The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-08-01

must 60 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. 'Yon can give
! one to Tom, and will leave one
with Mr.. Gates, next door. The
house might get on fire, and then it
would be better to have key ham
dy so they could get in the house
| and bring out the things
Yes said John, sarcastically, or
| might hire squad of policemen
to watch the house day and night.
About eleven o'clock that evening
Miss Amy Arden alighted from an
express 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' room. We'll, l can very cas-
; ily find their house
(! A hack soon deposited her in front
of the pretty cottage on Lake street
all was dark and Amy pulled the
bell several times without hearing a
sound from within.
Where could Mollie and John
have gone? There was light in the
next house, and Amy remembered
hearing her sister speak of her kind
neishbor, Mrs. Gates; perhaps they
were spending the pleasant evening
with her, or at any rate, she
might know of their whereabouts.
Amy ran across the small grass plot
which separated the two cottages
and rang the bell. Mrs. Gates soon
explained matters.
You do look little like Mrs.
Alderman when you laugh, she said
in conclusion, so | suppose it's all
right to let you have the key, but she
wasn't looking for you until Satur-
day
Probably she did not receive my
postal, which | mailed yesterday
We'll, I'll give you the key. of
course, but are you not afraid to stay
alone in the house?
oh, / am 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
No, thank you, said Amy. i
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 was. Oh, if Mollie
was only there. She took a survey
of the rooms, the kitchen last Of all,
where she concluded to look for
something to eat.
Hark what was that? Only the
silver toned clock striking the mid
night hour.
That woman's talk about burglars
has made me nervous she thought.
continuing her search for eatables.
Hark, again Surely that was a
key turning in lock, then a door
opened and shut quietly, and there
was footsteps in the hall, Amy's !
small stock of courage went down to
zero. Instinctively she grasped the |
poker lying on the range near her.
The next instant the door opened.
and a great broad shouldered man
with blackened face and hands step
ped into the room. Amy felt her
self growing white with fear, but she
raised her poker threateningly; for
a moment they stared at each other
in silence, then the man spoke.
who the-who are you?'
Amy tried to shrek for help, but
the sound died away in her throat,
she was too frightened to speak or
move.
Presently he came toward her.
viii you please lower the poker
or else move away from the sink
/ would like to come there and
wash my hands, he said looking
very much inclined to laugh.
Was ever such affrontery known
before? Still speechless, Amy NOV
ed around toward what seemed to
be an outside door.
Don't glare at Elm that frightful
way he went on, with aglance into
her terror stricken eyes.
Then came hearty laugh which
reassured Amy very little. Certain
lv this was most extraordinary
burglar, or else there was some ri
diculous mistake. She would flee
to Mrs. Gates protection at all
events, she thought, dropping the
weapon and tugging away at the
huge bolt with trembling fingers.
BY this time the young man had
finished his ablutions, and presented
quite different appearance.
Il am Mr.. Ackerman's brother,
he said, politely; he asked me to
remain in the house tonight, as
means of protection in his absence
Mr.. Ackeeman has no brother,
Amy, stoutly.
Are you sure of that%
Certainly | am. Mrs. Ackerman
has just made me a visit; she would
have mentioned him if such person
Can it be that you are Aunt Het- .
typ
Aunt Hetty, indeed
Amy was finding courage and
voice fast enough now.
Il beg your pardon said Tom i
but Mollie told me she was going to ,
,,s,t bar Annt Haffv and ro,, coi1 j..