The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-10-24

suppose-and in the morning she was not up over early herself, and does not seem to have troubled about anybody else until the breakfast hour was long past. Then she found the one room empty and the other locked, and you know the rest-all the narrowing details, as the leaders call them. The poor wretch had had fight for his life. The fact of that, and of the door being locked on the inside, would have told in the woman favor if she had had the pluck to stay and see it out. But that is just where it is presence ot mind always fails people in these cases. She not only does for herself by running away, but being, according to all accounts, a good looking woman to begin with, and remarkable enough on that score, she makes herself more remarkable by array ing herself in a sho,-silk gown. Shot silk {! only conceive itl In these days, when every other woman one meets is in black Why. it was simply suicidal The only wonder is that they have not identified her by it before this"
 1t was only the other day, surely?' she asked.
 She did not look greatly interested, not so much so as was, for we had read about il at the time-Mary and l-had been reading about it, in fact, that very night when we were kept up watching and waiting for Madame Laure. and could have answered her question more definitely than he did, for madame had been with us now little more than a fort night. was interested myself, but was sorry to see the girls taking 1t all in so eagerly. We encouraged no morbid taste for horrors at lnglewood House.
 "i knew-I read all about it while l was waiting," Milly Danvers said after ward in her consequential little way. q wonder you did not see, all of you. There was Murder at the top of it in big enough letters, goodness knowsp
 When we reached home in the evening, Madame Laure was in bed, having so far followed my sister advice.
 "l did want her to have a doctor at first" Mary said. But she objected so strongly, and doubt whether It would have been of any use. think she wants rest and quiet more than anything"
 "l think you want it yourself" said did not know when had seen her look so tired and troubled thought at times she must feel other peoples pain and aches as though they were her own, and felt sure now she had been letting Mad anne Laure worry her beyond her strength '' won't have you going up to her any more tonight" said. ' l shall go and see for myself how she is getting on, and If there IS any need for doctor, doctor she shall have"
 She did not say "Yes" or "No," but smiled faintly al the parlor boarders, who were accustomed to the occasional asser- tion of my authority, and began pouring out the tea, while entert rtained the little party (the school-room tea was a separate affair, under the presidency of Miss Cr,s- pin) with recapitulation of the conversa- ton in the railway carriage.
 " It was the dress" said, (which he had made up his mind was to bring her to justiCe-the shot silk dress. My dear Mary, what on earth are you thinking of?' l exclaimed ip the same breath, for the urn had replenished the teapot to overfiowing, and was flooding the tray, and my sister sat looking across it at me in sort of stupor, never seeing or heed ing it
 Miss Mary was thinking no more of the tea than the rest of us,' some one said good-naturedly coming to the rescue, and then there was little commotion an d mopping up, consequent on the catas- trophe, and Mary made her apologies. and went on with her work but she did it nervously and badly, as if it were an ef- fort to her, and was glad when it was over. scarcely knew why myself, but 1 was always in agony If she had so much as a finger ache. True, she was the one dear thing had in this world there was that to be said.
 She would not allow that there was anything the matter with her, however, and she would go up stairs. had rarely seen her so positive; as rule, she gave way to me in everything connected with the school; l was so much cleverer than she, she used to say, and had head for business, which she had not and in the management of the governesses she never interfered. It was a mistake having two mis yesses; we should never get any one to work under us if we attempted 1t. But, somehow, from tue first she seemed to have taken Madame Laure under her protection, and she would not let her go
 "She had such lovely face and she seemed out of her element and not hap py; and she was so grateful for a very little kindness "-that was ali the reason Mary could ever give for the attraction in the first instance.
 AS we took our separate ways, she to the top of the house, to the school-room, 1 remembered the parcel madame had dropped, and which had been restored, and called up after her to know whether it had been sent home. Yes, she an- swered, it had. And t was quite right Qnte.
 Sae was halfway up tue stairs as she spoke, and she stopped, with little catch Tn her voice, as she uttered the mono- syllable, as if to rest. ran up after her and put my arm round her.
 "Mary," l said, you are not we'll. Something has upset you, and have a right to know what it is. can't have you beginning to keep your own counsel, after all these years. l will have no