Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-02-14

the stairs and woinan'o CRY, and inn
mediately after q voice outside reused
me.
cHArTEn XIII.
"Nliss Chris.ic!' -
+ 1t was Mr.. E&ync=: ceiling. did
not answer.
..Miss Christie, my dear child, sro
you there? Arc yoa consciousP''
The handle of The door turned, but it
was locked.
II am not Ill, tharE YOU"
"But your voice IS weak. Did that
woman hurt youp" he asked, anxious
ly.
NO, no; ain only frightened. I
will tell you all about it tomorrow. !
can't talk now"
Then as l thought of what had Just
occurred 1 again became frightened at
the thought of Sarah, and Historically
begged Mr.. Rayner TO keep her away.
''She shall not como near you, child;
l swear it! You are quite safe. will
lock the door at tho bottom CT these
stairs, and come and let you out N.Y.
self in the morning." he said, in e low
voice.
The thought of being locked in
did not reassure me much; but
thanked him and wished him good
night, with n last piteou3 appeal TO
keep Sarah away. Then I CROPPED
in the dark until found match and
my bedside. lay awake long time
but finally, worn out, I fell asleep.
The following morning MIR. Rayncr
unlocked my door and conducted ME
to the breakfast-room. I was looking
very white and haggard. Tho thought
OF having Sarah wait on me at the
table filed mo with dread, and with
tightly closed lips L awaited her appear
ance. But to my great relief Jane
waited on the table. Had Sarah gone
already? My heart leaped at the
thought. AT breakfast ]ir. Rayac.
proposed that Haidee and accompa:.;
him to town, saying that both mistress
and pupil were looking as though a
holiday would do them good. l IS
sented, rather nervously, and he tuil
me to be ready in an hours time.
After breakfast l went 70 my room,
where found Jane attending 10 the
work. She looked at me shyly and felt
sure she had heard something of my
adventure. l wanted to know what
She prepared to leave the room as
entered.
''Ncver mind, Jane; don't 20. So
you are doing the rooms this mora
ing?"
Yes, miss. Ihave got to get into the
way of it. You know Sarah is going
away. miss?"
is sheP' and could not keep my
face from frightening. 'But what is
she going away for?"
"Oh its all along of you, miss! She
burst into cook and me this morning,
and said she would not stay in house
where there were suci goings on. Oh,
she said all kinds O. things about you;
but cook and paid no attention to
them; we're used to old Sally. But
then she said-shc said"
Yes-wcll?"
"She said as how she went up to
your room, hearing noise, and then
as how
$50 on"
Then as how-Mr. Rayner came up
and-and wasn't best pleased to find
her there
Ycs-well."
But Jane would not 60 on, but got
very red and tidgeted about with the
cloth she was holding. And suddenly,
as 1 watched the girl in wonder, the
whole awful truth flashed upon me OF
the complexion that Sarah had given
to the story. l did not speak for a
minute-and then said very quietly:
81 suppose she didn't tell you that
she tried to steal something 1 wear
round my neck; that, when she found
she couldn't, she threw a handkerchief
stepped with some drug over my face
to make me unconscious. that she
might get at it more easily; that it was
my screams that brought Mr.. Rayner
upstairs, and that he stood outside and
called her till she came to him. Here,
I'll show you the very handkerchief. -
had tucked it down in the corner
of one of the drawers. 1t still smelt
family of the stuff it had been soaked
in. Little James face frightened with
wonder and downright honest pleas
| urc
I'm that glad, miss. I could Dance
said she. ''She said Mr.. Rayner let
her fall downstairs in the dark, and
went on up without taking no notice
and she really is a good deal bruised,
and serves her right. But there never
is no believing Sarah. And for her to
talk about goings-on! Oh, my, we did
laugh, cook and mel" And Jane
chartered on about Sarah and her many
unpleasant attributes till she had
finished her work. and left the room
with bright grin of friendship.
So Sarah, after doing me wrong
worse than all the rest in circulating
lies to injurc my reputation, was go
ing. But she would probably not re
at once and felt cculd not sleep an.
other night in the same house with her
had resolved to leave the Alders as ]
lay awake the night before. disliked
to do so. was sorry to leave Mr..
~IYTT ET N"Nnos