Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-04-02
he little aperture of the ticket Office.

woods with bars at the fence. Go
through them bars o little further ON,
and yen see little yaller house, just
the last place in the world where you'd
expect to see house. That's where
Mrs. Matteson lives.
Thanked my informant, and set out
ON brisk walk, carrying my travelling
bag. It was quite o distance ere I
emerged from the suburbs of the "main
street" into quiet and secluded road,
or, rather, lane. The "pateh O woods,
with the bars, and the little yaller
house "a cream-oolored cottage, liter
ally overgrown with honey-suckles-
rewarded my search, and as I knocked
at the door q clock somewhere inside
struck Z.
A decent-looking, elderly woman in
Widows weeds came to the door.
lis Mr.. Matteson In? MIR. Perley F"
NO." she answered quickly, with,
as I imagined, rather % confused look.
T did not believe her, and asked quietly:
"When do you expect him home?"
mot at present"
Apparently she expected me to go
away, but, instead, ] stepped in.
Mother" asked a soft voice at the
head OF the stairs, "who Is it?
And then for the first time / became
aware that some one had been watching
our colloquy from the head OF the stairs
a young girl, dressed, like the mother,
IN deep black, with very brilliant eyes,
and profusion Of jet-black ringlets.
"Some one to see your brother"
She came half way down the stairs,
pushing back her curis with one hand,
and looking at me with wondrous eyes.
Even then her beauty struck me- as I
stood gazing at her.
Terry is not at home" she said,
hurriedly. "He has gone away. We
do not know when he viii return"
Evidently this mother and daughter
were in the secret Of Aatteson's villainy,
and were doing their best to screen him
from its consequences. Ny heart bled
for both of them, but it was NO time to
indulge In sentimentality. Speaking as
briefly as I could I told them it was my
duty TO compel them to remain where
they were while searched the house.
Mrs. Matteson cot down pale and
trembling; her daughter colored high.
Mother" she said, "why do you
stand by and listen to such islanders ?
It is false ] Let this man search the
house if he viii my brother is as inno-
cent as / am p
No opposition was offered to my
search. It was entirely fruitless, how
ever-there was nowhere any trace of
the flown bird. Nevertheless I con-
Guided to remain there quietly for a day
Or two, to seewhat little waiting might
bring forth.
The same afternoon Clara Matteson
came IN, as I sat by the piazza window,
keeping qHiet watch on all the sur-
roundings.
"Mr. Meredith" she said, softly,
mother thinks Ihave been rude to you.
She says it was not your fault, personal
~, that you were sent here-on such o
mistake, and perhaps she is right. I
am very sorry If have hurt your feel
ings."
The pretty, peniten. way in which
she spoke quite won my heart, and q
few questions on my part seemed to un-
lcck the hidden reoesses of her conf
dence. She talked at first shyly, but
aiterwand with more assurance, of her
sell, her absent brother and her mother,
giving me thousand artless little fam
lily details which [ almost dreaded to
hear. The twilight talk was one of the
pleasantest of my by-no-means uniyer-
sally pleasant life. and 1 Was considers
bly, annoyed when it was broken in up
on by the arrival OF the Drownvills COR
stables who were to watch through the
night at the sound of their footsteps
on the piazza floor, Clara rose up and
sat down again, confused and fright
ened.
go, Mr.. Meredth-those mem
"Be easy. Miss Matteson," said !;
"you shall in no way be annoyed by
them. Your privacy shall not be broken
IN upon, believe me"
"I know I am silly" faltered Clara,
"but oh it seems so dreadful"
My orders to the men were blief and
succinct. 1 stationed them as seemed
best to me. and then returned to spend
the evening with Miss Matteson. And
when I was at length left alone I could
not help thinkng-God forgive me
how much more winning and graceful
she was than poor Kitty Elton.
At length an answer came to my re-
port to Mr.. Clenner-it was short and to
the purpose:
"Come baok-you are only losing