Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1889-05-03

y
with Ralph's ring upon the ongage-
ment finger.
The sight OF that ring and their
happy. confused facos brought back a
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 II catch
your burglar tonight. auntP" 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 induccment in that"
pouted Dora. prettily. "He has had
thirty years in which to squander 1t.
and OF course there isn't any thing left
by this time"
"rll bunk down here by the fire, on
the sofa," said Ralph; ''and il any
thing unusual happens will come to
your assistance"
THANK you, Ralph. shall feel
easier II you are within call, respond
ed his aunt.
An hour later the house was wrapped
in the silence OF night. and its in-
mates in the mantle OF slumber. Some
time in the night Leila was awakened
from sound slumbcr by the cautious
movement OF hand searching for her
own. Her eyes wore wido open in an
instant, while a nameless thrill OF
terror swept over her from head to
foot.
What was itp What terrible thing
was about to happenP
The curtain was looped back from
the window. and silvery line OF
moonlight lay athwart the floor, for
tho 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 hor mys-
terious visitant. She obeyed this last
impulse. though her limbs trembled.
and her teeth chartered with fright.
Out into the shadowy hall where the
night-lamp was turned low. d,wn its
entire lcngth, and then Leila realized
that tbav ,vara ,,hn,,t IN anita, tb 4, ,.,,r, N,
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 II cloud, sent a flood of softened
light into the room. and then Leila
discovered that the white figure out
lined In tho moonlight was none other
than Miss Luc ndas own self.
She knelt before large, old-fash-
ioned bureau, and drew from the very
bottom OF it II 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 moment was
frightened and bewidered ut her Pc
culiar situation
"Whoever captures the robber shall
have all that has not been spent OF the
money. You all hearL her say 1t. o
Leliai you are quite an hciress," ex-
claimed Dora the next morning us
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.
"You don't think she really meant
1t. or that | would take 1t il she did.
hope" returned Leila, hoping that
Miss Lucinda had not overheard Dora's
thoughtless words.
But she had heard. and. turning to
the young girl with grateful look,
she said
II did mean 1t, Leila. have quite
enough for my wants while ! live, and
1t will belong to my brothers chill
dren when need it no longer. This
touching the package of money shall
be yours now to buy and furnish the
little nest came near depriving you
OF your ring. dear. and now you shall
have the home"
but how did you come to do itp"
questioned Ralph. Il should think
you would have been hiding things
here on other nights than the 10th OF
March"
ut was on the 10th OF March that
father died." said Aunt Lucinda, So
berly, land little before his death
he told me OF the existence of this
drawer, and said that l would find his
important papers in it."
my first loss" she continued, "was
this dress; "lifting its shiny. yellow
folds from Its long resting-placc, and
touching 1t with rcverential tender
ness. II was nearly crazed with
grief at my loss, and when the 10th OF
March came, / spent the whole even
ing weeping for the dead father and
the dead lover. / remember that
held my useless wedding-dress and
dropped tears into its snowy folds
(they were pure white then, and my
hair was yellow. See how the two
have changed colors in the passage OF
years.. went TO sleep thinking OF
my losses, and that night hid my
dress in the secret drawer. After that
1t was natural should think OF these
things on that particular night; but
hope that the spell is broken now."
The fresh young faces clustered
about her with loving sympathy in
their fearful eyes. Having folded the
long-lost wedding dress, they replaced |
1t In the secret drawer. and, after kiss
ing her. took Lelia's fortune and went
back to the cozy sitting-room, while |
Leila and Ralph fingered behind the
others, In the dimness OF the long hall,
to have a few sweet words concern
ing the home-nest that was now possi-
e.--Rose Hartwlck Thorpe, in Demo-
rests Monthly.
Surg. Gen. Woodward, us. Army |