The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1882-10-19

servants all go OIL TO a falr In the VII
lage, "where they will certainly get
into mischief" Mrs. Harrington said.
But when Lima had talked to her
and made her laugh little, she for
got her grievances and chatted away
very pleasantly. At 10 o'clock she
declared she had laughed till she was
tired, and Lima must give her her
drops and let her go to sleep.
"There the spoon is gone. Where
can Parkins have put it Child,
would you mind running down into
the pantry and bringing me spoon?
1 would ring for Parkins, but she told
me she wanted to get up some muslins
this evening, and would come up as
soon as she had finished"
Lima did not altogether like to pass
down the long stairs and silent entries
leading to the pantry, but she went
and Leo trotted after her. AS she
stood in the pantry, looking around for
spoons with no light but faint CLEAN
from the hall lamp, sound of low
voices caught her ear.
The pantry was on the ground floor,
! its iron-barred shuttered window look
ing into the garden. The sound was
outside the window, and Lima paused
to listen. The first word that caught
her startled her.
GA thousand pounds and all the
old woman's jewelry and plate |"
said mans voice, in husky under
| tone.
"Yes," was the reply in woman's
voice-the voice, Lima knew, of Park
ins, Mrs. Harrington's model, soft
voiced, lady-like nurse-"and there
won't be any trouble about it, because
1 have let the women go away to stay
all night and sent the gardener on
FOOLS errand to misses brothers twen-
ty miles Off"
"But this girl that came tonight
what about her?" asked the man.
"Oh. she will go to her room pres
emily, and stay there if she is wise.
She'd be no hindrance anyway-a silly,
timid little thing. But it's as well to
let her get out Of the way" said Park
ins, coolly.
"But see here, Molly, why not do it
now? Then We'll have more time to
get away before daylight" said the
man.
81 tell you it is not safe before IL
o'clock" Parlzins said, positively. "Peo-
| pie may come in. Sir Robert don't like
her out of his sight for long, and that
idiOtic young Marsden may come moon
ing in. Wait till half-paSt II, and the
west door here will be open. And,
Jim, look here, when you get this
swag you are to take me with you
your wife, mind"
The voices grew fainter. Evidently
the speakers were moving away from
the house. But Lima had heard enough.
Sick with terror she leaned against the
| pantry wall moment and tried to
think. What did it all mean? Rob
berry, murder !! And no help near. Her
first instinct was to fly out of the house
and across the field to the hall. But
her absence would be instantly dis
covered, she knew, and then poor
Aunt Margaret would be alone with
those wretches. No, she must not go
but to stand here idle would be no
/ good. She flew along the halls and up
stairs, Leo pacing by her side. AT
Aunt Margaret's door she paused, and
a sudden thought came to her. She
would send Leo home for help.
where is the spoon, child? How
long you staid. Good heavens what
is the matter?" cried the old lady, as
she saw the girls white, terrified face.
Lima began some evasive answer, but
/ instantly remembered that Aunt Mar
/ garet must be told the whole story or
nothing could be done to save her.
/ She did tell it, and Aunt Margaret
listened in silent CONSERVATION, and
then burst ont impetuously with:
Good heavens, child Why didn't
you run right home?'
/ because l knew Parkins would be
up here in few minutes and find
| was gone, and then"
"Ah, well. So you stayed to save
the old woman if you could. What are
you doing, child? Why don't you lock
h door and pile things against it?
Good God, if l was just able to rise out
of this bed -
But Lima did not speak for moment.
She had found pencil and paper and
was rapidly writing a few words.
| When she had finished
"Now," she said, "when Parkins
| comes tell her l am to sleep on her
couch here in your room, and she must
go somewhere else. L will be back in
a moment. Leo?"
Out Of the room she darted, and
down to the hall door, which she un-
barred and passed through. Then,
kneeling in the shadow of a pillar on
the portico, she tied the note tightly
in her handkerchief round Leo's
neck.
She put her arms round his neck
after that, kissed his forehead, and
half-sOb escaped her.
"Is that you, miss?" said a smooth
voice from the hall. "Why, whatever
are you doing in the dark there ?"
Lima sprang up as if she had been
shot.
q am sending the dog home," she
said, speaking quietly, though the
throbs Of her heart shook her whole
frame. "He is restless here without
his master. Go home, Leo, straight
home, sir p
The dog, with one farewell lick of
her hand, bounded down the steps and
vanished in the dewy darkness of the
summer night.
"Oh, God let him go safely and
swiftlyp prayed the girl in her heart.