Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1885-09-30


lie viii most likely bring Young Mr..
Barton with hlm, and then We shall be
all right" / think that real lawyer
must prove more than any balliff can
Withstand.
The Wilderness IS a wild deserted
spot at one end of the grounds. and
far from the road. Ii has been allowed
% run wild on account of It's plctur-
esqueness. y broad, fUssy stream falls
over some rocks 70 a depth of six or
seven feet, making terrible noise, and
widening into small lake on the bank
of which stands a mock ruin covered
with ivy. 1t consists of solitary tow
er with two or three narrow Sits for
windows, and rejoices in the name of
the keep. | remember with JOY that it
has a stout oak door with very strong
lock.
creep out softly through the con-
servatOry, locking the door after me,
and dodge between the scrubs until /
have placed safe distance between
myself and the tlower-garden, where /
hear my victim walking. In breath
less state of excitement | reach the
Keep. l push the door open and enter.
Ughl What nasty, damp, miserable
place it is-just like dungeon In some
old castle There is nothing inside bu-
a spade and a rake and an old gardent
stOol-these l carefullyremOve. IheSi-
tate over the stool, but compassion is
overcome NO" / say TO myself,
''out you must gol II he is tired, he
must sit on the ground. You would
be too handy as battering gram"-and
throw 1t out after the spade and rake.
My next proceeding is to carefully
examine the lock. This nearly foils
met Is so stiff that can hardly turn
it. l am at loss what to do, when |
catch sight of a small bottle of oil
and feather standing on little ledge.
L joyfully seize them. Just the
thing ~ | cry. The bottle is very
dirty and sticky, but am too excited
to heed such petsy discomforts, so pull
out the feather and begin TO oil the lock.
l make myself in an awful mess, and 1t
is such slow work getting the oil into
the lock through the keyhole.
''Oh, you nasty. tlresome thing ]"
cry, passionately stamping the ground.
"Who-I OF the lock 2" and turning
round, l behold my victim regarding
me with slightly astonished yet amused
| look. | am too much nOnpluSed to
reply.
''Can assist you ?" he inquiries; and,
without waiting for my permission,
! the bottle and feather are taken from
me. and my voluntary assistant, heed
less of the dirty mOSs-cOyered step, is on
! his knees busily working away at the
/ ,.fr g ba oil
his life. He works on quietly for
little time without speaking, while l
stand by cOnfusedly trying to think of
some means by winch l can trap my
game There is the prison, and there
is the prisoner; but how is he to be put
inside it? "Wnat strong lock this
is | should not care to be behind it
without a crowbar," he remarks.
1 answer nothing, but L am ready to
cry for vexation. | wish that | was as
strong as an elephant, so that | might
push him in ROleRS UOtsnS.
81 think you will tiud it all right now.
1t is still little stiff, but you will BE-
able to turn it," and, rising from his
knees, the victim faces me with grave
face, which all at once breaks into an
irrepressible smile of amusement that
he yalnly strives TO conceal.
l flush angrily at what consider his
impertInence. Afterwards when | see
myself in the glass, my wonder Is re-
mOved-my dress. all tumbled and
creased, is smudged all down the front
with green moss and rust, while across
my forehead is great streak of dirty
oil. l suppose l must have used my
greecy hand as an imprOmtu halr.brush,
without thinking of The improvement
was adding to my beauty. My volun- |
tary assistant stOOpS to clean his hands,
and, as he is wiplng them on his hand !
kerchief, l notice a very handsome |
antique ring on the little finger of his |
right hand. Seeing my look, he re-
marks
Il am rather proud of this ring; II |
has been in our family for generations. |
1t is very much admired by connols-
seurs;''. and he holds it out to me for |
inspection.
1 decline to look at it, coldiy observ-
ing that am not an antiquary; and |
smile to myself at the idea of bailiff |
talking of generations" as if he had |
had an ancestry. He turns away as if |
to return to the garden. Now or
neverI" [ say to myself; and with a
rapidly beating heart begin
"Aheml Would you not like to go |
inside our ruin 2" try to speak in an |
msInuating tone, while my stupid heart |
thumpS so that L wonder he does not |
hear it.
''Is it really ruin z" he asks.
lam obliged to admit that 1t Is only |
an Imitation one; and then confusedly |
mutter something about people liking |
to see such things.
Thank you all the same" he SAYS,
"but think l Will content myself with |
an outside view; dare say it is full of |
earwigs and spiders, very. unpleasant |
creatures to have tumbling about one
don't You think so ?''
Yes" l slowly assent, adding
quickly, as 1 am seized with a likely
idea, ''Oh, yes. | am so oterribly afraid
of them; and papa will make me keep
my gardening tools in there, so that | |
am always prevented from gardening
unless William is here 10 get them for
me. I wanted to do little gardening
now." | continue glancing at him tim
idly; but suppose | must wait till /
can find William" and | try the effect
of little sigh.
success! My fish nlbbles now to
land him
Can't 1 act as Williams substi-
tute?" And. without waiting for nv
permission, the unfortunate bailiff
braves the earwigs and spiders and en-
ters the trap.
Thank you!'' l cry, excitedly. "You
I'll find them in the recess behind the
dOor."
Hastily following him, pull to the
door, turn the key with a desperate
wrench, and, covering my ears with my
hands. | iy like a huuted deer towards
the house.
Poor Jaue's wits are nearly scarei
away when l relate to her my advea-
lures. She declares that bailiffs always
hunt IN couples, and that there is sure
to be another lurking about the place.
So, to prevent surprise, we carefully
lock and bolt all the doors, and, not
withstandlng that it is early in the
afternoon, close and fasten the shutters
to all the windows on the ground
floor.
How slowly the time pasSesi Three