Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-02-12
TheI.Oase on thSMarSh.
THE MYSTERY OF THE ALDERS.
cZ ELc2E1s,. o WARDEN

her footstcp, and would rather not
have heard what l considered her i'll
omened tread on this first evening in
my new room. For knew that Sarah
disliked me, and even the fact that she
had brought me up some Goals to re-
plenish my fire did not reconcile me to
her presence. l tried to be friendly,
however, and, when had thanked her
for her trouble, said
II wonder this nice room has been
neglected so long. Has no one ever
used it, Sarahp'
'.Mr. Rayner used to use it for a
know whyhc gave it up; 1 suppose it
was too high up That was six months
ago, before you came"
''Its long way from any body else's
room, Sarah, isn't it?''
| ''Minc is the nearest, and have ears
like needles; so you needn't be fright
ened, said she, in Il tone which, really
sounded more menacing than consol.
ing.
lit will be rather lonely on stormy
night
''Oh, you won't want for company,
dare say! she said, with harsh graf
ing laugh.
why, all the company I am likely
to get up here is burglars, " answered,
lugubriously. -. -
The start she gave startled me in my
turn.
Burglars! What burglarsP What
are yon talking about?". -.Es
looked up amazed at the effect OF
my words on Sarah, whom. of all pco-
pie in the world. should have consid-
cred strong-minded.
'Why. | have more courage than
your l said. laughing lightly, I'm
not afraid of them. Would you be
afraid to sleep up here alone, Sarah?"
But she hardly took the trouble to
answer me except by nod; her black
eyes were fixed upon me rs l spoke, as
If she would, and almost as if she could,
penetrate to my. inmost SOUL Then,
as if satisfied with the result of her
scrutiny, she relapsed into her usual
hard, cold manner, and, answering my
goodnight shortly, left me alone.
The next day was Sunday, and there
were two strangers in church. They
were two fair-compleNioned, light.
haired girls who sat in the Rcat!cs'
pew. and who had evidently spared nc
expense on rather tasteless and unbe-
coming toilets. l caught my self feel
ing not sorry that they were addressed,
and glad that one was plain and that
the one who was pretty was dreadfullv ,
frcckled; and l wondered how it was
that l had grown so ill-natured. Mr..
Laurence Reade sat between them, and
he shared his hymn-book with the pref
ty one; and I did so wish it had been
with the plain one! And when we came |
out of church, and he and his sisters
and the two girls trooped out together
the breaking up of the group left him
to pair Off again with the pretty one
l remember noticing, as Haidee and
L walked home together, that the
midges teascd me more than they had
ever done that summer. that the sun
was more scorching, and that it was
just as dusty as if we had not had any
rain at all. 1t was a hnrrid day.
MIR. Rayner asked us, at dinner. if
we had noticed the two girls with the
pretty hair in Mr.. Reade's pew, and
said that he had heard that the one
with the blue eyes was the future Mrs.
Laurence Rcade, and that it would be
an excellent match for both of them.
And that aftern DON the heat and the
mldgeS and the dust were worse than
ever.
The next day Haidee and 1 had to
go to the village shop with a list of
|
get there. But it was Mr. Rayner's
hobby to encourage local trade, so we
had to go once week and tease the
selfish old man, who was its sole repre-
sentative, for the few articles he kept.
As we passed Geldham Park l saw Mr..
Reade, his sisters and the two strangers
On the lawn. AS we were going by
Mr.. Reade jumped up from the grass
where he had been reclining. I had 4
been In the shop some minutes tapping
Iainly on the counter when Mr. Reade
dashed into the shop and greeted me
with much surprise. Wien he had .
asked after Mr. and Mrs. Rayner there |
vas pause, and he seemed to look to
ne to continue the conversation; but T
could think of nothing to say. So he
canned about, digging his cane into
he cheese and knocking down jar of !
nutf, which he carefully scraped to-
yether with his foot and shoveled back, ,
lust and all, into the Jar, while I still
appel and still nobody came W..
"Hc must be at dinner" said I, re- I
ignedly. elm that case we shall have to 1
Wait :
For l knew Mr. Bowles. So Mr.. |
seade seated himself on the counter. t
convenient places these village '
hops are said he. 'fs. c
Yes, if you don't care what YOU {
get, nor how stale it is said I, sharply. ;
He laughed, but did not intend to t
re funny at all. t
~ came in only for some"-here he t
ooked round the shop and his eyes S
ested on a pile of dusty toys-''fo1 t
ONE marbles. 1 thought they would f
o for the school-treat, you know !
l was determined not to be drawn a
1to another tete-a-tete with him, so h
urned to leave the shop. But his ?
topped me. t
''Old Bowles can't be much longer" f
aid he, rather pleadingly. "Il L
'anted to ask you if you were any bet "
IF. l thought last Sunday you were b
boxing awfully ill., .u'.',. .t,ul
Last Sunday?"- 1 thought OF
lose GIRLS 81 was novor hottor IN "