The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1889-02-08

teCSueuUS CMe mistress heart went;
out to the maid with the snme in.
stinct which had prompted her ntthe
cost to visit dingy enement-houses
and pauper wards in hospitals. There
was a responsiveness, an affecsionate-
ness, about the cook to the attrnc.
tion of which Betty succumbed Re-.
sides, the girl was pretty, with Il slen-
der rounded figure, and brilliantly
bright hazel eyes, q fair, pure skin
and soft golden brown hair. These
charms increased after she had lived
q decent quiet life with the Marshalls
or two or three months, and n cer-
tain hageard look disappeared.
10 be sure, she had been a little off
her head for the last week or so. She
had looked in the morning as though
she mad not closed her eyes the night
before; she had returned to Il former
habit, which had yielded to Mrs.
Marshalfs representations, of going
about until high noon her head tied
up. 80 tearfully uncheerful," COM
planned Betty. Moreover, she was
peevish and fretfnl. There was alto
gether an air, ,lnmistakable to the
housekeeper, Of uncertain tenure of
office about her, which struck " chill
to Betty's heart. This young lady
was was as welded to present ways as a
cat. All change had q vague element
OF terror for her.
Hence it was with 81 sense If relief
that she remarked that her Mary
was aroused from her apathy and in.
difference by the fact of Lieut. Mar
sllall's unexpected orders. She was
as communicative us possible, pleas
ed ut having hit upon ~ subject of
interest. Still she kept recurring to
the strong impression that Mary was
an odd creature. She had f;,,rntten
something, and went back to the
kltcileil unexpectedly. There stood
Mary i'll the middle Of the room, her
clenciled slender fist pressed against
her temples, her bright dark eyes
gazing out before her with fixed in
,,a. tensavs ~ concem.ration' poised on
~. e' sm,,;a s.,.a afc,leo e, lee. as .houghapout
~, ~ ,sa spaing, sne suggested an alert,
.,apPeu creltuIe AI pay. "hat an
uh.u'leu. 'nha4 pIonleMatic'ii Siri, and
,snsod %,. .,Ieo hnn, ,a.l; c.sl.,Iatlon had pro
aueei e J. @ l'ur. , nlean.''ne nc, all Wel'.pnl.
eeu aiSa ,tsM ,t.ouse'heepers VIII agree that
~ 's. h,. ,Marsnal, @ was most unfortunate
III ,.,,a ,as'sms WI SUCH an uhsu1taole COOK,
WIRE s'ls ever so deVoted TO the re-
ser.er,.'ioh m Oh humanity;
,,, nusk NV was Sl1nerng about tlepost
W.. M.t: s, M,s. ., Marsilaii 'MtooE herself 10
a";.a' a." non. ~ 1oor ZOO, ahd looked up ana
" ~" -, ,.,e n -, ',.e o, quarters ana aeross
u une Par'sde-ground and wished for
t.' rom; n a man man came rapidly down
o,' o,'I hpM i'i'A ""'h' l'l"sea' anu aduress-
eu l.er'
"Does Mrs. Escadero live hcre?"
IL was u second before Betty re-
memheled that that wns the elegant
name OF her cook Yes, tho does. J"
'Can see her? I'm n brother of
hers"
Betty looked up with pleased inter.
cst. A lump was lighted near by mt
the moment, and brought out the
slender features and fair hair of her
complexion Il striking face, and which
was also strikingly like Mnry's. lie
seemed quite IL hoy: Younger than
Mary; or perhaps it was the express.
ion. He had n quick, bright, boyish
smile that flashed upon BETTY before
he moved into the shadows of the
porch.
II will call your sister, or yon can
look her up yourselfit you choose,
Through that gate; the kitchen is at;
the end of the yard. You will find
her there"
THANK you, m.,'am." said the
young fellow, ,anddisappearc,lthrourh
the gate.
Afterward some friends came in.
and there was a game of whist, a trl.
gal, impromptu supper followed. 4
friend offered to stay all night if Bet.
ty was nervous Mt being left alone.
but this she rejected and scorned the
notion oftear. Nor was she in the
least afraid; it was part OF her creed
that n soldiers wife should have a
stout heart. She made a pretense Of
closing door. and windows for the
night, saying all the while in her
heart that il WAS n waste nf strenrtl,
to tnke these precautions in u place
so carefully pnrollcd. Finally she
went out into the kitchen to saw a
last word to Mary. She found tho
deserted. 4 lamp was
burning high, the flame blown about
in a draught from the open door,
She closed the door and looked about
her. Another door led upstairs to u
loft adjoining her ownroom: it occur.
red to her to shoot the bolt, which
was on the outside. Some one might
slip in and up while Mary is out" On
her way upstairs she laughed Mt her
self for having done this. How silly
of her the bolt could be slipped back
again in IL moment. Once in her
room. it occurred to her that the door
leading from her room into the gnr.
ret was the ono TO make fast. But
on examination it proved to have
no f,stenings.
She heard Mary come to the room
she occupied mt the head of the
stairs presently. hesitate. then
20 into her room, but without clos
ing the door.
"That is nice of Mary,' reflected
the little mistess. "Sl.e thinks l am
afraid" And she smiled to herself
mt the notion.
Still, for all sl,e conld not sleep.