The morning call., 1890-07-19
ELSIE'S ADVENTURE.

by night as 1t Is by day. Why IT'S but SIX
o'clock; and as Tor the distance, faint more
than half mile"
THAT is by the fields, Mariha-by the road 1t
is longer; and there is one part OF the road so
dark"
The darkness does not hurt folks, Miss Elsie.
Pluck up bit OF courage, and in an hour or SO
you'R be back. Now, if 1 wasn't lame"
"But you are Martha, and must have cour-
sge So gOod-by! on 1 wish l was safely
home againi To be sure, in one way the dark
ness will help me, because IL Will prevent me
being seen. Now then Pm OFF,
And safe journey, Miss Elsie" responded
Martha. ut wont be a very long one. Just
But YOUR hair well under your hat, and muifie
your cloak round you lis as well not TO lee
your bright face lie seen TO be sufe-not when
you're out al this time, alone"
"Oh Martial don't make me more afraid than
l am! Ii l don't run straight off this moment
all my lille sleek OF courage will ooze away.
Wish me safe lack-Ohl Ii is dark"
With which words the youthful speaker opened
Tie garden gate and fed along The straight road
viii swift steps.
IL was slill night, though II was winter. Not
leal was stirring not a bOugh moved, and a thick
eanoiy OF gray clouds shrouded everything The
sun had set long since. so long that twilight had
eltuely yielded 10 darkness. Indeed II was so
dark, even at this early hour OF The evening, that
rassei-by lad come TO a slaudstll upon The
wei grtensWard intending TO ask his way; and 1t
was dulng the short pause lie made, While lie
mUmentJrly EeSitated whether he should go up
10 lie house close al hand aud make Inquiries
OF trust to his own recollection Of tie spot, that
he overheard lie short dialogue with which this
story opens,
Poor young lady, l viii not increase her fear"
thought The gOOd-n1tured young fellow who
Internationally had caught tile words exchanged
between Miss Elsie and Martha. And thus lie
Gem AIMED stUcksiil upon tie tuf Till the young
LADY, WHO was 20 tlmId, should have got far
enough upon Ber road not 10 be alarmed by tie
SOUNDS OF footsteps coming behind her; for he
TOO was going In that direction ana he aban-
dOHed his notion Of taking the hc!d path; lie
coud md his way Without inquiry along the
Naturally lie asked himself who this Miss FL
sic Was, also where size vas going, and WHY.
But none Of these mental questions seemed
likely 10 find answer, He could only luier
that size Was going toward MOiebam, Country
town fuliy half a mile distant. What sweet,
musical Voice she had loo, as she pdIleyed with
the servant al The gale before size emerged INTO
tie darkness, Which she 50 much dreaded. Our
pasStl 10y, young man, an al chilect, very well
10 DO III HE wotlG, l0nged 10 oner MS escort TO
this girl, who was SO terrified at the gloom. But
be, stranger, could offer no such Thing. He
himself wound lie further source OF alarm 10
Ter. 80 lie Was SILENT allowing leI 10 pass on
her way.
u wish / had caught glimpse of her fac-,"
thought lie, with such d voice beauty must 90
hand M hand, surely" Aud then lie listened TIL
lie WAS certain lie young gin was lar ahead,
Wien lie TOOK the way 10 Moreham.
lie walked leIsuIeiy SO as not 10 oyeiiake tie
flying footsteps OF Elsie, and had reached hall
way toward -Iiolthhli wien lie UtCdiile aware VI
muyeut M ahead Of hlu, and neAi lie saw tue
GlimueT OF a lantern Which somebody must Oe
cdgI9 lng. Then came voice. but not before
Al .Hut BalIusd-Sucu was lie young architects
HaIAe-had distinguished by that momentary
CLEAN OF light lie shrinking form OF a gnl by the
TOausJr.
Wasn't hat Of Elsie? Had she been afraid TO
20 on: Arthur remained perfectly quiet,
slIOuded ~ tie gloom.
80 you're CONE, Betty? l bad 10 light the
lantern a minute 10 make sure said The voice
o. Q! Il nlau-aoaise dIsagIeeabe, as il fearful of
being uYelheald-"my Old eyes gets binder
every day. Hush! us tonight, glri, you're 10
lake tue tools, dye heal ?-tO-nlgGt, afuTe IL
UclUchi GO behind lie big barn at Pine Grove,
aud jim and lis pals viii be there. All you've
. lCdIueu yOuI lesson We'll at last No sredkin',
-lisieuia's hes. al THESE tines Heres tie tools!
Next there was a shambtng sound, as OF some
'qIe stealing on who could not walk freely and
Viii eI-c-thsu silence.
Arthur, staiulne his ears TO catch every
sound i,li vrrS uncomfortable. What he had
tscH overheard appeared so Ike a dark seci ct
erlriy, Tie man VINO had enIOiaed his cOnfeder-
-ate 10 take The tools 10 tie big barn at Pine
Gtcye was a thief and in league with thieves.
How sin II VS.! Had The girl moved Ou2 He
mus, have made a strange mistake TO suppose
That thai shrinking. figure, Of which he had OBJ
e. famed swiftly vanishing glance, was that Of
tlsle.
