Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-02-04
being all alone in the house, but for

oSaSiCa tGlo knC
and left her with the wondering chill.
dren while / fetched a candle, as the
upper part of the house was not sup.
piled with gas had some trouble
To find one, not being very familiar
with the domestic arrangements OF
the house, and when | returned my
visitor was sitting near the FIRE chat
ting with the little ones.
This is the dining groom" said.
"Yes. and / have taken quite a
fancy to it, even in these few min
u,es, while your little pupils and my
self have grown quite friendly"
Il am glad they have amused you.
Will you kindly follow me-" l ask
ed, IS | passed into the drawing
room.
She went into raptures over it. She
liked large drawing-room, and had
been fearful that she should not get
SO large one as she wished in ten
room house. The upper rooms SEEM
ed TO please her equally we'll: and
then we descended TO the kitchens.
"Ah, she exclaimed, as we enter
ed the front one, this is a very nice
room-no servant could object to sit
here, for it is quite as comfortable as
parlor; and | am glad to see shut
tiers to the window-the back prem
ises are often so insecure"
We passed into the scullery.
will you kindly lend me the can
dles" she asked. l did so and she
examined the fasteDings of the win
dow very carefully. "a burglary
was once committed in house where
l was staying. and ever since / have
been very particular about bolts and
bars" she said apologetically.
you have seen all now, except the
cellars, and you will scarcely care to
60 down there"
81 should like to see all l can see,
nevertheless. if you do not mind"
l accompanied her; aud again she
took the candle and examined the
fastenings, telling me. laughingly,
that she was determined to be safe in
her castle, if bars and chains could
make her so. We stood for few
moments on the step, before parting.
and she said sweetly-
You have done a great kindness
tonight, and l hope you will never
have cause to regret it, even though
Mr.. and Mrs. Newstead are from
home. My husband will write to the
former tomorrow, and no doubt all
will be satisfactorily arranged"
We shook hands and parted, feel
ing quite proud of my evenings
work, as l was sure Mr.. and Mrs.
Newstead would be glad of what /
had done.
What a precious time that crea-
lures kept YOUR exclaimed Hugh, as
l re-entered the diDing-rOom. Il
thought you were never coming
back"
Never mind-we'll lose no more
time" replied.
Nelly returned to her place in my
lap. while Hugh and Meta resumed
their seats on either side, and story
followed story until the clock struck
nine.
The girls were in bed, and | had
passed into H6 CHS room to say good
night, when he asked suddenly:
Nv as that lady who was here to-
nights"
"Yes, l think So. Why do you
ask"
"Oh, because l didn't think ladies
asked such rude questions as she die"
"What did sue ask!" inquired
curiously..
why. first she admired the pic
lures and ornaments, and then the
silver; and she asked il papa had any
more. And then she said she should
think he was very proud of it, and
wanted to know where it was kept at
night, and whether you would put it
away this evening, as papa and mann
ma were out.
"And what answer did you maker"
"Oh, l told her expected it would
be left on the sideboard, as you new
er touched il. being our governess.
and not q servant. l don't think
mamma would have asked such ques-
TONS
mo, Hugh: but never mind-go to
sleep and think no more about her."
I returned to the empty dining
room, feeling very lonely now that
my little charges were liz bed, and /
almost wished Hewitt had been left at
home, as it would have seemed less
dreary mad he been in the kitchen.
Nevertheless / drew an easy-chair to
the fire, took up b volume of Ten
nyson's poems" and thinking would
spend a short time with an old favor
lite and then go to bed sat down. But
somehow / could not settle down to
read, and found my thoughts wan
dering from Locksley Hall to the lady
who had called earlier in the even
ing; and it suddenly struck me that
She had given no name, left no adj
dress. / had not asked for them GER
tainly, but it was strange, If she was
SO anxious to have the house that she
had not mentioned them; and then /
thought of the questions she had ask
ed the children with regard to the
plate. Did the whole thing mean
mischief, and had she called simply
to ascertain who was in the house,
and the easiest mode Of access! The
more thought the surer felt that
all was not right. / glanced at the
time-piece-it was q quarter to ten.
What should / do. The. silver l
knew was worth several hundred
pounds, and l was left inscharge, SO /
must save il at eny'risk. 1t occurred to
me that the woman had some motive
in noticing SO particularly the soul
lery and cellar windows, so took a
light and examined them. The soul
lery window was unfastened, the eel
lar also-and / could doubt NO long
er. The former l fastened but the
latter l could not manage! How
foolish had been! Ireturned to the
dining room and quietly collected all
the silver, carrying 1t to my room.
where l put ON q large cloak, and
then l went to the hall door, and
looked up and down the road in the
hope OF seeing q policeman, for,
though our house stood alone. and
was at some distance from the road,
Tho rar,3ap sloned down tn il and