The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1890-01-10
FoILED BY CHANCE.

1nree years ago was 9 girl OF SIX.
teen. unemancipatsd from the school
room. My father as-and is-banker
at Siston. The town lies in valley
and by agreat many people is thought
unhealthy. Having q kinsman whom
he can thoroughly trust as acting
manager. papa these many years
since has abandoned the red house
in siston Broadway, and resided at
the Manor, Walnsey. Thisis, however
twelve miles from his place OF business
eight by rail added to four by road.
The Manor has one drawback-it
stands in very isolated situation.
Our nearest ncighbors are our name.
sakes, the Escotts OF Walnsey Cross:
and Valentia Lodge, the country seat
OF Capt. Milne Escott, lies westward
across the wilderness we call the
Heath a good three miles.
The month when my story opens
was that of February Fill.dike, and
and it was iustifyins its name. OF
storms we seemed to have a ceaseless
succession. Heavy rains and high
winds had been fox several weeks the
prevailing meteorological condition.
Alice-my younger sistcr-and
I were prisoners within doors;
and we should have found
time drag mora heavily than it did
but for the presence OF Val. An only
brother is always girls hero, and
Val was ours. In age he came be.
tween US, and his proper place at this
period OF the year was ut Rugby.
But he had met with an accident at
Christmas. and was only Just n.
valescent. Hence his holidays had
already lasted in excess a full fort
night of the working term. As per-
haps Val may read this. I will be
candid, and add that there were sea-
sons when, owing to his teasing, We
heartily wished him back in the Md
lands. The Tuesday on which papa
announced his urgent summons to
Ferris court was. however. not one
OF those occasions. Boreas was
doing his best to bring tho house
about our ears. We could not pos
sibly go out i'll tho tempest. We were
not ultra enthusiastic readers, and
fancy work was ever Alicc's bette noir;
therefore We must have settled into
tame subjectlon to ennui but tor Val.
1t was his business, as he put IL, to
make things lively, and he did.
had ventured to dcmur to papa's
going. Surely 1T was my place TO care
for him as mamma would have done
had she liTed, and his health had
troubled me OF late, thoushtless as
too frequently was.
at is dreadfully rough day,
papa" l said. Cannot SIR Hugo
Ferris wait? 1t is such distance
too, to Ferris Court; and all across
country. You can't reach the place
readily 10y rail-
'No; l wish that | could" papa an
swered. "But the journey is quite I'M.
perative. Sir Hugo is one OF our best
patrons. lie telesruphs TINT his de-
parture for Algiers is fixed definitely
for Thursday-an alterations OF II week
in his arrangements; and | have ur-
gent matters to discuss with him. lie
insists-toolishly, but cannot help
ton negotiating with the principal;
he will have none OF Mr.. Bellows"
suppose my face was visibly lengthcn-
Ing, for before could reply, papa add
ed. "Don't look so GUM about it,
Maggie. You'll be quite snio here in
charge of Mrs. Climber, our new house
keeper. l nm convinced that. after
many changes and mishnps, we have
secured q treasure. say this be.
cause it is uncertain if l shall return
tonight.
mot return tonlght" 1 echoed
helplcssly.
NO." he said. al have decided to
take the horses the whole way; and
rs the roads are in u bad state,
Spence will put the cattle up in lie
next village and then drive me back
the next morning. shall be sure oi
comfortable quarters at Ferris
Court"
ais it quite-safe?" / asked.
"For me to do you mean?"
moo, for us. This house is so
lonely. nnd it is known that there are
mammals jeweis-and the pictures
and the plate"
Papa scotYed at my fears. eve are
too far from the track of the light
fingered prower to receive his atten-
tions," he answered.
But it was an error.
Ever since that day have had
lurking belief in prcsentiments. !
know very well that the confession
will cause some superior persons, forti-
fled in the lines OF II sane common
sense, to smile with pity at my pir!isi
weakness. am somewhat disposed
to smile with them; and yet it
is not more certain that n plot exist
ed to rifle the manor, than
that hour by hour after papa had
gone Igrew more and more vaguely
but genuinely uneasy. SAID nothing
to either Val or Alice. Whit was
there to say? Nor to Mis-. Climber.
Somehow ! had not taken to theircsh
arrival so warmly as the others.
did not dispute that her rccomnen.
dat;ons were first-clnss, that hcrde
what 1T should be-ncther ovcrlcicr.
entail nor too iamilur-thnt she WAS
skillful house mistress and u paragon
OF order.
Dusk thickened at last, and we had
the approval OF our consciences in
closing blinds and drawing cirtaius
to, and shuttln! out by every recos.
nlzed expedient the drivin. cloud rack
the desolate landscape, and TIE con-
stant drip. drip OF the complaining
trees. And then Val accepted u stray
challense-mine or Aice's, cannot
now be sure;the point is immatrrlal-
and proceeded, with Il How oi boyish
eloquence which promised well for his
intended future at the bar, to vind.
cate his latest hobby, the science OF
graphlology. He had n notable little
collection OF autographs and spacl.
mems OF calisraphy which ne rumnlag.
ed out OF his hoard OF treasures; ard
upon these he descantcd with all tie
dogmatism ri the professor and all
the fervor OF the disciple. AS he was
pointing out to half skeptical critics
and listeners an alleged resemblance
between traits in the historical char
acter OF the Duke OF Wellington and
features in the great warriors hand
writing, he was interrupted. 10 the
surprise OF each OF us We heard the
rumble OF approaching wheels on the
soaked avenue without.
"Can papa be back after all, and rs
early as this?" Alice cried.
mot he. That isn't our carriage,