The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1875-07-29

by h circumstance, tr1t1lng though 1t
was, that to be left by myself was out of
the question.
Ellis had been with me ever since my
marriage, now three years, and had been
well known to my husbands family all
her life, consequently, I felt I might
trust her, so 1 said "Ellis, / have my
own suspisions but we must do nothing
until we are sure. Meanwhile, you must
have a bed made up in this room, and we
must watch
"Miss Burke 2" whispered Ellis.
eyes," I replied cit was she who
tried my door2"
"We1, ma'am, "confidedE Ellis, "Ihave
been downright afraid of her this some
time back-civil spoken though she is.
But what could she want at your door 2"
"That I do not know /; but we may
find out"
By dint of a blanket off my bed, and
sundry shawls, Ellis was made comfort
able for the rest of the night on the sofa,
and I returned to bed, not to sleep, for |
was thoroughly upset, but to lie and
wonder how 1 was ever to get through
the ten months that still remained of my
husbands absence.
Tired and unnerved, met Miss Burke
at breakfast, and we spent our morning
in a very silent fashion. 1 wrote to my
husband whilst she walked restlessly
about the drawing-room, constantly ask
ing me how 1 was, an inquiry for which
I did not feel so grateful as I might have
done under other circumstances. Lunch
came, and afterwards Miss Burke, who
was usually most unwilling to go out,
asked me if 1 could spare her for the
afternoon, as she wanted to go to see a
sick friend.
Certainly" I replied, glad to get rid
of her. About four o'clock I lay down
on the sofa in the inner drawing room,
and must have fallen asleep, for 1 heard
no one come into the room, but L awoke
leaning over me with their face in close
proximity to my own. 1 felt rather than
saw them ; so close were they to me that
their lips seemed almost touching my
own, and as Isprang up 1 came into vio-
lent collision with-my companion.
"Miss Burke !" 1 exclaimed, indig-
nantly, but 1 could say nothing more,
for, after all, the crime of leaning over
me was not of a deadly nature, though
coupling it, as I instantly did, with my
previous suspicious, 1 felt not only ex-
tremely angry, but considerably alarmed.
"I was afraid you were i'll, dear Mrs.
Conyers. 1 do hope 1 have not dis
pleased you" she proceeded in a depre-
eating tone. "I did not mean to offend
you"
"It is of no consequence" I an
swered, rising from the sofa /; "but
please do not do SO again. l am nervous
and easily startled"
The circumstance was then tacitly dis
missed, and we got through the evening
pretty fairly. 1 rather looked forward
to q safe night, for 1 knew Ellis's bed
was in readiness for her. 1 said good
night a little earlier than usual to Miss
Burke, but did not inform her that ]
had indited an epistle to her friend, the
Rev. Mr.. White, to ask for further par.
ticulars as to her antecedents.
I heard her come up to her room, and
when her door closed, q feeling of COM
passion came over me, for l 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 I had
oral evidence that she was slumbering.
It made me feel secure, at all events
though I was certain I should dream Of
all kinds of unearthly things if the snor
ing went on all night. Nothing hap
pened to alarm us, and next morning, IL
a subdued and anxious voice, Miss Burke
hoped I had not been disturbed, ant
that Ellis had kept me from feeling
nervous-this last remark very reproach
fully.
About twelve o'clock, when we wer,
sitting in the drawing-room, Ellis CAM
up and told me that a gentleman
wanted to see me on business, bu
would not give his name. "Probabl,
about some subscription" observed
perhaps 1 had better see what h
wants"
/ Without a suspicion of what awaite,
me, 1 went down stairs, and on entering
= the dining-room encountered a shortan,
rather red-faced man, who, bowling pro
foundly, asked if I was Mrs. Conyers
On me replying in the affirmative, h
continued "May I ask what estat
lishment you have"
Unjust have looked astonished, as h
explained:
"I am a detective police officer, mac
: am, and my business here will, L al
afraid, be an unpleasant one."
I "Indeed?" 1 calculated, Sin wha
I way2"
"From information I have received,
o believe you have q person under you
roof who is wanted on a very seriou
charge. I must ask your permission t
r summon every one in the house into tn
room. I have taken precautions to pr,
v vent any n leaving it, and if you wi
kindly accede to my request, I shall g,
over a painful duty as quickly as poss
ble."
If my lips had been capable of ute
ance, the words they would have frame
would have been "Miss Burke" but
said nothing. I merely rang the bel
: which Fills answered SO promptly, I fe
y certain she must have been behind Il
. door, ready to protect me, in case OF a
? emergency.
"Summon the servants, Ellis, I sal,
Z "and-and-ask Miss Burke to con
e" down stairs" 1t was almost like a drea
to me, seeing my four domestics wa
. in !; and then-suspecting nottingham
y Miss Burke.
"Got you at last, sir |" cried the d
g t~ective, making an agile dart toward n
companion.
"Not without some trouble" cool
>, responded his prisoner, whose couras
y was apparently quite equal to the occ
d sion. In my widest moments 1 hs
y never dreamed of so desperate a demo
/ ment, and the discovery perfect
L paralyzed me with horror. It was t.
y dreadful to realize that 1 had harbored
d wretch of a man in woman's clothil
not only in my house, but in the capat
1T ty of my companion? In less tin
lie han I can describe it in, the detecti
IL and his prisoner had departed it W
le quietly and quickly managed al
1, though a detailed account of it did a
d pear in the papers, my name was, ha
L PLY for me, not allowed to transpi
Oh publicly.
% The pseudo Miss Burke turned out
ut la n poforio,-c uor1no mon or T NOV O