Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1880-02-12

opened second time. and saw dimly a
pair of eyes mot, felt sure, Lucretia's)
peering into the gloom, and rejecting the
light from the snow on the window. A
mans voice said huskily in an undertone
ats all right now" and then there was
silence. | knew they were coming to mur-
der me. clutched the poker firmly, stood
on guard over the dollars, and waited the
assault. The moment that entervened SEEM
ed like lifetime.
A minute. Five minutes. A quarter Of
an hour. They are evidently trying to take
me off my guard. Perhaps they saw the
poker; in any case. they must have felt the
bedstead against the door. That would
show them that | expected them. | held
my watch to my ear and counted the sec
onds. then the minutes, then the hours
When the candle went out it was three
| o'clock. | counted up till about half-pas
five.
After that | must have fallen asleep from
very WEAKNESS. My head glided back upon
the reticule. and dozed uneasily till morn
ing Every now and then started uneasily
| in my sleep. but the murderers hung back.
When | awoke it was eight o'clock, and the
| dollars were still safe under nv head.
/ rose WtdIliN, NtsIltu sell
! the tumbled clothes in which | had slept,
for my portmanteau had not yet arrived from
| the depot. Next, l put back the bed and
mattress. and then took the dollars and
went down TO the bar, hardly knowing
whether to laugh at my last nights terror,
| or to congratulate myself on my lucky es-
cape from den of robbers. At the foot of
| the stairs, whom should come across but
| Lucretia herself,
| In moment the doubt was gone. She
was enchanting. Quite different style of
| dress, but equally lovable and suitable. a
long figured gown of some fine wooden ma
terial, giving very nearly the effect of a
plain neat print. and made quite simply to
fit her perfect little figure. A plain liren
collar, and quiet silver brooch. Hair tied
in single broad knot above the head, in
stead OF yesterdays chignon and cheese
plate. Altogether, model winter morning
costume for a cold climate. And as she ad
vanced frankly. holding out her hand with
smile, | could have cut my own throat
with a pocket-knife as a merited punishment
for daring to distrust her. Such is human
nature al the ripe age Of twenty
I'VE we're so afraid you didn't sleep, Tom
and L. she said with little tone of anxiety /;
I'VE saw light in your room till so very
late, and Tom opened the door a wee bit
once or twice to see If YOU were sleeping ;
but he said YOU seemed to have pulled the
mattress on the floor. | do hope you were
not ILL.,"
What on earth could | answer? Dare
tell this angel how had suspected her ?
Impossible well" stammered out, col
oring up to my eyes, Il was rather over
tired, and couldn't get to rest, so put the
candle on chair, took book, and lay on
the floor so as 10 have light to read by.
But slept very well after the candle went
out, thank YOU
There were none but French books in
the room, though" she said quickly, per
haps YOU read French? ?"
II read lie Rosi S'amnse, part of it said l."
"Oh, what a dreadful play to read on
Christmas eye,r cried Lucretia, with little
depreca,ing gesture. But YOU must come
and have YOUR breakfast"
followed her into the dinling room.
pretty little bright-looking room behind the
bar Frightened as was during the night,
| could not fail to notice how ,astefully the
bedroom was furnished; but this little
sale a-manger was far prettier. The paper,
~
what cheap and simple cottage decoration
ought to be. They breathed Of Lucretia
The Montreal nuns had evidently taught her
what ''art al home" meant. The table was
laid. and the white table-cloth, with It's
bright silver and sprays Of evergreen III the
vase. looked delightfully."- appetzing. be
gun to think | might manage breakfast
after all
"Iiow pretty all your things are said
to Lucretia-
.'Do you think so? she answered. l
chose them, and laid the table
Hooked surprised but in moment more
| was fairly overwhelmed when Lucretia
left the room for minute, and then returned
carving a tray covered with dishes. These
she rapidly and dex,erously placed upon
the table and then asked me TO take my
seat
But" said I, hesitating IAN to under
stand You don't mean to say
Are you going
to wait upon
me-"
Lucretia's face was one smile Of innocent
amusement from her white forehead to her
chiseled little chin "Why yes." she an
swered, laughing '.of course | am. | al
ways wait upon our guests when | am at
home. And cooked those salmon outlets,
which I'm sure you'll find nice if you only
try them while they're hot" With this re-
commendation she uncovered all the dishes,
and displayed breakfast that might have
tempted ST. Anthony. Not being St. An
thony can do Lucretia's breakfast the JUS
tice to say that | ate with unfeigned hearth
ness.
So nv princess was. after all, the domes-
tic manager and assistant cook of a small
country inn. Not countess. not even
murderess (which is at least romatic,l but
only a prosaic housekeeper! Yet she was
princess for all that Did she read Victor
Hugo and play "Lucrezia Borgia," and
spread her own refinement over the village
tavern? In no other country could YOU
find such strange mixture OF culture and
simplicity; but it was new. 1t was interest
ing and it was piquant. Lucretia IN her
morning dress offciously insisting upon Of
fering me the buckwneat pancakes with her
own white hands was Lucretia still, and
fell deeper in love than ever.
After breakfast came a serious difficulty,
must 90 to the Pritchards, but before
went | must pay. Yet how was | to ask
for nv bill? | couldn't demand it of Lucre-
tia. So l sat while ruminating, and at last
said, Il wonder how the people do when
they want to leave this house.
why" said Lucretia, promptly, ''they
order the sleigh
..Yes," l answered sheepishly, no doubt.
But how do they manage about paying?'
Lucretia smiled She was so absolutely
transparent, and accustomed to her simple
way Of doing business, that l suppose she
did not comprehend my difficulty. They ask
me, of course, and l tell them what they
owe. You owe US half dollar"
Half dollar-two shillings sterling-for
a night of romance and terror, a bed and
bedroom, regal breakfast, and-Lucretia
to wait upon me! 1t was too ridiculous.
And these were good, simple Canadian
villagers whom l had suspected Of wishing
to rob and murder me, l never felt so
ashamed of my own stupidity in the whole
course Of my life.
must pay it somehow, I supposed, but |
could not bear to hand over two shilling
pieces into Lucretia's outstretched palm. 1t
was desecration, it was sheer sacrilege.
But Lucretia took the half-dollar with the
utmost calmness, and went out to order the
sleigh.
Idrove off to the rector's, after saying good