The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1885-04-16

What have yoa uscd. John--th chair
!. You have not been 10 tho cupboard
No." pespiug into dark recess. musi,
with pspers
what slssi''
"Noshiag else, Agatha here. except
With quick smile. The vssse paper has
/ kss and that IL empty. yon can see fo'
!, yourself"
'.Ah. " sAid Agatha. "hesc il cook, 80 I
/ lAsavy bssathing bscaue audible 10 the
passage. Cook her voice trembling At
~ sight of her sympathetic lace. 'your
nAstsr hes not sesn the baby at least.
hs thinks not He vas very busy. bat
hs heard hss cry. and be NAY have taken
hsr up and forgotten. wssrs looking ics
her
(Which you woat never Asd hss then, :
said cook. in broken voioA In my lasl
place Int one. vhsrs l - general elssasr
| 10 Mn Ans ianily, thsrs vas . child
dissppsassd. = Il might b tt,s. sad \
nsvsr - iound gipsiss o. sot, \ was
ssver conS Asross again. "
"Oh, dcny.. eookr' cried AssthA, plain.
lively. "And Emma coming this EVENING"
Your master thinks he may have put her
somewhere and forgotten. He remembers
hearing her"
(which hs might. said cook. mot DO
iag deaf Which I don't mean no disre-
spsct, sir. bat she Was roaring awful. and
says to Mary, says I, Master will never
know how 10 quiet that child. 70 I'll run
up and bring her down Bit; and stops
70 change my apron, and ups, y Il might
BE- here pnd the cradle as II might bs
there and no sound, aud the cradle was as
empty ss it 10 this minute"
Cook turned dramatically, and pointed
one stout arm to the little cradle in the
sunlight. Mrs. Nicholscn's fearful eyes
followed the hand. and her husband Atood
uueasily in the centre Of the group, with
an anxious frown upon his face.
(which" added cook, scornfnlly. II
think baby-snd such one. bless her
is Of more value than oil this rubbish.
She waved her baud over the table, on
which lay the neat manuscript and the
rows OF mended pens; and Mr., Nicholson
moved instinctively step backward, as il
she had an evil eye and his writing would
shrivel up at her scornful gesture.
Cook" said Mrs. Nicholson, with dig
nifty. marked little by the quaver ia her
voice. "you don't understand. Your
master is very clever, and his writings are
Of great value, OF course. with plead.
iuglook upward. ."bsby isour first thought
just now. There are no wild beasts here,
so she cannot be eaten. But she has gone.
and before Emma comes this evening, she
must be found
"Of course she must said her husband,
pluckinR up courage from Der exceeding
gentlrness I'VE will begin ,s'ematical' \
y, mud go through every room in theV
house
SO the search legan, that ended an hour
later, in the grrat hall. with three per.
plexed faces meeting each other at the
foot OF tue stairs, in silence that Mrs.
Nicholson broke
Its no use. John; cannot bear II any
longer. She is lost
She flung out her empty hands with
despsiriug gesture but her husband caught
and held them.
Don't give up. Agatha; it will all come
right. II l search the world through, |
will end her."
'Orthe body" said the cook
Mrs. Nicholson shpddered.
The minutes silence was broken by |
sound Of merry laughter and tine tramp. l
ling Of feet. For . minute Agatha raised |
her head. listening intently. and then she
dropped it with sigh.
1T is only the reotory boys, John" she
said; "they have been in the hay field al
day, and asked them 10 tea. / can not
speak to them, am too anxious"
She would have moved away but the
noise and laughter we're 10 the ball already.
and the boys were stumbling up toward
her 10 the darkness, over the rugs and
skins Something white was being showed
from Que to tue other, and was pushed in.
to Agaths's arms ut last, aud held there
by psir Of rough, sunbnrned hands.
'What is 1t? Oh. Jack. what il it?' she
cried. bending down aud kissing, to their
owners great surprise, the boys rongb
hauds
'Dont, say, said jack. .llaa ing them
away with cnriors shameful look ",t's
only thr baby, Mrs. Nicholson Size was
crying iu The cradle, so | inst got into the
room and bageed her. She's been play
ing in the hay; she nearly got jAbbed With
. rake. bnt Jim got II instead. Shes
jolly little thing. Did you miss herr
"Yes, ! tLought she was lost, said Ag-
atha, gently.
'I.osti" ~itl, roar of laughter,
well, that is good! May we wash our
hsuds for tear I'm not so dirty, I've been
holding her; but Jim's simply mnd ~
over. Here, havs you got hci? i.'s 50
dark cant see.
Tbs turbulent tide sAept away into the
distance Of stairs and passages, leaving
little group in the twilight Of the hall;
tall. dark figure, against which golden
head Vas leaning. and two arms with
white bnndls folded in them.
kiss her, John came . soft voice out
Of the darkness. Il know you would
rather not, she's only baby, not star.