The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1885-12-26

hide-and-seek When they come back we
can dance Sir Roger de Coverley, and then
say goodnight
every WELL" assented her father.
So the tired musicians were taken off to
the servants hall to be feasted, and Grace,
who seemed to have developed an unusual
amount of animation, declared they would
have some prime fun.
Her excitement was infectious, and sew
eral girls went off with her to hide, and
they were all found sooner or later, while
the boughs of mistletoe that were hung so
profusely about the castle offered an excuse
for kisses that would never have been ven
tured upon in the presence Of chaperon,
let the excuse be ever so valid
This romp had been going on for some
little time, but Kate had taken no part
in it.
There had been plenty of girls willing
enough to hide, and others eager to find
them, so that she had escaped; but Grace
at length would take no refusal.
Come, Kate" said her sister in low
disagreeable tone, ''it seems as though you
were too prudish to join us, and you needn't
be afraid; Roland is sure to find you. I'm
sure you two have been spooning there
long enough for all the world to know
what it means"
Kate made no reply, but she rose to her
feet, gave one smiling glance to Roland,
then turned and followed her sister.
"Where shall we hide?'' she asked in
differently.
"Oh, know a splendid place" was the
reply; ave will hide in the west turret.
You shall have the little chamber leading
out of this room," she said, throwing open
door at the top of the stairs, "and I'll
shut myself up in the one above you.
"But it is dark, and it is cold, objected
Kate with a SILVER, as they crossed the
room towards the little turret chamber
which opened out of it.
Nonsense you won't be here five
minutes, and the corridor is lighted. 60
in quickly; 1 think hear them coming"
So saying, she pushed her half-reluctant
sister through the narrow door, then closed
it upon her with silent spring.
She did not go into the room above,
however, but she stood pale and motion
less, listening for the faintest cry.
None came; and at length, unable to
bear the suspense any longer, she eau
tiously reopened the door, and pronounced
her sisters name.
No answer was returned, but blast of
cold dank air seemed to rush up from far
below, and to strike to her very heart with
its icy breath.
Grace Lilburne was not surprised, though
she had only been there once, many years
AGO. In her childhood she had been shown
the chasm at her feet, and had been threat
ened by Frank Fairfield, the son of Kate S
fostermother, that if she listened at doors
and told tales about him again, he would
throw her down here. and she would never
be heard of again.
The threat had been efficacious, and the
horror of it fingered long in her memory,
and she remembered as though it had hap
pened yesterday how terrified she had been
at seeing what looked like the solid floor
glide noiselessly away when he touched a
spring. leaving uncovered dark and ter
rible cbasm that seemed to have no bottom.
While Roland had been telling Kate he
loved her. and after she had made up her
mind to kill her sister, Grace had taken a
lamp, and with no slight difficulty had
pressed the long disused spring with suffi-
Gent force to make the false floor slide out
of its place, revealing the foul dark chasm
below. which had once been such source
of terror to her childish imagination,
She had left the floor of the turret-
chamber open, though she had carefully
closed the door-but now, when the MUIR
derous work was done, she dared not bring
light, neither dared she leave the place
uncovered, and she felt cautiously about
for the spring, and at some peril to herself,
since she was working in the dark, she
managed to find it, and the floor slowly
moved back into its place with grating
noise, closing with sharp snap.
Terrified lest she should be DETECTED,
and confident that the search had already
begun, Grace almost flew to the room above,
and there stood pale and well-nigh spell
bound with horror at the foul deed which
she had so deliberately planned and SO
completely accomplished.
But she knew she must not give way to
her fears in the presence of other people,
or she would soon hetray herself, for an
awful time of anxiety and dread was still
before her.
1t was with an intense feeling of relief
that she heard the door open and saw a
mans form in the doorway, for the pas
sages, as [ have said, were all dimly lighted,
though small out-of-the-way rooms, like
those in which the turret chambers were,
were left in the darkness,
:'Oh, | am glad you have found me, =
she said, coming forward; II seem to have
been here such long time, and am so
cold"
at was very foolish to hide in such a
part of the castle as this, said Roland Sc
verely. 'Where is Kate p
II don't know where Kate is, was the
petulant retort; II suppose she was wiser
than 1 and hid herself where she could be
more easily found; but l shall 60 back to
the others dare say Kate has already
been found
Probably she has," returned the anx-
ious lover.
Then he walked back to the great hall
by the side of Grace, but as they passed
under a light he exclaimed in surprise, as
he looked at his companion:
"What have you done to your dress
The front of it is almost black
Grace uttered little cry of alarm, then
recovering herself, she said
''How careless of me [ forgot the
walls would be thick with dust, and [
pulled myself up to the window to see if
it was still showing. Excuse me & few
minutes, dare say my maid can wipe it
off"
So saying, she hurriedly left him, but no
maid could wipe off the mark from her
white satin dress any more than the stain
of the crime she had committed could be
wiped from her false heart.
She covered over the spots on her dress
with some flowers and lace, which she hast
lily pinned in their places; then she washed
her hands, and went back to join her faith
er's guests.
| Manv of these were GONE. Others were