Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-02-22

l ."o o'AA, oAN gave rue a paCkeC Ol tracts These l was to deliver to Miss Maud Rcadn for distribution in her dis trict iis week.
 Il went through the side gate of the VlcaraGe garden and across the park to the hall, where l rang the bell and asked fer Miss Maud Reade. I had to watt only few minutes when the door opened and she came in. 1 Sne was a girl of about sixteen, with weak but not disagrceable face; and she shook hands with me rather timid- 1 ly, but not unkind!y.
 i ''Mrs. Manners asked me to bring you these tracts for your district, Miss Readc. She has marked some for peo- pie she thinks them specially suitable for, said l. giving her the packet.
 ',Ihank you; it is very kind of you to take so much troublc." said she. | ''Oil, it is no trouble at all!' I an- swcred.
 There was pause of rather awk- ward restraint. and then I said in & whisper:
 'Laurence-your brother-told me to come and see you. and to ask you to i put a-a letter from me to him inside l yours. He said 1 was to tell you to re- member your promise, and he would remember his; he underlined that" Miss Readc's constraint broke up at once. and she grew as much excited and "S mysterious as l. "Dli h.? Then he hasn't forgot ten:' she said, in a hissing whisper. Il suppose you know what it is; it's about getting Mr. Reynolds to come here next winter. Oh. do keep him up to it! I'll do any thing in the world for you-that won't get me into trouble wit hj;,o x~o,, ,-:l1,,,
 "l will. I'll remind him again in my next lcttcr-or when I see him. I'll say: Don't forget to invite Mr. do?"
 Oh. yes, that will do beautifully! But it is long time to wait," sighed the girl.
 ,hon:r sic was much too young to be in love. vixen she was st,ll in short frocks and wore her hair in a n'"-i,l'; but l Was obliged to help her, ! r turn for the service I wanted her to 'lo mo.
 Il have brought my letter." said I, mysttrlou>ly. Shall you be writing soon?' Il have q letter ready now, and l vii put yours inside and give it to a gentleman who is here, and who is eo- ing back to London directly after tea, and will ask hn to post it at once"
 ''Oh. 'l"nH you. sa d l; and trem- b!ingly. with fear lest the dreaded Alice shou get hold of it, put my letter into rr hands, and soon after ward left the house.
 A fog had gathered thickly and could hardly itn,l my way across the grounds. Hearing voices, I supposed it was some of tn, servants talking, and was just upon the point of asking one of them to direct mo to the gate when few words l., Il mans voice caused me to stop suddenly and listen.
 It was the voice of Tom Parkes. He was protesting that one of the mail servants, to wncm he was talking, was very cool in her manner.
 ''Ies, to such weathercccks as you.' answered the girl. with rough coquetry. ''Wh hv, you are le.-ping company with that ugly S:rah it MT. RayHer's; and, now, she is i!l, you want to take up W'th me- Oh, a tine sweetheart you'd makc!"
 But she was not as obdurate as these words promised. It seemed to me, with my suspicious concerning Tom al- ready strong. that in the talk which fol- lowed he managed with very little diff cuity to find cut a good deal about the ways of the household, and also that he spoke as if he had learned from her a good deal already. Presently heard the sound of kiss. and he promised to come and sec her again on Wednesday; and then they went away; while l, seized by sudden inspiration, found my way not to the park, but back to the house. which was less difficult.
 l asked for Miss Maud Rcade again; ,.l,. # Al. drawing-room and met me in the hall as soon as l was announced, and whis- pered:
 They are all in there. Come into the library"
 May I have my letter back, just to put in something have forgotten?" said l.
 "Oh, yes; here it is!"-and she drew it from her pocket. "Write it here. wilt give you a pen. Why, how white you look! Has any thing happenedp"
 "Oh, no. no, nothing. thank you!'
 l wrote on a half sheet of paper, which l carefully folded inside my let ter, these words:
 "A man who was at Denham Court, and about whom 1 have strong suspi- cions. is hanging about the Hall now. H. is coming here again on Wednesday night'
 put my letter into q fresh envelope, and put the torn one into my pocket that it might not be seen about; then I begged Miss Reade earnestly to send the letter oif at once. as there was something in it of the utmost impor- tance; and she whispered again: .'Re- member-Mr R ynolds in the winterr'
 | made my way safely, though with some difficulty. through the park and the window l had left unflstened. 1 heard the voice of Tom Parkes in the study and that of Mir. Rayner, speak ing kindly in reply. And when Tom had said ''Good-night, sir,' l went up- stairs and prepared for tea. l said nothing of where had been or what I had done.
 That evening Mr Rayner had q crraat