The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1882-11-19

less here without his master. Gohome, Leo
straight home, sir :"
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 60 safely and swiftly"
prayed the girl in her heart.
! Then she went in and helped ParSins bar
the door, and they went together up stairs.
| Aunt Margaret lay very quietly on her
| pillow, but with her black eyes cleaning.
! Parkins," she said, steadily, as they
entered, Miss Leigh is kind enough to offer
to stay with me here tonight. She will
sleep on your couch, and you, my poor SOUL
can 60 and get good nights rest In another
room"
Parkins was silent for one instant, and
then began series of smooth, polite eXpostu-
latious which no one would heed and finally
the civil nurse prepared the couch for Lima
and took herself of, observing sweetly
II Miss Leigh will leave the door ajar
can hear call from this room and will come
instantly"
Thanks, parkins, but hope shall not
have TO call YOU" said Lima, speaking as
sweet as Parkins herself.
Then as she glided to the door as soon as
IT was closed, she turned with face of dis.
may, and whispered
The key is gone She took IL when she
was iidgeting in and out with the sheets and
pillows"
There is 4 bolt besides," Aunt Margaret
! answered.
Lima gave n sigh of relief as she slipped
the bolt into the groove, and felt that she had
some little protection against the enemy.
Now, child" Aunt Margaret said, az can
you use pistol ~
81 never touched one In my lifc," said the
Ia al n,,N \ L.. n
would try"
every we'll. Take my safe key--it Is
under my pillow.-and unlock the safe. They
are Just as my husband left them year ago
but Robert looked at them few DAYS ago,
and said they were all right. That Is II.
Put one of them on the foot of the bed, and IL
those wrotches come, try my dear, TO use it,
Now put the other here, by my left hand
Thank God can use that little. Now,
what are you doing Oh, yos pile up all
you can against the door There, you can't
move anything else Now, come here, little
girl, kneel down by me, and let's say our
prayers together"
With the old lady's thin, pallid hand
clasped tightly in her two cold, trembling
little ones, Lima knelt down there, and bury
ing her face in the pillow tried to pray.
Her petition was not very coherent one
il was only wild, passionate cry tor pity
and help, and meantime she was listening,
with every nerve strained, for sounds from
the outside. A lamp burned in the room.
On the mantelpece Il oftly-ticlSing clock
marked the slow minutes. No other sound
broke the stiffness.
Presently sob shook the girls figure.
She was thinking OF Sir Robert and his ten
der care over her.
Oh, if she had not been so hayward and
proud this evening, all would have beeG
well. He would have come to save her,
they would have been safe,
But surely, surely, he would come yet.
He could not fail to find the note, and she
knew he would come to save her. But vet
horrible doubts came to her as To whether
the note would reach him. 1t might be lost,
or Leo might wander about and not get
home until il was too late.
Too late! Lima shuddered and sobbed
again as she thought what that might mean
Oh, it was hard to think of dying so help
lessly, so horribly, with help SO near.
The long minutes crept on, and no sound
came until eleven O'Clock had passed. The
little clock softly chimed the half hour
Then, in a few moments, came sound Of
stealing footsteps in the passage, and the
knob of the door was softly turned.
Breathless silence in the room Then
gentle tap at the door. Lima clasped Aunt
Margaret's hand convulsively, and the old
lady spoke.
What is that ~ she asked, steadily.
" 1t is me; Parkins, ma'am. Would you
ask Miss Leigh if she will kindly open the
door! | have the toothache, and want some
laudanum."
What n devil it is - whispered Aunt
Margaret Then aloud: eco down stairs
and get something, Parkins. | cannot trou-
10, Lotto