The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1888-05-31
LOCKED IN.

Lucy Hutton turned pale. she was
locking the school room door, when,
under the shade of the trees outside,
she saw man stand watching her.
She turned pale, but showed no other
sign of emotion. Without turning to
look again at this man, she drew her
shawl about her, turned, came down
the steps, and walked homeward.
Her home was but temporary one.
Lucy Hutton had come from little
farm in tho country to take charge of
parish free school. She was staying at
boarding house where nearly all were
stranger.
Sho was very pretty, with long golden
hair, which sho wore free upon her
shoulders. Few persons had ever seen
more beautiful hair.
Lucy turned pale because she had
learned to be afraid of this person who
was watching her. She knew his ap-
pcarance we'll. For time he had sat
opposite to her at table, an emaciated,
pallid, carefully dressed man, with long
black hair, parted in the middle of a
high, narrow forehead, and falling long
upon his coat collar. Her first IN
easincss was caused by observing that he
constantly watched her out of a pair of
small black eyes. His observation was
so Jiosc as to bo annoying. She had at
length avoided it by changing her scat
at the table.
lie never spoke to her She did not
know his nane and none of tho few
persons she know were acquainted with
him. Having placed herself beyond his
notice at table, she congratulated herself
on having escaped him, when, to her
CONSERVATION and serious uneasiness, she
discovered that he followed her to and
from the school.
She chose to iguore this. She did not
even speak of it to any one. Though a
slight, golden-haired girl, Lucy Hutton
was courageous, aud natural delicacy
prevented her from making fuss about
the matter. But, at last, she began to
be annoyed by notes, expressing this
mans infatuation. He desired to make
her acquaintancc-to marry her.
Lucy's immediate impulse was to send
his first note to her lover, Henry Gray.
son, and ask his assistance. Then sh.
resisted what seemed weakness.
Il shall avoid this strange lover O.
mine; he cannot do me any har M" she
thought.
But she could not forget him. Hi.
eyes, his gait, the cut of his garments,
became horribly familiar to her. She
felt that she was constantly under hi
surveillance. If she walked alone, hi
boldly followed her at a distance. Il
she entered crowd, she found him d
her elbow. Once as she stood at shor
window looking at some lace, he hisscd
in her car: II love YOU" and slipped
instantly out OF sight in tho evening
darkness. After this she never allowed
herself to be abroad after the evening
early dusk. At the mans approach sh
had felt him so physically powerful a
to fill her with terror.
The day previou, to tho evening o
which l write had brought new Incl
dent. A note had been left at tht
school room addressed to her which
read as follows:
BEAUTIFUL LucY--I must speak to you
you must hear me. Meet me tonight at tn
.ower end of Redmond's bridge; remember
you must come.
There was no signature, but ther
could be no doubt from whence it came
Lucys cheeks flushed with indignation
but thrill of fear went through he
heart. Her pursuer's audacity seemet
to have approached a crisis.
She crushed the note in her hand, 70
the observant eyes of her little pupil
were upon her and she forced herself t.
go on with their lessons; but her cheel
burned redly-hcr mind wandered Ii
spite of herself.
OF course she did not mean to NEE
this man; and what would be the con
sequences if she did not2 She began t
feel desperately the need of aid In thi
strange matter. She wished that Hen
ry Grayson were there ;shc wished M os
of all that she were at home.
When she locked the school-roor
door that nj ,ht she saw. as have said
this gaunt, ck.haired man watchin
, her under the trees With quick
] firm step she walked down the street
5 At least he should not see that she wa
afraid of him. But she heard step be
] hind her; it was his. He came to he
! side; his detestable voice said over he
4 shoulder: "Toright at 8 o'clock. / fol
! got to tell you the tIm,.'
She never turned her head or mad