Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1888-08-16
Cara's Bravery.
BY ESTHER sERLE KENNETH.


'.For whom did you want the house,
young ladyp"
For myself. SIR"
DIR. Lee Leighton stood amazed The
girl before III was so young-not
more than eighteen. and so pretty
golden-hared and blue-eyed as an an
gel. He had never dreamed that she
was making the application TO rent
Thistle Cottage herself But Miss
Caroline Clarke took no notice of his
surprise.
The house is in good order, SIR"
1T requires few repairs. only"
said the young physician, rather stiff
ly.
He had began to think he was throw
ing his time away.
''And those you will make?"
'.lf L let the cottage--yes.
The young lady mused q nom emit
Il think will ike it," she said
then.
81 beg your pardon, Miss Clorke-P"
Yes
''Do you quite understand the situa-
tionP"
Il think do The house is thought
to be haunted, and the rent is merely
nominal 10 anyone who will live
there
Eyes. But How are you situated
in regard to family my dear young
lad, P"
81 have the care Of two younger
broihers-twelve and fourteen years
old. | have only limited income,
which | exc out by embroidery. l am
anxious to get my brothers out of the
city and there is a good academy here.
am not afraid of ghosts. with faint
smile. 1--WE shall come"
Her words and manner were so at
variance with her delicate beauty all
was so petite aud yet so self-possessed
and digniiied. DIR. Leighton's exper-
fence in girls did not seem TO serve him
at all in this emergency. He recollect
ed that his sisters. Maud and Bess. al
ways regarded the outer walls of This
tie Cottage with an apprehensive gaze
and could not be persuaded to pass it
alone after dark, and here was this
e ri, no older than they. proposing to
live there, with two children!
You have no parentsP"
mo"
"Relativesp'
''None 10 rely upon. 1 depend on
myself entirely, DIR. Leighton; l am
used to il. Would you like to let me
have Thistle CottageP' with a steady
glance into the young mans counte-
nance.
al hesitate only on your account"
I'm ha9 AZ m 10 fah In
that man was killed there. He was
murdered by son of unsound mind.
after a quarrel about money. The
estate was owned by my father II is
now mine. 1t long ago fell into i'll
repute on account of the murder. but it
is very pretty place and has been
kept in repair. l will walk over it
with YOU again and make any changes
you may find desirable" thus tacitly
consen ting TO the young lady propos-
al.
What her words had failed 10 do,
her clear blue eyes had succeeded in
accomplishing. They had won the
confidence of the owner of the cottage.
"She can but try since she Wishes"
he said 10 himself. IL am close by at
our house. If she gets frightened out
she can come to us. :"
When they had gone over the house
again. the girl asked quite coolly:
what became of the murderer
He fled from justice-is probably
dead. He has never been heard from,
and his ghost Is said to haunt this spot
If yon can prove that il does not, [
will give you five years rent here
Free"
The young girl made no reply. only
smiled brightly.
"What brave little creature!"
thought DR.. Leighton.
A week later Caroline Clarke and
her brothers were settled at the
Thistle Cottage.
Dr. Leighton did not fancy the boys.
He told his mother that they were
'.whelps that wanted licking into
shape" But when he saw the gentle
ness and tact used by their sister in
managing them, when he saw her
patience, her charming smile in en-
enlargement OF their simplest we'll
doing. he was ashamed OF his intoler-
ance.
my father" she hesitated. did not
set his boys very good example.
They were much away from home be-
fore lie died They will do much
better here away from harmful
associations" she said.
That's n good girl-a rare good
girl, Lee" said old Mrs Leighton. Il
only wish Maud and Bcss had half rs
much character"
But Cara, as the boys called her, did
not trouble her neighbors She wss