Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1882-08-19

without praising him to the skies, and
she would see through your plans at
once.
Mollie left the next morning, leaving
directions enough to distract man if
he tried to remember half OF them.
"Don't have Tom at the house when
we return. Amy will be tired with her
journey, and I want her to have a
chance to beautify little before she
meets him."
When they reached the depot Mollie's
courage began to fail
II am almost sorry to 60, JOHN" she
said. "Shppose something should hap.
zen to you while am away?"
Nonsense, darling! Go, and have
good time; and be sure to be back in
two weeks, and bring Amy with you."
Moilie's heart was so thoroughly in
her. pet plan that she found it very hard
to refrain from all mention of her ador-
able brother-in law during the two
weeks that followed. Once she did
refer to the cosy party of four they
would make, and then was obliged to
turn it off on Jennie, the little maid-of.
all-work, as making the fourth.
The day before Mollie was to return
Aunt Hetty fell i'll. Amy was obliged
to postpone her visit for few days, at
least. Mollie could go on as she had
intended, and she would follow as soon
as Aunt Hetty could spare her.
'Amy will certainly come up next
week." she assured John; "but could
not wait another day."
It was so pleasant to be at home once
more, and mistress Of all she surveyed.
A note from Amy, saying that,she would
come on the following Saturday, set her
mind completely at rest. She was really
sorry to hear John say, one morning:
81 think we had better take that run
down to Camden's to-day. We must go
sometime this month, and, of course,
you won't want to go after your sister
comes"
"John. you know we cannot stay away
all night. gave Jenny leave Of absence
until Friday, and it won't do to leave
the house alone"
"I'll get Tom to come and sleep here"
"There are three keys, said she, as
they left the house. "You can give one
to Tom, and will leave one with MIR.
Gates, next door. The house might get
on fire, and then it would be we'll to
have key handy. so they could get
into thehouse and bring out the things"
''Yes," said John, sarcastically; cor 1
might hire squad of policeman to watch
the house day and night"
About eleven O'Clock that evening,
Miss Amy Arden alighted from an ex-
press, 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 ladies'
waiting room. "Well, can very soon
find their house."
A carriage very soon deposited her in
front of the pretty cottage on Lake
street. ALI was dark. Amy pulled the
bell several times, without hearing a
sound within. Where could Mollie and
John have gone? There was light in
the next house, and Amy remembered
hearing her speak of her kind neighbor,
Mrs. Gates. Perhaps they were spend
ing the evening with her, or at least,
she might know OF their whereabouts.
Amy ran across the small grass plot
which separated the two cottages, and
lang the bell. Mrs. Gates soon ex.
planned matters.
"You do look little like Mrs. Acker-
man, when you laugh" she said in con
clusion, $50 1 suppose it's all right to
let you have the key; but she wasn't
looking for you until Saturday"
probably she did not receive my
postal, which | mailed Yesterday"
swell, I'n give you the key, o
course; but are you not afraid to stay
slone in the -house?"
"Oh, I'm not at all tinlid," said Amy.
''But there's gang of burglars about
the city," urged Mrs. Gates. "But you
are welcome to come in and sleep on
our parlor sofa, if you are afraid"
'No, thank you," faid Amy. Il will
risk it for one night"
She let herself into the deserted
house, not without some thrills of fear.
it must be confessed. How quiet every
thing wasl Oh, if Mollie were only
therel She took survey of the rooms,
the kitchen, last Of all, where she con-
cluded to look for something to eat.
Hark, what was that2 Only the silver.
toned clock, striking the midnight
hour.
"That woman's talk about burglars
has made me nervous" she thought,
continuing her search for eatabies.
.Harkl againi Surely that was key
turning in the lcck; then door opened
and shut quietly, and there were foot
steps in the hall. Amy's small stock Of
courage went down to zero. Instinc-
lively she grasped the poker lying on