Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-12-08
A TERRIBLE INTRUDER.
BY MARION NORTHCOTT.

We were alone in the house -Maude
Chaplain and land did not altoyeth
er like the position in which we were
placed.
While the daylight lasted, and there
seemed so much life about the farm. it
seemed very pleasant to have the house
to ourselves, to be able to wander toeeth
er through the quaint old rooms and to
talk On the subjects very dear to both Of
US, without the dread Of being oyer-shad-
owed by the London female cousins and
the registering youths who had come to
spend a month of the shooting beneath
our roof. For a time we reveled in our
comparative solitude, arid pitied the fe-
male cousins, the eager sportsmen, poor
papa and the rest OF the household, who
had been beguiled into accepting an in
vitation to Mrs. Rattletrap's picnic at the
Scrubs, piece Of mooriand some eight
miles distant from our house. We were
ali expected, bnt my old school fellow,
Maude, pleaded headache, and was not
sorry to have an excuse for staying at
home with our guest. We had met but
seldom since we left the prim
school at Taunton; and although
Il.
what with the noisy clatter OF our friends,
the croque5 Journeys, the lawn Dances,
and the other pleasant ways in which our
evenings were spent, we had hitherto had
no opportunity OF indulging in those
mutual condolences so dear to women who
are In the b.issful state known as "en-
gagged There was particularly tender
bond Of sympathy between us, inasmuch
as I was in bi-weekly correspondence
with her brother John, to whom ! signed
myself YOURS a1fectionately," whilst her
betrothed was Harry Solners, who had
been visitor to our house from his child
hood. Ere they drove away in the after
noon, the other girls tWitted us rather Sc
verely for not joining them, and it seem.
ed general opinion that Maude's head.
ache YVES nothing more than sham. But
the gentlemen said little; in my opinion
their hearts would have been gladdened
had all the party abstained from attend
ing the picnic, their inclinations tending
toward the wheat stubble in 'Five-acre
feld' and the adjacent turnip patch,
where 4 the coyey had sought shelter the
night before. But as the girls were re-
solved upon going, the males, of course,
We're obliged TO act as escort. By-and-by
papa was induced TO join them, and thus
II was Maude and I were left alone.
80 engFosslng was the subject of our
conversation that we were surprised when
the bousemaid brought in the tea, and
dropping courtesy, asked if Sarah, the
cook, might 90 with her down to the
village, Until ten p'clock, to take in the
festivities with which Farmer Ashcorobe
was celebrating his harvest home. It
then occurred to my memory that the
servants had asked me for this holiday q
fortnight PREVIOUSLY, and that had given
halt acquiescent response. In the hur-
ry OF nv domestic duties, and the excite
ment occasioned by house full of com
pany, had, however, forgotten the cir
cumstance until now.
"Whcre is Beng l inquired, referring
to one o. the carriers who inhabited q snug
little cottage on the farm, and was con-
sequently required to place himself at our
service when wanted
The domestic dropped another eour
tesy, and announced that the individual
alluded TO had gone to Wells with q load
OF barley, and would not be back until
late.
"And the boy Sm:th?"
''Please, IN, master told him q might
go When lad fed the poultry and fastened
'ern up for the night, and q as been gone
this quarter of all hour"
Il nope he made sure the turkeys and
geese Were all right, for papa saw a fox
cross the meadow this norning.n
"Ob, yes, 'em, d is q careful lad is
Smith, and he's ct IN all right 'enow,
I'll be bound, responded the maid.
l Eesltated g. moment as to wheather it
was altogether safe to be thus LETT; but
as | haa given half promise to the girls,
and knew it would be 3 sad dlsappoint-
ment to them not to go, dismissed my
appreheusions, and told them they might
leave the tea-things and be off at once.
Noticing that after a time Maude be-
came less conversational, I inquired the
reason; out receiving naught but evasive
answers, ! questioned her more closely.
''You are not afarid, are your, dear?"
Il shall only be confessing the truth
when I tell you that l was very sorry to
hear you give your consent to the SER
wants leaving us. Suppose Any person
has been watching the house, and was to
seize the opportunity Of committing
robbery"
"My dear Maude," responded, moth
ing Of the sort ever happens in these
parts. Living, as we do, some distance
from any town, we know all the persons
resident within radius of, say, four
miles,
"But how about tramps2 Are they not
dreadful people, sis?"
"Perhaps, Maude, even they are more
slnned against than SHINING At all
events tramps seldom, if ever, come near
us. You see we lie off the main road.
Toe lane leads to the farm, and nowhere
else"
Gut" persuaded Maude, ssthat fact
would be ali the worse for us if q tramp
should come here"
"Really," replied, II shall get quite
angry with you if you pursue the sub
Ject further. To put an end however, to
all your fears you shall come with me,
and we shall bolt the outer DOORS"
The alacrity with which Maude rose
from her chair was a good proof that the
proposed measure was of q welcome
nature, SO, proceeding from
the drawing-room, we walked to the
lawn, and fastening the gate which opened
on to the lane, we re-entered the house
We then locked, bolted, and barred the
back premises, saw that all the windows
were fastened, and then came back to
the drawing.room.
must confess that when we had Sc.
cured all the approaches to our citadel, I
was myself good deal more at ease than