The Penn's Grove record., 1882-05-06
man ii he tried to remember half of

journey and / want her to have
chance to beautify a little before sh'
meets him.
When they reached the depot Mol
lies courage began to fall.
"I'm almost sorry to go, John" sh'
said, Suppose something should hap
pen to you while I am away ?"
Nonsense, darlingi Go and have
a good time and be sure to come back
in two weeks and bring Amy with
you"
Mollie's heart was so thoroughly in
her pet plan that she found it very
hard to refrain from all mention OF
her adorable brother-in-law during
the two weeks that followed once she
did refer to the coy party Of four
which they would make and then was
obliged TO turn it off on Jenny. the lit
tie maid Of all rs making the
fourth.
The day before Mollie was to return,
Aunt Hetty fell i'll. Amy was obliged
to postpone her visit for a few days
at least. Mollis could go on as she had
intended, and she would follow AS
soon as Aunt H9tty could spare her.
"Amy will certainly come up next
week, she assured John ''but l could
not wait another day.
1t was 30 pleasant to be at home once
more, AMI mistress ofall she surveyed;
q note from Amy saying she would
come on the following Saturday set
her mind completely at rest. She vas
really sorry to hear John say one
morning:
II 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.n
am get Tom to come aud sleep
here.u
'There are three keys" said she, as
they left the house. you can give
n to Tom, and l will leave one with
Mr.. Gates next door. The house
might get ON fire, and then it would
be better to have a key handy, so they
could get in house and bring out the
things"
YES" said John, sarcastically ''or
I might hire a squad of policeman to
watch the house day aud night"
About eleven o'clock that evening
Miss Amy Arden alighted from an
express aud 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' room. well, can very easily
find their house."
A hack soon deposited her in front
OF the pretty cottage oil Lake street;
ali was dark and Amy pulled the bell
several times without hearing q sound
from within. Where could Mollie
and John have gone? There was a
light in the next house, and Amy re-
membered hearing her sister speak of
her kind neighbor, Mrs. Gates; perhaps
they were spending the evening with
her, or at any rate, she might know of
theil whereabouts. Amy ran across
the small grass plot which separated
the two cottages and rang the bell.
Mrs. Gates soou explained matters.
'You do look a little like Mrs. Aek-
erman 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 Saturday"
Probably she did not receive my
postal, which 1 mailed yesterday"
"Well, I'll give you the key, of
course but are you not afraid to stay
alone in the house ~
"Oh, I'm not at all timid," said
Amy.
"But there's a 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"
mo, thank you" said Amy. II
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
everything wasl Oh, if Mollie was
only there! She took a survey of the
rooms, the kitchen last of all, wher
she concluded to look for something to
eat. Hark /! what was that? Only the
| silver toned clock strikin the mid
night hour.
"That woman's talk about BURGLAR
| has made me nervous" she thought,
continuing her search for eatables.
Hark, again Surely that was akey
turning in q lock then a door opened
and shut quietly, and there was foot
steps In the ha l, Amy's small stock o.
courage went down to zero. Instinc
lively she grasped the poker lying OF
the range near her. The next instan.
the door opeued. and a great broad
-houldered man with hlackened fac'
and hands stepped into the room
Amy felt herself growing white will
fear, but she raised her poker thresten
ingly; for a moment they stared al eacl
other In silence, then the man spoke
WHO the are you?
Amy tried to shrek for help, bu
the sound died away in her throat
she was too frightened to speak O
move.
Presently he cane toward her.
"Wil you please lower the poker
or else move away from the sinkf
would like to come there and wash m
hands" he said looking very muci
inclined to laugh.