Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1882-10-26

lady going to ballP'
She was walking up and down the
floor, trying to see herself in the odd
Venetian mirror that hung above the
tall, wooden mantal, when the creaking
of board in the hall startled her.
Flying to the door, garnet silk, train
and all, she came face to face with a
man.
81 beg your pardonp he said, apollo.
getically; "but you did not hear the
knock, and"
"What do you wantp" cried Polly,
all in panic. $50 away, at oncep
called to see if the young ladies'"
Polly waited to hear no more. Vague
ideas of pedlers, tramps, burglars, mid.
night assassins, fioated through her
brain.
EYES," said she, with assumed calm
ness, "they are at home. Please to
walk in"
And opening the nearest door, she
motioned him to enter. AS it was dark
therein, how was he to know that it
was the coal-cellar, or that the next
minute the door would be shut and
bolted upon himp
"There" cried Polly, exultantly, her
dark eyes shining like balls of fire, her
cheeks turned from deadly pale to
glowing red.
"But stop a minute!' pleaded a
stifed voice, from the other side of the
door. "There's mistake. I"
yes" said Polly, "there is mis-
take! You are mistaken in supposing
that am to be imposed upon. Now,
stay there until 1 call the goodman
and the twe-stable hands, and unloose
the dogr'
(Which four last, be it understood,
were entirely fiction of Miss Polly's
imaginationD
She stood second or so, to consider.
Miss Baird must not be excited or dis
turbed-at least, so the docGOr said
Besides, of what use could Miss Baird
possibly be?
"I'n go for the girls" said Polly
"Pll he at the ball, after allp'
And, folding a shawl about her
pretty, taper shoulders, away she shot
like an arrow, quite needless of the
lace-lined train of the great silk dress.
Hazel Hill, where the ball was being
held, was not more than quarter of
mile from Stone Tower, and, lighted
from garnet to cellar. it presented
very pretty sight to Polly's wondering
eyes.
She posted herself on the veranda,
just where a easement had been opened
to cool the perfumed atmosphere of the
dancing-room, and then, with big,
sparkling eyes, and cherry cheeks, half
hidden by the shawl drawn over her
head and ears, she watched to catch a
glimps of Amy and Mamie.
They were dancing, Polly would
scarcely have known them, so radiant
they seemed-their exquisite borrowed
dresses set off by the lights, their faces
flushed by happy excitement-and at
last Amy sat down by this very open
easement, smiling and tanning herself,
while her partner hurried to bring her
some refreshments.
All of a sudden cold little hand fell
on her round, dimpled shoulder-She
started and looked around.
"Pollyl Goodness me! it can't be
possible!" she exclaimed. "What on
earth has brought you herep Is Miss
Baird deadP Has papa come homer
"No answered Polly, sepulchrally-
"But I've caught burglar Call Nam
me; and come home at once, because,
maybe, he'll break loose"
And so Amy never got the refresh
ments and Mamie didn't finish her
waltz with whiskered young gentle
man from Montreal. And Harry SIM
clair, the brother of the hostess, accom-.
panied them back to the Tower, with
the tallest of the walters, two revolvers,
and black-thorn stick which would
have done credit to Rory 0 More him.
self.
Thus backed up, Polly drew the
bolt, unlocked the door, and called in
stern accents, to the sequestered vic
tim:
"Come out, you villain--come out at
oncep'
And tall, rather pleasant-looking
young fellow emerged, shivering with
the cold, and having the traces of coal
dust on his white shirt collar and light
kid gloves.
"Who are youp" savagely demanded
Sinclair.
The gentleman presented his card.
my name is Safford," said he, "COl.
Copely requested me to call here and
bring his daughters back to New York
with me. Here is letter from him.
He has taken house in FOrty-seventh
street, and"
Goodness mep gasped Polly, clasp
ing her hands over her eyes. "And shut
him in the coal-cellarp"
For one dread second there was ST.
lence, and then they all burst into a
peal of contagious laughter, which
broke up all ceremony at once, and
rendered them all excellent friends.
Mr.. Sinclair, with the tall waiter and
the blackthorn stick, departed; and
Polly, with little of Nannie's amateur
assistance, served up an imprOmptu
supper of bread and toasted cheese,
which was pronounced success.
Mary Eliza returned in little while,
and all was we'll.
The next day commenced the pack
ing for removal. Mary Eliza was to
remain i'm the Stone Tower until Miss
Baird's convalescence, and the three
girls returned TO New York with Mr.,
Stafford.
And Mr.. Stafford, strange to say, APP
peared to have no malice against this
| fair liftla Tailor