it
| WAS that to ho left BY myself Was out OF the
| question.
Ellis had been with me evar since my mar-
rage, now three years, aud had been we'll known
| to nY husbands family all her lie consequent
| ly. felt might trust her, so said: = EtliB
| have my own suspicions; but We must do MOTH
| ing until We are sure Meanwhile, you must
have a bed made up in this room and We must
:: Miss Burke?" whispered Ellis.
"Yee," replied sit was she who tried my
door,
..Well. ma'arn," confided Ellis II have been
| downright afraid of her this some time back
civil spoken though she is. But what could she
want at your door :"
'srhat do not know; but We may find out"
By dint Of q blanket of my bed, aud sundrv
AN."
Of the night on the sofa. and returned to bed,
not to sleep, for was thoroughly upset. but to
wonder how was ever to get through the ten
months that still remained Of my husband's alb
sence.
Tired and unnerved, met Miss Burke At
breakfast, and we spent our morning IL a very
silent fashion. I wrote to my husband whilst
she walked restIessly about the drawing
room. constantly asking me how I VAS
an inquiry for which did not feel 80
III irrht hova dnna nnGef other
circumstances. Lunch came, and afterwards
Miss Burke, who was usually most unwilling to
go out asked me IL I could spare her for the
afternoon, ~ she wanted to go and see slck
friend.
'Ce1tain1y," said I. glad to get rid Of her.
About o'clock ! lay down on the sofa IN tho
inner drawings room, and must have fallen asleep,
for heard no one come into the room, DUE
awoke with the consciousness that some one was
leaning over me with their face III oloso ,pro3-
unity to my own. felt, rather than saW them
80 close were they to mo that their lips seemed
almost touching my own, and as sprung up /
came into violent collision with my-companlou.
"Miss Burke!" exclaimed Indignantly, but
could say nothing more, for. after all, the
crime Of leAning over me WAS not OF q deadly
! nature, though coupling it. as I instantly did,
with my previous suspiciona I felt not only OK
tremely angry, but considerably alarmed:
do hope have not displeasea YOU" she pro-
ceeded IN deprecating tone, Il did not mean
to offend you"
ut il Of no consequence, answered, rising
from the sofa; but please do not do 30 again.
an nervous and easily startled"
The circumstance was then tacitly disnissed,
| and We got through the evening pretty fairly.
rather looked forward to safe night, for knew
Ellis bed WAS in readiness for her. said good
night q little earlier than usual to Hiss Burke,
! but did not inform her that I had iudited an
epistle to her friend thu Rev. Mr.. White. to ask
| for further particulars as to her autecedents.
heard her come up to her room. and when
her door closed, . feeling OF compassion came
over me, for fancied had not only unjustly
suspected her, but been very cold in my
manner, which she had evidently felt. Ellis
| came after was in bed, and in a short time
Ind oral evidence that she vas slumoering.
| 1t msde me feel secure 1t all events, though I
WAS certain I should dream OF all kinds OF un-
| earthly things If tho snoring went on all night
Nothing Unopened to alarm us, and next moru-
| ing, in sabdued and anxious voice, M,ss Burke
! hoped had not been disturbed, ind that Ellis
had kept me from feeling nerVoua,-thls Last re-
| mark very feproachfully-
| About IL o'clock, when We we're sitting in the
dra.ing-room, Ellis came up and told me that
gentleman wanted to sac me- on business, but
| would not gre bis name Probably about
had better see what he wants."
! Without . suspicion Of what awaited me,
went down stairs, and on entering the dining
| room encountered q short and rather red-faced
man, WHO, D0WluR pEulOuuuiYs Aah6A ~ l. WINS
| Mrs. Conyets. On my replying in the aairma-
| tive he continued: May ask what establish
| meut you haye?'
must have looked astonished as he explained:
II am detective police officer, madam, aud
my business here will. am afraid, be an un-
| pleasant one."
.sIndeed.'' ejaoulated, "in what vay7"
"From information have received, believe
| you have q person under yonr roof Who ia Want
| ed on very serious charge. must ask your
iyxf
| into this room. I have taken precautions 10
prevent anEtons leaving it. aud. II you will kind
| " accede to nv request, shall get over pain
| ful dtty az quickly "a posalb|e."
If my lips had been capable Of utterance, the
words they would have framed would have been
"Afiss Burke" but said nothing. marely
xung the bell, which Ellis anewered 50 promptly
felt certain she must have been behind the
door, ready to protect me- in case OF an emar-
Summon the servants, Ellis, said; =" and
ask Miss Burke to come down STAIRS It was
almost like dream to me, seeing my four do
mestics walk in; and then-suspecting nothing
came Miss Burke.
"Got you at last, sr!" cried the detective.
making an agile dart toward my companion.
| Mot without some trouble. cooIly responded
E\his prisoner, whose courage was apparently
| quite equal to the occasion. In my widest mo-
denouement, and the discovery perfectly para
lyzed me with horror. It Was too dreadful to
realize that had hsrbored wretch Of . man
in woman's clothing, not only in my house.
but in the capacity Of companion
In less time than I can describe it
| in, tho detective and bis prisoner
had departed; it was quietly and quickly
managed and though detailed account OF it
| did appear in the papers my name was. happily
for me. not allowed TO t1anspire publicly.
The psepdo Miss Burke turned out to De q
notorious young man, or may say lad, Of the
name Of Browning, who, having embezzlod large
sums as we'll as stolen . quantity Of magnificent
jewelry, had been unable, owing to the p1ecau-
lions taken to prevent his doing 80, to leave
London, Or to dispose Of his stolen property,
adopted his dlsguse, and my. .unlucky ad-
ysrteemeps had suggested to hin San,, the idss "a
| credulous enough to take him upon the
recommendations which, need hardly aay. had
| emanated from his own pen. Not only had be
thought Of his personal security, but that Of the
stolen goods, which, in the shape Of diamonds s
away in the little black box, which had thought
contained the worldly possessions Of my poverty
| stricken companion. He WAS tried, convicted,
| and santancad to penal seryitude for fourteen