Evening journal., 1891-11-12
ALONE IN THE HOUSE.

II was the 5th day Of November-"Guy
Fawkes Day. in the old English calendar
that hung above the mantel in my maternal
grandmother's long disused room up stairs.
In this northern home to which we had re-
Gently removed, falling heir to it through
that very aneestress' will, the dwellers re
garded November rather as winter than
an autumn month, and today the wind
howled and the rain pattered with per-
sistency marvellous to behold.
And, as it happened, was all alone in
the house. Father had gone to take his
russet apples TO market--the apples that
myself had helped to harvest and pack
into the barrels-and was not expected
home until tomorrow night at the earliest.
Jack, my brother, was in Montreal fitting
up the law Office which was henceforward
to be his abode. Jean, our hardfeatured,
crossgrained old servant, had gone home
with the "rheumatics, as she termed it, to
be treated by a certain ancient Indian herb
doctor, and Just at dusk fall Peter, our
useful man." had thrust his shock head
uneeremoniously in at the door.
II say, Miss Ruth,n he had said, there's
plenty of wood and everything's all snug
for the night, and I'm goin ever to Steph-
enson's. They're in trouble there"
Trouble, PeterP What kind of troubleS
Is the old man sick2"
But in answer to my query Peter only
uttered an indistinct remark and went ont,
samming the door behind him.
/ stood in front of the fire, looking down
Mt the glowing embers and pondering with
in myself The Stephensons, who lived in
an old graystone house on the other side
of the precipitons glen, had always been
riddle to me The family was small, con-
sisting only of a Grabbed old man, his por-
tentously silent wife, and two tall, un-
gainly sons, and what on earth they did
with the big echoing rooms, or how they
contrived to live, perched like eaglets on
the side Of the rock, could not form the
least idea. "City boarders,n Peter had
once grunted out in answer TO my persist
ent interrogations. But IL they kept city
boarders. why did they not leave these
dreary mountain businesses when the
leaves fell and the dismal autumn fogs
gathered above the clffsP Altogethar,
there was a certain atmosphere OF mystery
about these "Stephensons" that aroused
all the Evelike instincts OF my nature.
While still stood thinking, soft tap
sounded at the door. | opened il at once
never once remembering that was alone
in the house.
"Ye never oughter'd do that, Miss Ruth, /"
said the we'll known accents Of Mrs.
Gludge Farmer Gludge's buxom wife.
do what, Mrs. Gludgep
"Open the door arter dark when you're
alone in the house, without askin who's
there"
"How did you know was alone in the
| houseg"
II Just met Peter goin to Stephenson's.'
"Ohp said /. "But we don't have
| tramps around here, Mrs. Gludge.n
"Pm not so certain o. that" said tn,
Il farmers wife. "Your folks hain't lived
here as long as | have. We're just nigl
enough to the Canada line to have quee
characters prowlin about when We least ex
| pect 'em And then there's Stephensons.
| "What Of Stephensonsg" / cried, eager
ly. "Who is Stephenson, anyway d.
tell me, Mrs Gludge."
.Well, / declared said Mrs. Gludge
"Is it possible, now, that they hain't tol'
| youg'
"They have told me nothing" said /.
"Well, it's likely they didn't want Il
scare you or make you nervous said Mrs
Gludge. "But, all the same, think yol
ought ter know
Mrs. Gludge,n cried /, seizing her arm
"what is itf DO tell me"
ats private home" said Mrs. Gludgs
| lowering her voice to a whisper, as thoug
the raindrops and the rustling fir bough
could Overhear.
"a whatYn gasped.
"For people Of feeble mind, \ explaine
the woman. "and lunies, tapping her for
head as she spoke.
/ stared at her.
"Then,n cried l. ''that's what Pete
meant when he said that-that"--
zone Of the poor creatures has someho'
given 'em the slip,n said Mrs. Gludge-
''an English gentleman from Montrea
as has only been there few days. N
body knows Just how IL happened, bt
happen it did. My mans gone over wit
a lantern to help hunt for him; so hi
Peter.n
"He might have told me-" cried indi
nantly.
Anyway, don't think he ought to ha'
left you here alone" said Mrs. Gludge s
verely
"But you've come to stay with me, MI
Gludgem
"Bless your heart, Miss Ruth. mol l.
( on my way to carry letter TO Mr.. Roi
! ney's, up the road-a very important L
ter, with 'in haste writ on it.n (For
/ addition to her duties as farmers wifea
9 mother Of large family Of little childre
: Mrs Gludge helped her husband In {
care Of the obscure little country postoih
mile down the road.) "And-by the wa
I'd nearly forgot tive got letter
J. you too. That's what brought me here.
e "For me, Mrs. GludgeW
a Instinctlvely put out my hand to gra
+. the treasure, while the woman fltmbi
, first in one and then in another Of
pockets
"It's very strange" said she. 81 ma
sure had it. did have it when I start
y away from home, but now l rememb
just at the foot Of Gibbs clid I took {
my handkerchief TO tie around my ne
the wind came so keen around the roc
ma aud must applied it out with that, q
everything too pitch dark around me
see. Oh, Miss Ruth, I'm so sorryl Pie
el. don't report me, there's good young la
Ire or / shall lose my placer
srs swallowed down great lump Of I
nd comfiture in my throat and tried TO lau
am Report you, Mrs. GludgeY said l.
iur course not. II wasn't your fault. If
ne hadn't kindly thought Of me, and star
OBJ to bring it on your way TO Romney's,
,ir- never would have lost it,"
"And quite true,n said Mrs. Giudge l
fully, 'but all the same wish hadn't b