Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1889-04-03
OUT by the storm that made a journey

Oub w Uuo SCoiln InAI maze y journey
Of miles an unpleasant thing" ss4s
''And almost impossible, since my
rheumatism is so bad at present." re-
marked Aunt Lucinda, despondently.
II hope your robber,. won't modest
your guests" laughed Ralph. II
think I have fifty cents, and while it
isn't much, it is Something"
"Other people have slept in the
house often, but nothing is disturbed
except things belonging to me, or in
my CHARGE" said Aunt Lucinda, seri-
ously.
Suppose we keep awake all night
and watch for this mysterious robber,"
suggested Alice.
Aunt Lucinda smiled, and shook her
head. d" ..,..s& 5@:.~
The loss OF. one nights sleep means
sick headache the next day for me; and
as you young people were up unusually
late last night. do not think you
could keep awake if you tried. No.
we will retire as usual; and since there
is nothing valuable in the house, we
will try to Danish the unpleasant topic
from our minds"
Nothing valuable! Ralph, Leila,
just hear her!'' laughed the roguish
Dora "She says there is nothing valu-
able in the house, when 1 saw Ralph
slip ring on Lelia's finger not an hour
ago, real gold ring. too. know it
must be gold, for Ralph has been
economizing to the verge of parsimony,
lately"
At this Leila flushed Ralph looked
annoyed. and Alice rebuked Dora with
gentle "For shame, Dora!" and Aunt
Lucinda glanced at the slender hand
with Ralph's ring upon the engage
ment finger.
The sight of that ring and their
happy, confused faces brought back
host Of memories of her own Young
days. She had learned to love the
gentle orphan girl as dearly as those
others who were her very own.
What will you give me if I catch
your burglar tonight, aunt?" Ralph
asked as they were about to separate
for the night.
''Whoever captures the robber shall
have all that hasn't been spent of the
lost money!" laughed Aunt Lucinda.
'Not much inducement in that"
pouted Dora, prettily. HE has had
thirty years in which to squander it,
and Of course there isn't any thing left
by this time"
'rll bunk down here by the fire, on
the sofa." said Ralph; land if any
thing unusual happens l will come to
your assistance.
'Thank you, Ralph, I shall feel
easier if you are within CALL, respond
ed his aunt.
An hour later the house was wrapped
in the silence of night, and it's in
mates in the mantle of slumber Some
time in the night Leila was awakened
from sound slumber by the cautious
movement of hand searching for her
own. Her eyes were wide open in an
instant, while a nameless thrill of
terror swept over her from head to
foot.
What was it? What terrible thing
was about to happen?
The curtain was topped back from
the window, and a silvery line of
moonlight lay athwart the floor, for
the storm was over, and the moon
lodged in and out among the clouds.
In the dim light she saw white figure
by her bed, and when the first spasm
of terror was past she realized that her
engagement-ring was gone.
Then the white form began to fade
away, and Leila was fully aroused at
once. Her first impulse was to call
Ralph; her next, to follow her mys-
FERROUS visitant. She obeyed this last
impulse, though her limbs trembled,
| and her teeth chartered with fright.
Out into the shadowy hall where the
| nlght-lamp was turned low, down it's
entire length, and then Leila realized
that they were about to enter the room
where Miss Lucinda's father had died.
and which had not been used since.
The white, ghostly thing in advance,
went straight to the window and looped
back the curtain. The moon, Just es-
Gaping a cloud, sent flood of softened
light into the room, and then Leila
discovered that the white figure out
lined in the moonlight was none other
than Miss Lucinda's own self.
She knelt before large, old-fash-
Toned bureau, and drew from the very
bottom of it a hidden drawer. AS she
was about to add Lelia's own pretty
ring to the treasures already concealed
within, the girl laid her hand on Miss
Lucinda's shoulder and spoke her
name. With start of surprise the
woman awoke, and for a moment was
frightened and bewildered at her Pc
culiar situation.
"Whcever captures the robber shall
have ali that has not been spent of the
money. You all heard her say it. O
Leila! you are q lite an heiress," ex-
claimed Dora the next morning as
they stood in ''Grandpa Weston's''
room looking over the articles and
money that Aunt Lucinda had been
putting away in that drawer for years.