South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1882-12-22

The day before MOllie was to re.
turn. Aunt Hetty fell i'll. A nervous
attack she called it, but Mollie pri.
vately pronounced it contrariness.-
Aunt Hetty declared she must die if
LETT alone with the servants, and Amy
felt obliged to postpone her visit for
few days at least. Mollie could 90
on as she had intended, and she would
follow as soon as Aunt Hetty could
spare her. Thus it happened that
Mollie arrived home alone.
Amy will certainly come up next
week. she assured John sbut | could
not wait another day. 1t seems an
age since | went away.
1t was go pleasant to be home once
more, aud Mistress Of all she survey
ed; a note from Amy say ing that she
would come the following Saturday
set her mind completely ut rest. She
was really sorry to hear john gay, one
morning:
Il think we had better take the run
down to Camden's to-day. We must
go some time this month, and of
course you won't want to go after
your sister comes
John you know we cannot stay a.
way all night; l gave Jenny leave of
absence until Friday. and then it won't
do to leave the house alone
Tll get Tom to come and sleep
here
Mollie had no other reasonable OBJ
lection to offer after this, SO che pre-
pared to go.
There are three keys she said, as
she left the house. You eau give
one to Tom, and l will leave one with
Mrs. Graves, next door. The house
might get on fire, and then it would
be better to have key handy, 80 they
could get in the house and bring ont
the things
Yes said John, scarcastically /;
'or l might hire a squad of policemen
to watch the houae day and night
About eleven o'clock that evening
Miss Amy Arden alighted from an
express and looked about the depot
as If expecting some one.
They could not have received my
second postal, she concluded, after
waiting nearly half an hour in the la.
dies room. well, l can very easily
find their house,
A hack soon deposited her in front
of the pretty cottage on Lake street;
all was dark, and Amy pulled the bell
several times without hearing sound
from within. Where could MolIie
and John have gone? There was q
bright fire in the next house, and A
my remembered bearing her sister
speak of her kind neighbor, Mrs.
Graves; perhaps they were spending
the evening with her, or, at any rate,
she might know of her whereabouts.
Amy ran across the small grassy plot
which separated the two cottages, and
rang the bell. Mrs. Graves soon ex-
planned matters.
you do look little like Mrs. A.
herman when you laugh she said in
conclusion, $50 | suppose it's all right
to let you have the key but she
wasn't looking for you until Satur-
day.
She probably didn't receive nv
second postal, which l mailed yestcr-
day morning.
We'll, III give you the key, of
course; but are you not afaaid TO stay
alone in the house2'
cob, I'm not at all timid,' laughed
Amy.
But there's gang of burglars a.
bout the city, urged Mrs. Graves
They've been in three houses on this
street, and only last Sunday night
there was dreadful robbery on State
street, and woman nearly killed
You are welcome TO come in ard
sleep on our parlor sofa if you are a.
fraid.'
NO, thank you,' Amy said. Il will
risk it for one night. and you say
John and Mollie will return to- NOR.
row.
She let herself into the deserted
house, with some thrills OF fear il
must be confessed. How quiet every.
thing was Oh. if Molly were only
there she took survey of the rooms.
the neat kitchen last of all, when she
concluded to look for something TO
eat Hark what was THAR Only the
silver clocS striking the midnight
hour.
THAT woman's talk about burglars
has made me nervous, she thought
continuing her search for eatables.
Ilark, again! Surely that was
Key turning in the lock; then door
opened and shut quietly, aud there
were footsteps in the ball. Amy's
small stock OF courage went down to
zero. What would happen nextp In.
stinctively she grasped the poker ~.
ing on the range near her. The next
instant the door was opened, and n
great, broad shouldered man with
blackened face and hands stepped in.
to the room. Amy felt herself grow.