Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1885-04-09
Au Original Sturg.
Written for the Yorkville Enquirer.
A Rash EXPERIMENT.
nv MISS M.,LEE.
BY MISS nj. LEE.
CHAPTER VIII.

either closet or a dressing-room and to
this there was an entrance from the rear of
the house, by means of a door opening into
a little cross-entry, so that a person could
gain admittance into it without passing
through either the bedroom or parlor.
Harry pointed this out to Elizabeth as
special advantage, on account of the late
hours he was obliged to keep.
s'I'llNtake it for my saractum if you have
no particular use for it :" he said ; and Eliz-
beth was quite willing that he should use
it for anything that he pleased. All day
they busted themselves moving their pos
sessions and getting settled in their new
quarters And when the move was COM
pleted, they agreed that the change was
decidedly for the better, and now they could
begin really to feel at home. The sitting
room gave Elizabeth especial pleasure. 1t
looked on a cheerful little grass plot bor-
dered with flowers, through bay-window,
where the sun shone, and where she could
nut little table and her rocker when she
wanted to read or sew. AS to Harry's
sanctum, he filled it up with all the odds
and ends that found no other place and by
this means Elizabeth would be enabled to
keep everything neat, privilege especially
valuable to one as thriftlly ana carefully
brought up as she had been.
eNow we can begin to receive visitors"
she said, as she looked around. II felt
really ashamed to have people come into
nv bedroom this is so nice!"
IsDon't you admit, now, that we were
right to move?" asked Harry.
"Of course I like it better-if you can
stand the expense"
"Oh, don't you worry your little head
about the expense-that viii be an rignt,,
said Harry, confidently. II am glad Ito to fee feel
that / am on my legs again. But It's get
ting late, and 1 must be off: Be sure you
don't sit up for me tonight"
Elizabeth promised she would not. But
after he had gone, she almost repented
having given the promise. She felt strange
ly fresh and wakeful, considering that she
had worked hard all day, and sat up
late the night before; and after she had
gone to bed at half past nine, she found it
came crowding into her brain, odd ones
and disagreeable ones mixed up confusedly
together; she tried to change the current OF
her reflections, if such a tumble of ideas
deserved the name, but could not succeed:
Where did Harry 60, every evening? and
,chy did he persist in making secret OF his
occupation? Such was the question that
presented itself in one form or another to
her mind, over and over, until it Wearled
her. She turned on one side and then on
the other; she shut her eyes resolutely, and
not come At last she did fall into very
light doze, which had only lasted few
minutes when footstep disturbed her, and
she was awake in minute.
.tIt's Harry come home," she said to her
self, and she lay quietly for a moment and
listened. Then hearing another slight noise,
but finding that no light appeared, she said
aloud.
''Harry, the matches are on the little ta-
vt Sho vii NJ fhpn
For all answer she heard the click of key
being turned in the lock of the door which
communicated with the dressing-room. Her
heart beat and she felt a sudden fright.
Could it be possible that robbers were effect
ing an entrance? They might easily do so,
she thought, because these rooms were so
near the ground. How heartily she wished,
at that moment, she was safely back up
stairs!
She was not naturally brave and it was
all she could do to forbear crying out, but
as she listened, scarcely daring to breathe,
she heard cough which she was sure was
Harry's. She was treasured by the sound;
and rdiculing her own cOWardice, she now
slipped out of bed and struck light.
''He must have come in through the back
door as he said he would. What a goose
was to be afraid, she thought; and putting
her hand on the latch of the dressing room
door, she asked IN low tone,
"Is it you, Harry?'
EYES," was the answer, and her heart gave
a great bound of relief at this complete ref
utation of her fears. She turned the latch
but the door would not open-it was locked
on the other side.
'Do you want anything, Lizzie?" inquir-
ed her husband.
"No," she answered hesitatingly.
"I'll be there in aminute," he continued,
and now she detected slight infection of
impatence in his tone.
81 do wish you would not sit up for me in
this way"
81 have not been sitting up," she rejoined,
slowly and without saying any more she
went back to bed. She had vague idea
that something must be wrong, and this
idea made her uncomfortable. Everything
seemed as usual, however, and she forbore
making any allusion afterwards to what
seemed, at the time, rather mysterious con-
duct on Harry's part.
The next day She was searching for some
trif1e that she missed, and it occurred to her
that it might have otamong Harry's things
in the dressng-room. She started to look
for it, and again found the door of commu-
nication between the latter apartment and
her bedroom locked on the outer side.
"How odd of Harry to keep this fasten-
ed," she said to herself "I'll ask him as
soon as he comes in, to put the key on this
side. Or stay-why can't 60 around to
the little entry, and let myself in that
way?"
She accordingly wentaround, and attempt
ed to open the other door. TO her chagrin,
she found this also locked. She felt quite
provoked, and decided that Harry deserved
good scolding for his forgetfulness, or care
lessness, or whatever it might be called that
had been the cause of putting her to so much
trouble. AS soon as he made his appearance,
she stated her grievance, and asked him to
open the door.
'"What fol? 2" he asked, half laughingly.
"NOthing of yours is in there"
eyes, have misaid my little needle-case,
and am almost sure it has got among your
things"
81 don't think so, Lizzie. However, to
satisfy you, I'll look presently. l don't
know where the key is, just now"
Don't know where the key is ~
"No, not eXactly-that is, l suppose it's
in one of my pockets, but am too lazy to
search at present"
"I'll save you the trouble-may | ?"
"Certainly if you like"
She accordingly went through his pockets,
but found no key.
she ecsPla sspsdy you hays rs dropped it "ny"he'e*'
81 might, possiblybut l don't think so.
I'll look for it myself, presently. Never
mind the needle-book, or whatever 1t IS,
just now."
"But Harry, why in the world do you
keep that room locked:"
"Mayn't keep my sanctum locked, II