The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1886-03-05

W ny nOJ: reCOrtS the Major. IN 9TH
ing is impossible. And l tell you l
watched her minutely, and. as | watch
ed, she reached the door over there,
paused moment, and then disappear
ed. 1 searched every hole and corner
in the COnservatory"-the Major firmly
believes he has done so-~but could dis
! cover no sign OF living occupant: and
the door Leading to the garden was
locked on the inside. She must have
gone through the key-hole, or else
melted into thin air: that's the usual
thing, isn't it? The only thing that
staggeTs me-" he adds. "is the color; she
. ought TO have been in white Oughtn't
she?-graveclothes and that-eh?"
sometimes they vary, =" answers GRAY
en-, graYely. = suppose even our de
funct relatives have their fancies: and l
have heard Of people appearing after
many years in the garments they last
wore, or at least most affected. when
IN life. Perhaps my grandaunts looked
with scorn upon gaudy raiment. 1t
went into the conservatory, did you
sayt'-caTelessly Very curiousl No
doubt you are right; most old families
have their skeletons; it is rather re-
spectacle than otherwise, and pride
| feels no pain. / think, do YOU know. I
shall just take a look in there myself"
lie SaunterS slowly down the room
lest the Major should guess at his in
ward anxiety, and has hardly got
/ nervous little hands fasten on his arm
and voice whispers with tremUlOus
/ eagerness-
Let me out of this at once-at once"
How lmprudent of you" he whispers
. back to come heTe."
How unkind of YOU" she retOrts.
/ to leave me there!"
lie begins a vehement explanation.
/ still in a whisper; and, peace being re-
/ stored, he draws her to the door open
ing on to the steps that lead to the
ground beneath; and. having passed
through, they bolt the door, this time
on the outside, and once more feel free
The reaction agrees with Cecil: she
stops short on the top step, he standing
little below her, and laughs aloud.
Ii he had found me then" she SAYS,
NafJer his hard run. nothing would have
cleared me. What should | have dOner"
i know what | should have DONE"
returns Craven. 4 should have strang-
led him then and there. 1t would have
been the only way out of it, and I should
not have hesitated for a moment"
Poor old man; he little knows what
violent death he has escaped But
are you sure he has heard nothing about
me%"
Certain. He does not allow his man
to say even 'gOOd-mOrning' to him
thinks 1t mira dig.-sO of course he
hears no gossip; and, as you know, he
IS leaving here the first moment it is
practicable"
Whether this last remark suggests
other thoughts, who can say? But on
the instant MISS Rivers turns her face
heaVenward, pauses a little, and then
lays her hand upon his shoulder
W nat, have you noticed nOthing?"
she says, with suppressed excitement.
See. sect has ceased TO snOWi"
so II has he returns slowly, the en-
thuSlaSm that ought to belong to the
occasion being absent from his tone.
W hat way YOU say that.' she ex-
claims, severely, ScrutlnIZng his face
IN the dim light. Just as if YOU did
not care, as If you were not a bit glad.
you are sOrry!"
Don't think it; be sure of it." re-
spends the young man glOomiy.
Perhaps at this point it occurs to /
Cecll-who IN some matters is wise
chlld-that his tone is dangerous At Z
all events, she declines to continue the
conversation, and begins again to de- I
Scend the steps slowly. But presently I
they become aware that the Snow has /
arisen as high as the second step from |
the bottom, and the pOrticO of the hall /
door Is thirty yards distant; and how |
shall velvet shoes and silk stockings
and dainty little feet wade through it /
ali without getting wet?
hat IS to happen next?" she asks,
making a comical gesture OF despair /
snow, and that l must walk through it
to get indoors again. Oh, that tiresOme
Major!o
Can / Would it May carry you
acrosS!' he demands, with a proper
amount of hesitation.
oh, no" shrinking back 4
shouldn't like that at all"
Wei, didn't suppose you would,
you knOw" he returns. somewhat a0-
grieVed. But see nothing else to be
done ana II VIII only be for moment"
Dear me, II isn't that" says CiSSY,
honestly, dlvInlng his thoughts. Il
don t mind that so much as Are you
sure-posltIye-yOu would not let me
fall"
He laughs.
Let you fall" he says-"a child like
you! l am not such a puny fellow as
you seem to imagine"
He draws himself up to his full height,
winch Is magnificent, throws up his
chin rather scornfully, and in this atti-
tude certainly looks as fine a specimen
OF manhood as one need wish to see.
MISS Rivers, though piqued. has to ad-
nit this fact.
Child" she says, Indignantly. I'm
not child. was eighteen last month.
How long does one continue to be a
child, | wOnder?"
Il beg your pardon"-meekly. Il re-
tract my words. Let me say rather
the weight of a middle-aged Iadv of
your size"
I'm heavier than you think"-doubt-
fully.
How do you know what l think?
But indeed you need not be afraid; l
nave OFTEN before carried women over
the snow ana swollen streams and that,
and never yet broke down beneath nv
burden
"Oh, indeed have you?" SAYS Cissv.
with just one flash from herviolet ewes.
How cOnsdcrate of yOul YOuremind
me foTcIDly of one of your own stalwart
knights in the gallery upstairs. Do you
really spend your winters then in car
rying distressed damsels over stony and
snowy places? How slow youm must find
your summers!"
We'll. not quitel L do a few other
answers Mr.. Craven. mildly.
i mean, | have helped my sister once
or twice, you know, when she was in a
dilemma. and"
And your cousins and your aunts,
no doubt" interrupts Miss CIssy, still
wiIlful.
"Ill tell you what il is,n he excJaims
briskly, refusing further discussion.
- ou viii catch your death of cold if
you stay here arguing any longer. Your
landS'-tOuchIng one of them-"are al
ready nearly frozen. Come"
We'll. then, if | must7-still waver-
ing. Remember. il is only out of re-
gard for your Observation-Disclosures vel
vet slippers that give in. And indeed
alter all, If l took them Oft, could |
not"
No; you could not"-decisiveIy: and.
IS though to end all controversy. he
lere takes her bodily up in his arms
and bears her safely over the snow into
he warmth and light of the grand old