Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-05-31

hush ar dan unusual liberality. noticed also
that she turned her kindly chat on old days, al
ludfng to the faithful service That her butler had
always rendered her, and to her true frien 1ship
and even shed tears-perhaps of remorse al re
| penting.
The next morning dawned and Shove the
earth covered with mantel OF snow, whic wa
still falling heavily. l was dismayed a. the
sight. What If it should prevent Mr.. Des.ham
from coming to us in answer to my note? l
| watched the sky all breakfast time and when
mad finished my coffee fastened to aunt Helen 8
room to tell her the bad news She was not
much impressed by it. Snow In the south, she
said, was not the obstruction that 1T generally
my DEAR" she added 81 have rung three
| times for Wheeler, and she is not come; VIII you
| go and see what Is the matter? l am afraid her
husband may be worse
LA! ened to obey her. b ut met Mrs Wheeler
at the top of the stairs coming, she said, to see
| why her lady had not rung for her.
l explained that the bell had been rung three
times, at which she seemed much surprised, and
nasten1ng into my aunt's room, told her also
| that no bell had sounded. Aunt Helen desired
that they might ascertain whether the bell was
broken, or If she had merely not heard it. She
66oeyed and aunt Helen pulled Vigorously the
" Mrs. Wheeler re-appeared and announced
| that no bell had sounded. Mrs. Keith looked
annoyed but ordered her to send Immediately ,hy
1
wire repaired. "The gardener can 60 for him,
| she added.
Under the circumstances this ordinary acct
| dent gave us very d1sagreeable impression:
| especially as, soon after my aunt had entered
the drawlng-room saw the gardener employed
4uiety sweeping pain IN me snow ,, , AmnI
| she came to remove the breakfast things, why
| he had not been sent for the bell-hanger7 But
the woman-though looking, L thought l o con
| who CHANGED to be at the house, to send him, as
Jones the gardener was wanted to sweep away
the snow.
By noon Mrs. Keith and began anxiously to
| expect the arrival OF Mr.. Denham, and did
| little else but watch from the window across
the dreary waste OF snow for , ms desired ap,
| eagerly-but he did not come, and two o'clock
| dinner was served in the profound gloom Of a
n nowstorm Nh Wheeler however an announced
| pairing the bells.
"Lottie" said my Aunt rather uneasily after
| remember. It would be well to Keep him, per-
| haps for the night. His presence would be a
| protection. Go into my room, dear, bring a
book off my table for an excuse, and tell him
him to remain to supper, and that Mrs. Wheeler
| will air him bed"
workman just descending his ladder, his work
being completed
"And If you will please to ring, MISS" he
said, ''yOu will find the bells all right"
l rang, and the bell was Immediately an
swered by Mrs. Wheeler, to whom-instead OF
the mani gave Mrs. Keith's message. Her
brow clouded at it, but the workman was ex-
cessively grateful, and thanked me and Mrs.
Keith efrusively. thought, as he spoke, had
never seen a more cunning type OF face and
told my aunt so when l rejoined her. She
smiled.
"Prejudice!" she said. 'sBen Hill was always
very honest, hard-working fellow; your fears
beguile your yes, Lottie:"
the bell-hanger's looks, and, returning to the
bedroom he had just quilted, looked all
through it, behind the arras and under bed,
sofa, and totet-table. Then glancing up at his
work, was surprised to see four wires where
only three had been before. Had he hung
another bell? Was there any trick in the mat
ter? returned to my aunt and told her Of my
discovery.
-Four wires! He must have hung another
bell" she said, Tor perhaps he has repaired
the alarum. Hill is an honest fellow, and, ii
ne has any suspicious of the Wheelers, has
probably acted from good intention. Take
no notice OF the extra wire, dear"
o, But where Is the alarum-rope, auntie?"
-, Behind the tapestry at the head Of my bed, !"
twilight was now closing in, opscurinp the
remains of the very little daylight we had had,
and high and bitter wind walled through the
oid tree. as II uttering a lament I shuddered
"Mr. Denham cannot have received nv note
or he would have COME" exclaimed despair
HASy child" said aunt Helen, ave are not
sure that we are in any danger. It is mere
suspicion. Wheeler may be faithful after all
ana may not permit her villainOus son to carry
out his plots : Remember, TOO, we are In the
commend you and myself" She added reve-
rently.
At last it became necessary to ring for lights,
and we had tea, but still no Mr.. DenhaIn ap-
peared. Then project occurred to me- which
hastened to suggest to my aunt. proposed
that, as was SO very small In person, should
rnVc h0h ind no tov1
OF her bed, and watch there through the night
II the robbers appeared, or heard approaching
noises, could instantly ring the alarum, and
away.
'My love-" she answered, "they would at
the first stroke OF the bell. murder you and
"No, auntie; please hear ALL You must pre-.
tend you have headache fear you need not
feign one-and go to bed early, asking Wheeler
an ep SaS Sr aa s you
dering her not to let you be disturbed. Then,
when sne IS gone down to supper, will take
range your curtains as they were before. Then
ring for aid. Il they think it is you Who ring.
e% 70 s s nsy Hey have Ha ssp
will hasten to escape"
at first, and refused to listen to it but, after
time, she was persuaded to consider it. and
finally consented when l represented to her
that, desperate as the idea seemed, it was the
only one which offered chance OF our escaping
II the robbers came, for there was no other rope
to the alarum which could be used. think her
consent was yielded, however, rather because
she did not entirely believe that Wheeler would
betray her than from any idea that l could
really be Of use.
The plot was carried out as we intended NY
aunt went to bed with headache, and had her
potion given to her, which she managed to pour
unperce1ved into the bed. Wheeler was Quite
unsuspicious, and fingered with her mistress,
arranging her curtains, ETC., as If unwilling to
say goodnight, old affection and fidelity prOba-
bly, cOntending against q powerful evil tnfiu.
ence. She went at last, and, as soon as the
house was still, / hurried aunt Helen into my
room, and then returned to arrange her own. l
tucked in the curtains exactly as they had been
when Wheeler left her, and then prepared for
my watch How was / to see through the thick
tapestry II anyone tried the door?
/ had, and l have still, in my possession
large green fan-formerly used by ladies' In
place OF the then unknown parasoi; to shield
the face from the sun. / had been greatly
amused by finding that the upper and center
parts OF 1t was perforated by large pin-holes,
not perceptible Till the fan was held up to the
light. but enabling its possessor to see all
round her when her face was apparently COW
cred by her fan. This suggested to me that
could pierce the tapestry In the same way with
the StflettO used In emhrOidarv 7 hastanod RI