The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1889-06-01
OUR ROBIN.
CHAPTER VII (CoNcLUpEp,,

CHAPTER VII (CoNCLUDED).
..Oh, my foot! had forgotten"
| "Let me ring for assistance" says
Harry, approaching the bell.
: Don't dare to touch the bell!" she
.,ries excitedly. why have you two
forced yourselves here into my house
without invitation? Go, both of you,
and leave me. How dare you stop
here abusing and catechising mea Go,
/ say---do You herea"
YES" answers Harry doubtfully
and pulling at his short moustache:
Had we better leave her?" he asks
me, in an un1ertone.
feel utterly incapable OF offering
an opinion on the subject; but our
mutual indecision is of little conse-
quence, for at this moment the door
opens, admitting an elderly woman
hastily wrapped in warm dressing
gown, and a look of terror on her
somehat careworn face.
"What is the matter-what has
happened" she asks, gazing with
natural perplexity on the group bo-
fore her. Il thought there were burg
lars in the house-are there?''
NO" / make response, feeling in
finitely relieved by her opportune APP
pearance. ..You may thank her
pointing to the figure on the sofa
THAT your slumbers have BEEN
''Hold your tonguer' cries Alice
sharply; and then she addresses her.
self to the stranger. There Is moth
ing on earth the matter, Mrs. Wheel
Ter; only have becn for stroll on
the grounds, and these highly imagi-
native people took me for ghost, and
set dogs upon me, and chased me till
| fell and hurt my foot. wish you
would turn them QUIT can't"
s.In self-defence," says Harry,
while the indignant blood surges over
his hot face, Il must correct that
statement. The lady lying there has
las you may easily ses-got herself
up with the view OF intimidating an
over-sensitive friend of mine. Night
after night she has personated spirit,
until We were forced to devise some
method for putting stop to her mad
pranks.
Mad pranks indeed" echoes Alice,
starting up on the sofa, while her dark
eyes seem literally to emit flashes OF
fire. "Do you imagine that it was
only for my own pastime and to prove
the weakness of his mind that l per-
sonated Lucy? If so, you are vastly
mistaken. 1t was revenge! l have
meditated revenge for years, only
wondering how | could compass it.
He himself put the stick into my hand
with which ] have chastised him. |
was wandering one evening at dusk
near the old summor-house, when he
took it into his head that was spirit
Lucy spirit. Was it likely that /
would throw away so grand chance
OF soaring himo If you had only left
mes alone, / would have killed him
with sheer fright. Why not? He
killed my sister Lucy; he put the
skates on her feet which lured her to
her death. A life for a life is Justice y
While Alice pours forth this wild
torrent of words, Mrs. WHEELER gazes
in distress from one to the other
When at length Alice sinks back ex-
hausted on her pillows, the companion
stepssup to us softly, and lays hand
on my arm.
II, think you had better CO." she
says, in low troubled voice. .sIt
seems most extraordinary affair from
beginning to end, and 1 don't as yet
quite understand it; but l think you
had better CO."
"You are right" l answer, moving
in the direction of the open window;
but Mrs. WHEELER steps before me and
closes it, securing also the shutters as
she does so.
II will let you out at the hall door, +"
she says, with a glance which intimates
that she has few words to say to US
before we start. As she leaves the
room she closes the door behind her.
II am quite unnerved by this extra
ordinary occurrence, she says, when
she joins us; ..nor can l understand
any sane woman playing such q paltry
trick
Perhaps she is not sane" suggests
Hurry.
II don't think that; she is sane
enough, " answers the companion, with
decided nod. II am afraid we
can't put it down to anything but
maliee. She always was most eccentric,
and her mind has got into a morbid
state with always dwelling on one
mc,lrntul subject. We have been
abroad for years, and are starting
again shortly; only she had great
fancy for spending few weeks here
before her departure. She has pre-
sentiment that she will never return
to. England
..You should get heraway from here
as soon as possible"
..Of course, and will guarantee
with faint smile-.'that she sha'n't
play the ghost again"
u am afraid she has sprained her
ankle badly" / say.
I'm that case she will have to keep
10 tReshouse.
Upon my word, / pity you your
ask" says Harry, with a shrug Of his
all shoulders.
"You are very kind, but your pity is
;uperhuous," answers the companion
lrily. miss Seymour likes ME, and
[ am most attached to her, notwith-
standing her eccentricities. We lead,
IS q rule, peaceable, though some
What bohemian existence, wandering
fs,out the continent"
..Wcll, We must be going. remark,
after staring for some moments in blank
wonder at the little woman before me.
Thea Mrs. WHEELER unfastens the
lcavy bolts OF the hall door, which are
somewhat stiff. Good nights" are ex-
changed, and we step out once more
nto the brilliant moonlight.
ut is about the strangest affair /
over knew in my lifc," remarks Harry