Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1890-05-09
CAUGHT.

81 say, Rigby, this is deuced cheeky piece
of business on my part!' cried Mr. Inomas
Ellis from the depths of a comfortable sofa,
where he lay with his hands clasped over his
head, idly watching his companion.
mot bit of it," responded that gentle
man promptly He was busy unpacking the
contents Of huge valise, and, as he SPOKE
tossed into the air roll of cuffs and collars,
that scattered over the floor like SO many
huge snowfakes 81 tell you it's all right.
shall be back long before dinner and explain
things to the old lady. All you've got to do
till then is to stay just where you are
.But. hang it! I've never seen your aunt"
ssWhat of that? You're going to be intro
duced aren't you, as soon as she gets home?
It's all right. She'll be pleased enough"
swell, 1 shouldn't be- responded Mr.. Ellis
candidly. '.Fancy being swooped down upon
unexpectedly by two fellows, one of whom
she has never even heard of She'll get into a
fearful rage: YOU see if she DOESN'T
The valise was empty Herbert Rigby
flung it into corner and surveyed the scene
with a twinkle in his bright blue eyes He
was q EOOu lOOh1lls5 yOuL5 ASiiC'' Va W. sN'--
twenty. in the senior class at Harvard. His
parents were in Europe, and the only acces-
sible relative he had was this aunt who lived
in great old fashioned mansion on Beacon
hill. A childless widow for many years, she
had all the prim, set ways of an old maid, and
to a lively college boy the stiffness and still
ness of her house were SO depressing that ne
went there very seldom.
fn
that this is a home,' she wrote in unwonted
warmth and cordially. Come when you
like, stay as long as you like do what you
like when you are here The latch string Is
always out, and 1 wish you would take me at
my word"
So he had, and now that he had not only
come himself, but brought that high spirited
youth. Tom Ellis, along with him to stop
over Sunday, he was surprised at his own
temerity and more dubious as to their recep-
ton than he would own.
mot at ome, sir" said Jarvis, the funereal
butler, when the two young men arrived
with two portmanteaus in a cab He was fal
too well trained to show the astonishment he
felt at the unexpected visitors.
1--WE are going to stay till Monday, Jarvis, j
Herbert explained with dignity. Il suppose
we can nave tue IOOHi Ou JIG uoOi oNCA LII }
aunt's Will you speak to one of the maids,
please, and let me know as soon as the car
rage returnsF
They waited a few moments in the hand
some, cherries drawing room. Then maid
appeared to say that the room was ready.
To Herbert's surprise, they followed her up
two flights of stairs and by the apartment OF
which he had spoken to another as large, but
not as sunny and pleasant, at the rear of the
house.
81 hope you'll find every thing comfortable
SIR" said pretty Mary, throwing the dool
open. A fire burned in the CRATE, and gave {
COW air to the scene. eff there's anything
wanted you'll ring, please, sir. I'm sorry
about the other room, sir but Miss Willard
has that now" and she had vanished from
their gaze before Herbert had time to put his
wonder into words and say:
swell, now, who under the canopy is Miss
Willards"
ring and ask, suggested Tom
80, pshaw! I can wait and find out. Prob
ably some old trump staying with my aunt
This isn't half bad, after all; hey, Tome"
And it was about an hour afterward that
the conversation above recorded took place
Poor Herbert had discovered that he had lef
his white neckties out in Cambridge, ant
Mrs. Ashurst was such a stickler for etiquette
that to have dHled without one would hav
forfeited her esteem, and even tolerance for
ever There was nothing to do but teal
madly across the Common to buy new ones.
The unpacking finished, he babe his frient
hasty farewell, and set out. Tom, left t.
the devices and desires of his own heart
dozed for a while on the sofa, woke suddenly
jumped up, and, wandering restlessly abou
from window to window, regarded the pros
pect until he had become perfectly familiar
with the backs Of the houses on Pinckne,
street, of which the view principally con
sisted
He looked at his watch Only o'clock
1t was already growing dark, for the winte
afternoons were at their shortest, and light
ing the lamp, with sigh at the hours tina
must elapse before dinner at 8, he began t
search for a book to while away the time.
A Bible, a prayer book and Thomas
Kempis' on the table: "How to Crochet
and 1.-The Young Housekeeper's Friend" O
the chiffonier; Euripides and a Greek Lexicon
among Herbert's boots in chair. That wa
the extent of the literature the room al
forded
''Why, saw library on the floor belor
as we cdiIle up, lIOuSHG MI. Ellis w ullllSeL
brilliantly "What's to hinder my slippin
down to get book? The aunt's out, an
none of the servants will be round those IT
gions. NUNS the wordn'
There was something about the idea of thi
stolen expedition wonderfully taking to
youth of adventurous tastes and his spirit
rose at once. Cautiously putting his hea
out of the door, he saw no sign of life, hear
e., l@ol,o
the faintest suspicion of suggestion that
well cooked dinner was in progress. Tn
halls were very dimly lighted, and Ton
issuing forth in the excitement of the me
ment quite forgot what ridiculous fgur
he was in Herbert's bath wrap of gray fame
which trailed after him on the floor.
The library was unoccupied. of course. !
lamp burning family enabled him to see til
titles of the many books that filled tn
shelves, and, selecting one of Cooper's novel
and Daniel Deronda," he started back, we
pleased with the success Of his quest. Blu
hardly had he crossed the threshold when b
fairly jumped with surprise. At the oppo
site end of the long, narrow corridor Their
appeared the apparition of beautiful youn
girl-tall, slight, very blonde, dressed in
white gown. One hand was pressed to he
ShSA as IL III lTlSuu, anu LIE Otnef WIS upC
the handle of the door.
The gray flannel bath wrap burst upo
TOMS recollection with hideous distinctnes
His one thought was to escape. But to &c
up stairs again was out Of the question, fo
he was close beside the charming vision
A door half way down the corridor caugh
his eye, closet probably; and without
single moments hesitation he rushed for tn
seclusion that it promised.
Shrek after shrek rent the air, and as h
gained his refuge he heard a swift rush O
skirts coming toward him, while in secon'
the key turned sharply in the lock, and poo
Thomas, in cold perspiration, realized tn
horrible truth that he was prisoner in
strange house, and in a bath wrap
Help, help, help" cried the clear youn
voice just outside the door. Murder fire
thieves! Jarvis! Mary! Ellen Come quick
there's burglar here! I've got him in tn