The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1882-07-29


membered Amy's farewell caution as to
the locking and double-locking OF the
outer door. .ls5tt
Miss Baird was asleep, after her supper
and her medicine. There was no use
going to her for companionship; for she
snored and slept with her mouth open,
and was not in the least an ideal SUM
berer. And the kitchen was very lone
some without Mary Eliza, and even the
cat was too drowsy to purr or frolic
with ball of knitting-yarn.
s.What shall dop" said Polly. 80,
I knowi I'll try on the garnet silk dress.
and fancy I'm grown-up young lady
going to a ballr' .a.fr
She was walking up and down the
floor. trying to see herself in the odd
Venetian mirror that hung above the
tall, wooden mantle, when the creaking
of a board in the hall startled her. Fly
ing to the door, garnet silk, train and
ali, she came face to face with a man.
II beg your pardonr' he said, apol-
ogetically; ''but you did not hear the
knock, and"
..What do you waut?' cried Polly, all
in panic. s.Go away, at oncer'
II called to see if the young ladies
Polly waited to hear no more. Vague
ideas of peddlers, tramps, burglars,
midnight assassins, foated through her
brain.
Eyes" said she with assumed calm
ness, " they are at home. Please to
walk in.
And opening the nearest door, she
motioned him to enter. As it was dark
therein, how was he to know that it was
the coal-cellar or that the next minute
the door would be shut and bolted upon
him?'
"Therer' cried Polly, exultingly, her
dark eyes staring like balls of fire, her
cheeks turned from deadly pale to glow
ing red.
But stop minuter' pleaded a stifled
voice, from the other side of the door.
/" There's mistake. Il"
"Yes." said Polly, "there is mis-
take! You are mistaken in supposing
that am to be imposed upon. Now,
stay there until / call the coachman
and the two stable-hands, and unloose
the dogr'
(Which four last be it understood,
were entirely fiction of Miss Polly's
imaginationD
She stood second or so to consider.
Miss Baird must not be excited or dis
turbed-at least, so the doctor said.
Besides of what use could Miss Bair d
possibly be?
"rll go for the girls said Polly.
"I'll be at the ball, after ALP
And, folding shawl around her
pretty, taper shoulders, away she shot.
like an arrow, quite needless of the lace
lined train of the garnet silk dress.
Hazel Hill, where the ball was being
held, was not more than quarter of a
mile from Stone Tower, and, lighted
from garnet to cellar, represented very
pretty sight to Polly's wondering eyes.
She posted herself on the verandah,
Just where easement had been opened
to cool the perfumed atmosphere of the
dancing-room, and there, with big,
sparkling eyes, and cherry cheeks, half
hidden by the shawl drawn over her
head and ears, she watched to catch a
glimpse of Amy or Mamie.
There they were, dancing. Polly
would scarcely have known them, so ra-
diant they seemed-their exquisite bor-
rowed dresses set off by lights, their
faces flushed by happy excitement-and
at last Amy sat down by this very open
easement. smiling and tanning herself,
while her partner hurried to bring her
glass of iced champagne.
All of a sudden cold little hand fell
on her round, dimpled shoulder. She
started and looked around.
Polly! Goodness me! it can't be
possibler' she exclaimed "What on
earth has brought you herep Is Miss
Baird deadp Has papa come homeP'
"No." answered Polly, sepulchrally.
"But I've caught burglar! Call Nam
ME and come home at once, because,
maybe, he'll break loose"
And SO Amy never got the iced cham
payne. and Mamie didn't finish her
waltz with whiskered young gentleman
from Montreal. And Harry Sinclair, the
brother of the hostess, accompanied them
back to the Tower, with the tallest of the
walters, two revolvers and blackthorn
stick which would have done credit to
Rory O'More himself.
Thus backed up, Polly drew the bolt,
unlocked the door, and called in stern
accents, to the sequestered victim:
"Come out, you villain-come at
oncer'
And tall, rather pleasant looking
young fellow emerged, shivering with
the cold, and having the traces Of coal
dust on his white shirt collar and light
kid gloves. ie
"Who are you?" savagely demanded
Sinclair.
The gentleman presented his card.
my name is Safford," said he.
|" Colonel Copely requested me to, call
here and bring his daughters back to
New York with me. Here is letter
from him. He has taken furnished
house in Forty-seventh Street, and"
Goodness mer gasped Polly, clasp
ing her hands over her eyes. .And
shut him in the coal-cellarr'