The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1882-01-19


as the young man lifted heavy lid and
balanced it against the wall, If that
wasn't sheer good luck. Now for the
black silk dress pattern and the trim
mings. Eh-what? A gentleman's
photograph-two of 'em? A box OF
| cigarettes I do hope Elsie hasn't got
[ the nasty habit of smoking, like those
dreadful Cuban ladies one reads about.
A red silk smoking-cap and pair OF
| Turkish slippers"
"Stop, Aunt Phedra ' said Mr. Sun
fold, who had grown very pale. "We
have no right further to pry into
another persons belongings"
Aunt Phedra turned upon him like
an enraged lioness.
"She wrote to me to look into her
things" said she, sand I'm looking.
And I'm glad looked; for, as sure as
as you live, Ralph Sunfold, Elsie Ben
nett, my adopted daughter, has got
married on the sly, and these are her
husbands things, packed in among
hers"
"But that is impossible" said
straightforward Ralph Sunfold. "she
is engaged to mel"
ooh, Ralph, Ralph" cried the old
lady, bursting into the slow, agonized
tears of age, as she let her head fall on
her nephew's shoulder, "don't think
any more of her. She's a jilt-a heart.
less coquet Oh, my boy, my boy she
never was good enough for you!"
Mr.. Sunfold turned silently away.
He would have pledged his life for the
truth and purity Of little Elsie Ben
nett; but what did these mute witnesses
mean-the testimony of the laughing,
handsome photographs, with the silky
mustache and the dark, audacious
eyes?
"What are you doing, Aunt Phedra%
he asked, with his attention at last
attracted by her quick, sudden mo-
TONS.
Shutting up the trunk" said the
old lady, brusquely. "In send it
back to her at once. Ill have no such
faced doings in my houseP
"No, Aunt Phedra," said Ralph, reso-
lutely. "If either o. us leaves the
house it must be me. Elsie has right
to the shelter of your roof. She is
your adopted daughter"
"From this moment" said the old
lady, sharply, "she is othing more to
mep
A cloud had come over the soft star
light of the autumn night; q sad wind
moaned among the yellow leaves that
had drifted along the.roadaide; and Mr..
Sunfold, sitting sadly by the fire, felt
| AIT his whole life were darkened over
q ahaas Aunt fPhedfa, opposiA
! a = rs knitting mechanically
avs compressed lip and omi-
nously grave visage-and neither spoke.
Sweet and sprightly a laugh sound
ed on the frosty silence outside, merry
footstep tripped up the three stone
steps, and like gale of fresh, pure
air, in futtered Elsie Bennett herself
Elsie, with cheeks painted the soft
est carmine by The brush of the great
frost artist, brown tresses escaping
from under the brim of her black straw
hat, and eyes sparkling like blue
jewels.
"I thought I should take you by
SURPRISE" said Elsie, looking triumph
antly around. "One of the school
trustees is dead, and we've got vaca-
ton until Monday. So I took the first
train and here I am. And, dear me-
what's the natter? as Tor the hrst
time she perceived the inscrutable
change in the faces of Mr.. Sunfold and
Aunt Phedra. "Is anybody sick? Has
anything happened"
ooh, Elsie, Elsie" said the old
lady, chow can you stand there looking
us in the face so calmly"
"Why shouldn't L, Aunt Phedra?"'
said the girl, glancing from Ralph to
the old lady and then back again.
Sunfold stepped forward and took
her hand.
'Aunt Phedra," he said, II would
pledge my existence on her truth and
sincerity"
"But don't understand you" said
Elsie. "I don't know why"
At this minute there came resound-
ing tattoo on the door.
"Who's that?" cried Aunt Phedra,
who had worked herself into state of
H. Il