Turner County herald. (Hurley, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1884-04-03

ao nG!u suddenly, speaking
more IN his usual tone, though still
lahoring under strong excitement. 81
want You to take letter for me to the
other side of London-over to Hamp.
"Yes, sir, to be sure, 2 said Miss Twit.
Serblt, on tlptoe Of expectation.
ITS long way, I know, but Won
must hire cab at my expense" he said.
seating himself at the table and com.
mencing to write. Chow long will Won
need to get ready?"
DO you wish me to 20 now. si,2 u
back. - >e-'
"fes, now-this instant!" said Mr..
Hunter. impatiently. "Get your bon.
net on and this shall be ready for you
py the time you have done SO.
Miss Twitterbit was the personification
OF good nature, and though she was
not enhanced at the prospect of journ-
ey to the other end of London, she pro-
ceeded to equip herself with alacrity,
Mr. Hunter had finished his letter when
sne came down again, and he at once
handed it to her together with some Sill
yer for car fare.
ASK to see the lady," he said. i'm
Presslyely, stand give her the letter.
Don't leave it if she is out, but bring it
back with you. Mind, on no account.
part with 1T to anybody else."
ls there any answer, sir?" inquired
MISS Twitterbit, rather futtered by
these instructions.
mo, there ID no answer, IL the lady
asks any questions about me, you can
.e ten her l was v.ry angry when l sent
tnls; you can say was never more out
OF temper in my life-which is the fact.
But don't stay gossiping," added Mr..
Hunter with emphasis.
1t crossed Miss Twitterbit's mind in a
feeble, uncertain way that, if the letter
nad reference to the valentine, she might
by few words of explanation save her.
sell the journey. But before she could
come to decision Mr.. Hunter interrupt
ed her reflections by saying sharply:
"Come, Miss Twitterbit! don't waste
valuable time. The sooner you have de-
llvered the letter the better shall be
ber."
Startled by this admonition, Miss
Twitterbit hastely retired, and was soon
on her way, to Hampstead in a four
wheeled cab. But during her ride she
had ample leisure for reflection, and it
naturally began to occur to her that she
was In rather an awkward ..predicament.
Obviously the letter had been written in
consequence of the valentine, and there
fore the lady would not understand what
it referred to. On the other hand. the
letter might be the means of etfecting a
reconciliation between the two loving
hearts, though to be sure Mr.. Hunter
mad not been In particularly amiable
mood when he sent 1t. In word, Miss
Twitterbit was puzzled and uneasy, the
moro especially as the envelope was ad-
dressed to q Mrs. Hunter, This sue.
gested The suspicion that her lodger was
carrying on an intrigue with married
woman, or else Hartley was not his real
name. Either of these ideas was cal
cIiated to disconcert the old lady, for
she WAS severely respectable, and would
not, for the world, have been mixed up
in any questionable transaction. She
soon regretted having permitted Mr..
Hunter to remain under q misappre-
hension about the valentine, and had al.
most made up her mind to drive back
and confess everything, when she dis
covered that the letter had come un-
fastened. 1t had evidently been hastily
sealed up, Just as she was starting, and
had never been properly sealed.
Under any other circumstances Miss
Twitterbit's sense Of honor would have
repolted at the bare notion of reading
another PERSONS sSscorrespondence. But
she was SO nervous and perplexed that
she could not resist the temptation to
take a peep at the letter. Its contents
would enable her to decide definitely
whether to deliver it or to face her lodg-
el's wrath and Indignation by returning.
She therefore stealthily unfolded the
document and read as follows:
ut is evident can not rely on your pru-
dence. warned you, you would be watched,
and yet you must need do such a wantonly idi-
otto thing. Leave town instantly and go down
to Devonshire."
There was no formal commencement
or ending, and no signature to this per-
emptory and laconic epistle, which Miss
Twitterbit read two or three times over
IN blank bewilderment. But she resolved
to deliver it, being impressed with its
Importance because she failed to under
stand its meaning. Besides, it stimulat-
ed her curiosity, and she concluded that
it would, perhaps, be wiser to explain
matters to the lady and leave her to act
as she thought best, than to risk caus-
ing mischief by not carrying out the in
structions she had received.
In due course, therefore, she had
reached Hampstead, and alighted from
the cab at the corner of the street in
which the lady lived. But it happened,
unfortunately, that the throughfare in
question was numbered in a very eccan-
trjc fashion, and, while she was seeking
:he house she wanted, with the letter in
her hand, she was accosted by respect
able, middle-aged man, dressed in q
frock-coat and tall hat, who politely
asked if he could be of any service to
her.
"Thapk you, sir. I was looking for
No. 49," said Miss Twitterbit grate-
fully.
aMrs. Hartley's?" said the gentle
man.
"Yes, thpt is the name," returned
Miss Twitterbit, involuntarily glancing
at the address on the letter. Can you
tell me which is the house, please?"
Certainly, " returned the gentleman,
promptly. ST is the last but one on
this side. No. 13, did you say? Allow
me to look.
AS he spoke, the stranger dextrously
snatched the envelope from Miss Twit-
terbit's unresisting hand, and, to her
dismay and amazement, proceeded to
omen it,