Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1878-06-14

TO the inner part of the house from here,
for most of the doors were carelessly
latched, and was not likely to meet
any servant at this time in the evening.
l remembered a certain wide window-sill
iii the hall, cropping toward which 1 sat
down to rest myself, with curiously
scared and hunted feeling, which had
not entered into my calculations when 1
planned this audacious expedition.
Then, removing my shoes, 1 slipped
softly through the long, deserted pass
ageway to my own room. The door
opened with a treacherous creak that
seemed bent to betray me. 1t appeared
an age before / was fairly within.
This was my own pretty, pleasant lit
tie room, the shelter where 1 had SO
often betaken myself from Aunt Mar
gery's rasping voice and incessant fault
finding - where 1 had dreamed day
dreams and revelled in nightly
visions. This cherished and familiar
little nook had chilled to me in one days
absence. 1t had given possession to a
horde of shadows that, mocking and
gesticulating, fitted to and fro in the
uncertain light. Perhaps the breeze
blown branches of the elm outside played
me this trick but it confused me
strangely, and rendered my search for
the watch long one, till it seemed as if
some tricksome elf had filched it to dis
tress me. At length, however, my
bands touched and grasped the treasure /;
the heavy chain glided with snaky cool
ness through my fingers, and I thrilled
from head to foot with new and strange
sensation. For at that very moment
heard the door shut with snap. This
noise in itself was not startling no one
was likely to hear it save myself but it
announced that I was trapped, prison
er, shared in my own net; for the door
closed with spring, and l had left the
key on the outside.
1 put my two hands to my head and
thought desperately for a moment.
There was no possible egress now except
through Aunt Margery's room, with
which mine was connected by narrow
passage. How could 1 hope to pass
through without waking her? For just
one instant I felt like despair. How was
I to help Dick now? 1t must be done,
however. gathered up my courage; I
remembered the indignities had borne,
the needs of my friend. the absolute
rightfulness of what I was doing, and,
strong in resolution. glided across the
hall-silently, slowly, lest the ghost of
football should rouse the vigilant Sleep
ers within. There was something dread
full in this, after all. This strange ad-
vent among familiar things that look on
the intruder with sinister eyes is not a
desirable experience. True, was on
mission of mercy; but this fact failed to
support me as 1 stood poised on my
aunt's door sill. A weak-minded doubt
fulness creeping in for moment paral-
yzed my activity. This bauble had been
in Aunt Margery's possession for years.
Was it mine? was it hers? The "sacred
rights of property" I had heard talked
of so often: were my mothers sacred, or
my aunt's? All ! what would become
of all the property in the world if right
fully dividedp Would then Dick go
out starving and houseless from Aunt
Margery's surplus of luxury? Danger
Gus speculations, but brief. I swept
them all aside like cobwebs. Never
should desert Dick in his time of need.
Stepping on tiptoe in my unshod feet, l
essayed to convoy my beating heart as
far as possible from the high old
fashioned bedstead. It almost seemed
Aunt Margery might hear it in her
sleep. The low night lamp sent thin
thread of light across the floor; it rested
on the heavy drapery festooned to the
ceiling, which gave this couch an awful
dignity in my old childish days. And
there, just opposite it, stood transfxed.
There lay Aunt Margery, with eyes wide
open, looking out at me. I returned the
gaze steadily, frozenly. I know not
how long we might have regarded each
other thus, but the parrot, in his cover
ed cage within, croaked uneasily. Aunt
Margery turned sleepily on her pillow.
I" You are late, Jenny" she said quer-
ulously. "What kept you so, child?
Hand me the camphor yonder, my head
aches dreadfully."
I handed the camphor silently, and of
habit proceeded to bathe her hands and
forehead as usual, and then came the
usual innumerable orders. A little warm
water from the bath room, and little
mixture from the medicine chest. Her
pillows needed adjusting, her lamp
needed trimming, and thus was |
chained to her side a prisoner, with that
doubtful time-piece in my pocket, and
my brain dizzy with schemes for escape.
Oh, what would Dick think of me, re-
creant that I was in his time of trial9-
poor Dick, watching vainly all this time
at Kate Catterby's cabin, or wandering
on the road, mayhap, all the long night
fall, meditating on the faithlessness of
woman; then in the morning, discour-
aged and hopeless, he would drift away
somewhere out of my reach. I hardly
dared think of this contingency. To let
go my hold on Dick was to give up my
hold on life. Utterly exhausted with the
long watching, fell asleep at last, the
heavy sleepof youth and weariness.
/ was aroused from this dreamless
slumber by sudden loud crash, rap
ping and tearing at the window.
Aunt Margery started up aghast.
" Robbers" she exclaimed, clutching
my arm. But there never could have
been SO bungling robber as this.
stood up and faced the intruder with
wide-staring eyes.
"All right!" said loud, CHEEKY voice.
"The confounded sash!'' And there
stood Dick.
"Why, bless my heart, auntie, beg
your pardon. But, Jenny girl, I've
been walking the road till l couldn't
stand it any longer. Thought you'd
been robbed, or waylaid, or some
thing"
Propped up on her elbow among the
pillows, Aunt Margery looked out ma
iestically and interrupted this TRADE.
Richard" said she, "are you a
foo1