The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1891-07-25
VOL. XXVI.-NO. SO.


content in the stat o1yard with little delay
and few words. / asked the coachman
who was handiest if he could drive me to
Captain Escotts, Walnsey, and he said
yes suppose he did not catch more
than the surname; and was ignorant that
Walnsey and Walnsey Cross are not iden-
tical places"
"They are three miles apart, said Val.
81 was uncertain of my train or Captain
Escott would have sent to meet me. |
begged him not to do that. The question
now is how to get away, for the driver-he
was none too sober-is gone and my lug
gage is in your hall. 1t is most unfortu-
nate and absurd and wholly my fault, for
| remember remarking that the fellow
called your home the Manor which was
not familiar name for it-both at Dale
ford station and here on arrival / tender
a thousand apologies"
Forthwith our group of four resolved
itself into committee for dealing with
this singular emergency. Our debate had
but lame issue. If papa had been here
and had become convinced Of the bona
fdes of his unlimited guest he would have
sent Spence with Mr.. Lidlaw to Captain
Escott's. But both papa and the men
were absent Josephus was old, and often
ailing; l hesitated to suggest any scheme
that should involve his going out into the
tempest. And certainly Val. must not
venture any such exposure.
Mr.. Lidlaw carefully inquired his way,
and announced that he should walk. He
asked, too-very oddly, as | thought,
with new twinkle of doubt-the near
est route back to Daleford village. Val's
directions were clear and full, and if the
stranger obeyed them, he could not pos
sibly go astray in either direction. 1t
seemed inhospitable to permit him to turn
out unattended into the night; but l could
perceive no alternative, and l have reason
to think that he would have overruled any
and every objection.
Mrs. Climber had not appeared. This
struck us afterwards as strange. How
ever busy she might be with her cores
pondence, it was curious that she should
have heard nothing of the arrival, or that
hearing, she should have kept away.
Some twenty minutes after Mr.. Lidlaw
had left she entered the drawing room and
listened to our joint narrative of what had
happened. l fancied that she was preoc-
cupied, until Alice casually referred to the
visitors inspection of her handwriting,
and that then her manner changed, and
she listened with more interest-even
anxiety-than she cared for us to observe.
From this fact-if such it were-I was,
however, at loss to draw any particular
deduction.
l pass over the hours that elapsed be-
tween this episode and midnight. We had
retired early, and the house ought to have
been as dark and still as if uninhabited
Older friends tell me that it is the privi-
lege of healthy girlhood to sleep soundly
and with ease | do not doubt that they
are right; but on this occasion | continued
obstinately awake. The day had not
wanted in agitation and surprises, and they
had affected my spirit with unusual rest
lessness. Perhaps am nervous by tenn
permanent, and it was this quality which
filled the darkness with shapes of terror
and my brain with inchaotic fears of somC
steaIthily on-creeping evil. 1t is likely
enough to be the true and ample explana
ton of mental condition. Certainly ]
could not rest. How vainly | wished that
1 had proposed to Alice that we should
occupy tonight the same room. She would
have consented instantly, although l had
no reason 10 suppose that Alice shared my
tremors. But it would be a confession ol
eowardice, of which should not soon heal
the last, to 90 to her now, even if the sit
uation of her room, at the end of long
silent corridor and across a mid-landing
was an insufficient deterrent. No; must
toss and turn and wait for the tardy morn.
ing.
Suddenly chill ran through my veins
sat up among the pillows, rigid, and,
doubt not, blanched almost to their own
whiteness. l listened in very agony ol
attention. From the depths below there
had echoed distinctly upward-or my fac
ulties were playing me false-the sound o.
the sullen yielding of a bolt. My apart
ment was Immediately over the plate closet
and adjacent to the partition which closed
in the second fight of stairs. This ac
counted for the trasmission of the noise
But the noise was an ominous disclosure
In the dead of night it was surely illegiti
mate, and spoke Of crime.
The veriest craven will sometimes OBJ
tain an access of courage as mysterious in
its source as, generally, transient in it
sway. lam not calling myself hard names
Indeed, | should be sorry to believe tha
absolutely belong to the class whose
badge is white feather. But l hav,
owned to trepidation; and now I mastered
for at least few minutes the first paralysis
of fright. pressed my throbbing temple
hard against the wainscot, aud found tina
the wood was faithful conductor of sound
A rumbling and grating that could have nj
honest and satisfactory cause Jared upor
my highly-strung nerves. l was not tht
victim of delusion Assured Of this, l be
gan to dress, with quaking, fumbling fng
ers, and in the dark Plan l had none al
yet, and my actuating purpose was merely
to reach and alarm the rest of the house
hold 1t was just blind instinct, for I did
not pause to ask what effectual resistanc,
to gang Of robbers could be offered by
pack of scared women, an invalid boy, anC
one tottering old man.
I thought first of Miss Turpin, our gov
erness, and Mrs Climber, and in this order
They both occupied rooms on the samt
floor as myself, but far in the rear of tn,
building. 1t was an ugly venture to ge
to them. AS | was debating remember
ed my mothers jewels. These were de
posted in dressing-case locked into q
wardrobe strong box in papa's room. HaC
they escaped the thieves? Would they
eseapc2 By almost mechanic impulse
unfastened and opened my door and stepped
lightly the five or six PAGES to that of th,
vast cayern-like chamber in which, tn,
fable goes, queen once slept There wa,
light within other than that Of the war
moor, .ub,nb