The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-07-24

uOOr was pusucu open, ana SOmeDOu
entered the room with light. For som
, minutes the canon stood there as quie
J as n mouse, scarcely daring to breathe
but when he had sufficiently rccovere,
from his fright, he ventured, thougl
with extreme caution, to peer round th'
edge of the curtain. As he did so, h
saw, standing in front of the dressing
table, not Perkins, not Jolliife-nor, in
deed, any male being whatever-but {
handsome, smartly-dressed young wO-
man, in whom he Immediately recOg
nized his hostcss's attractive maid.
i A thrill of intense surprise, mingled
I with decided uneasiness, shot through
him when his eyes fell upon her. What
did her essence here mean? Was it the
case that, in trying to ferret out one
scandal about Perkins, he had accident.
ally happened upon another? Alas! nc
such luck. One glance around the apart
ment showed him how erroneous was
the supposition. For not only was there
total lack of that luxurious furniture
with which Lady Joyce always indulged
her guests, but also, from the numerous
articles of feminine toilet and apparel
which were scattered about, the chamber
was evidently a woman's. Yes; the
truth was too plain. He had been put
whether by accident or design-not into
Perkins's room, but into-the lady's
maids.
As this con ictiOn forced itself upon
him, it sent cold shock of horror to the
canon's heart, and brought out great
drops of sweat all over his brow. What
an awful predcamentl That he, re-
spectacle married man and q dignitary
of the church, should be lying concealed
in servant girls bedroom! If she were
only old, or ugly, or both, 1t would not
be quite so bad, for then people might
believe the true explanation of his pres
ence; but as it was, if he were discOv-
cred there, they would put the very
worst construction ON the matter. What
as he to do? Try to effect his escape
noiselessly when her back was turned, or
boldly emerge from his hiding place,
confess the truth to her, and pledge her
to secrecy? The first of these courses
was hardly possible; while if he at
! tempted the second she would probably
scream out and bring up the whole house
before he had time to explain himself.
No! Only one line of action was feast
ble-namely, to remain quiet in his place
Of cOncealment, and effect his escape
when she had gone to sleep. 1t was, in
deed, possible that she might not retire
to rest just yet, but might go downstairs
again to her mistress's s room. How de-
voutly he prayed she might
But that fond hope was soon crushed
by the young woman's carefully locking
the door, sitting down ON the bed, and
proceeding to take off her boots. She
then walked to the dressing-table, and,
after surveying herself in the glass, be-
gan leisurely to divest herself of her
| frock. When next the canon peered
round the curtain he saw her standing
before the glass and letting down her
hair, in deShdbiUe costume of white
bodice and petticoat.
"Good gracious!n he groaned inward
| ly, mopping the cold perspiration from
his forehead. "The longer stay here,
the more will appearances condemn me
if am discovered. And yet l can do
nothing else. BY heavens! il once get
safely out of this hObble, I'll never, never
play the spy again!''
After letting down her hair about her
shoulders, the maid next proceeded to
brush it. What an age she seemed over
the process! The canon could, of course,
hear every stroke of the brush distinctly,
and he thought that she would never
have done.
Good Lord!n he soliloquized ruefully,
''if she takes all this time over each step
of her toilet, shan't get a chance of
escaping before daybreak!'
At the end of what seemed to him a
very long interval he again ventured to
peep round the curtain, hoping that he
might see the maid just getting into bed.
But nothing of the sort met his eye. She
had not advanced further in the work of
disrobing, and was still admiring her
self in the glass.
"Deuco take itl'' muttered the canon
under his breath. GLOW frightfully wo-
men dawdle over their undressing; had
always heard so, but never realized it
entirely until tonight"
While he was yet watching her, she
picked up from the bed the dress which
she had taken off, and began to move
with it straight toward his corner of the
room. An overwhelming sense of hOr-
ror, far worse than any that had gone
before, suddenly seized upon the luckless
canon. She was going to hang that dress
up in the very recess where he was con-
cealed!
| The conviction was but too well
| foupded. A moment later the curtain
had been drawn aside, and the canon
stood exposed to view. With cry Of
terror at the sight of him, the maid
dropped her dress to the floor and start
ed back; while, on his part, the canon
was too much paralyzed by dismay, foI
the moment, either to speak or move,
Before he could recover himself or at.
tempt to explain his presence, the girl
had rushed to the door, unlocked it, and
flinging it open, had begun to scream fol
help at the top of her voice.
The canon's desperation can hardly be
onceived-certainly not described. He
was positively frantic. He tiled to make
his escape from the room, but the girl
who was standing in the doorway, turned
upon him and struck at him when he ap
preached her.
Get back-get back, you old gray
headed mOnsterl'' she cried. you shall
not escape-nol They shall all see YOU
wicked yillany! Come to insult and
and-wrong q poor servant grill And
you a clergyman. Shame on you, you
immoral old wretchln
She had scarcely finished this wild
speech, interspersed with frequent sobs
before the steps of several people were
heard hurrying up the stairs, and in an
other minute most of the gentlemen
in the house and not few of the ser
wants had congregated round the door Of
the maids room. The sight of the girl
standing there half-undressed, with dis
hevelled hair and flushed cheeks, and o.
the canon inside her chamber in hit
stocking-feet, seemed to tell the storl
pretty plainly. And when the unfortu
nate man advanced toward Sir Alaric
who was foremost on the scene, and be
gan to protest his innocence, his hos
sternly cut him short:
THANK you, Canon Cruthall,' he saiC
sarcastically. "We need not trouble yoI
for an explanation. The truth Of thil
pretty little business is patent upon th'
face Of it,"
"But assure you'll assure you, upoi
my most solemn word ofhonor," pleaded
the luckless canon, ready to sink through
the floor with shame and modification
'that-that-n
Pardon me, canon" interposed Jacl
Perkins, suddenly stepping forward
"but see that you are confused an'
, overcome; and / do not wonder. lie
me undertake your explanation for you
Canon Cruthall wishes 10 assure you
| gentlemen, that to within five minute
/ ago he did not know where he was o
I what he was doing. | am ready to in
dorse the truth OF the statement. For
! (pulling out his watcli) ''it is now barrel
five minutes after twelve, aud l WILLIE
that the hypnotic spell which have ex
, ercised over him should last exactly til
midnight"
Loud ordinations of surprise brox
! from his hearers lips at these words, am
Sir Alaric exclaimed:
''Is this tho experiment you promises
! us, then, PerlSinsg'
YES" replied Perkins quietly. :"
! willed that the canon should pass al
hour concealed in the lady's maids bed
I room. / must beg your pardon, Clara