.ri"posSbe 10 Arthur to 20 on his way unheed-
Ius. II Iuiqulty were blamed, lie must take
some MEASURES 10 stop II.
II viii see vino IL L al any cost"
III d moment he had struck a match from box
he canled with his cigar-ease and for brief
: Seroud on Two lis gaze pierced The darkness
around him,
= les, lHeIe was the figure OF girl not three
yViGS tlUu The spot where he stood, but she WAS
so muiiitd up IN hef CLOAK that II was impossible
. i'ir hiiu 20 determine whether ts Was Elsie OF
Inc mans aeeompheei but al her leel lay a small
Iu>h basket Were The Ioos' within Il?
vi LO are you ?" SAID lie, gTasping the basket
as lis fan light expired, aud left Tie envelopDg
g, ON blacker than ever. But the girl made no
reply, and Arthur could be certain she WAS steal
Ing away la lie darkness. 81 Will know lie end
or This matteI!" exclaimed he. again Striking a
match, and wishing thai some passing vehicle
would come that Way
But all was silent save for soft cry which
Smote hIs ear for an instant
lie young mdu felt sure that that cry came
from lie musical, though ihed voice Of her
whom lie had heard addressed as Miss Elsie"
'DOut lie alarmed" cIled lie. Have you
been frightened? >an ! be OF any use IN escort
llg you 10 the town? My name Is Arthur Bay
fora, aHG / AN Tie al chtecL Who is erecting tile
lew buildings on Lord HartOG's estate"
Ills answer 10 these hurried sentences was
burst OF hysterieal Iears from the young lady,
WHO lad been intensely Terrified at her encounter
Will Tie man WHO (mistaking Der for somebody
else Lad cUriided 10 her Care The TOOLS"
Pay, pray don't be alaimed-yOu are safe
now! Kermit me 10 be your escort" said Al
itut, quite aEltated al her distress. Ills manner
" 80 reassUIing that size soon grew calmer.
Il was gong into MOTeham," said she. "a
servant oil my fathers has slipped down short
Elgh; OF stairs, aud could not let her 20 through
TIE night without medical advice, and my father
is from home aud our other servant is elderly and
~
Murtudm myself"
II understand" reioned lie "Win you per-
nit ne 10 be OF any service? Allow to
company you 10 the house vi the medical man.
ana see you III safety there Will be plenty oil
time afIerwaTd 10 inform The police of this rem
devious behind the big barn at Pine Grove"
'Oh! thank you'll Thauk you most sincerely"
cried Elsie, UNNECESSARILY relieved by his words
and lis tone oj voice. ! lie darkness was not
less dense around her than when she starred OH
her Grand but somehow II seemed as il her
trouble was at an end. AT Is one Is ready to
pffltf de In "A Al 1pHE lSI-
fell that her trust IN this unknown protector
would not be misplaced.
Ibey walked on together IN the wntry gloom,
and can It be wondered al that Elsie had great
curiosity 10 see Arthur, and that Arthur had an
immense desire 10 behold Elsie? Under the cir
euHIsances Of such nIeeIIng was 1t possible
that they should feel on the lOolng OF acquaint-
ancr formed but moment ago?
Their youth, the unexpected encounter the
very darkness which shIOuded them from each
oilers gaze, the episode with The unknown man
who had mistaken Elsie fol some other person,
her terror ArthuTS quickly offered protection,
all combined 10 impress them each Win ii SENSE
Of ROMANCE and with interest in each other.
Tie walk into MOIeham Appeared quite short
10 Dom, ana when the DOCTORS house was
reached aud Elsie asked ." ii Dr. Meadows WAS
al lolne?" Arthur made sudden exclamation:
- Can II be that lie Is the d. Meadows who was
so KIND TO me when boy? On, Miss Maynard"
by tbs time he had ascertainrd her name, per
MY me TO wait moment III order TO satisfy my
SET OF Thls point, and also 10 be sure if | can be
of any luther use 10 YOU"
= Dr. Meadows was not at home. however; he
ana Elsie, after leaving urgent message CON
corning her disabled servant, was glad enough to
accept ArhuI's offer OF an escort home. linen,
willie size tesIed In the doctors study Arthur
carried the suspicious basket OF tools TO the
police station, aud gave Information concerning
The projected meeting behind The big barn at
Pine Grove. And in another Dalf hour Else and
Eer hitherto unknown companion were relfaclng
their steps, Eisle's heart beating faster than
dsual-Arthur In n0wise displeased at thus hay-
lng 10 traverse Ills path second time.
On lie way back The young people seemed to
Team good deal OF each other, and They were
alike fegretful that the walk was al an end.
Wien once mOie Elsie stood at her fathers gate.
And Yet It was nor night when, for mere pleas
nIe, any one would have fingered out OF doors.
why, lien, was Elsie decidedly sorry to turn out
OF lle chill mist iutO the shelter Of home. and
AIlhur SO Wiling 10 proloDg their parting by
-1tely small device In his power? Was IL that
rove was already born in each heart, though as
YET ne SnIOuded bis face under another guise?
Wei, my dear, must say you had an adyep-
lule Which might have ended more seriously and
we must De civil TO this nice MT. Bayford, and
ask pm 10 lunch or TO dinner. DIR. Meadows re-
nsihuets MN, and lie Is rising young man. and
Will make Ills HdV the