Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1892-08-26
OXsLlpPEs MANOR.

UNSLlIYES M-lNUR.
81 wish your uncle were at home.
faid Mrs. Tyrrcl, ncrvously: comfy
yesterday l was reading about Il burg
larry that took place in Norfolk, only
two counties away from Oxslippes:
and l do not like the look of the man
at all. How often L have entreatcd
your uncle to keep the silver at the
bank. but he always says. what good
are the forks and spoons to us il not
in use9'So even poor Aunt Chevning's
butter-dish and the sconccs that were
Uncle Boone'S are out on the side
board: they will be swept away one
night unless we have bells ON the
shutters and DOORS"
"Do not be frightened, LAUREL
said Ella Tyrrel, handing a cup of
tea to their visitor, newly arrived
from London, sthc electric bells are
already ordered, and will soon be put
up, and in future Giddes says she will
take up the butter-dish as we'll as the
plate basket. when she goes to bed.
l will be responsible for the sconces,
and perhaps YOU could look after the
silver images-Pan with his flute, you
know, and Diana with her bow"
"That i will,' said Laurel kirke,
valiently. III had no idea burglars
were in the nelghborhood; it will be
quite an adventure. There is really
nothing to fear, auntie; you forgot /
have taken fencing lessons, and that
1 received a prize tor gymnastics"
Every much TO your credit, my
dear" replied her aunt, "but l can.
not quite see how you could save our
plate; you would be no match for the
suspicious looking stranger that UNI
doubtedly prowls around the Manor,
and old Parker at the Lodge is grow.
ing too intirm to cope with what will
probably be an attack OF a savage
band of masked and violent robbers
ssHe certainly has a sinister expires.
.slon," said Ella. "They say there is
a peculiar kind of physiognomy at
tached to the criminal classes: poor
man! perhaps everything in lite has
been against him."
"But why not have him arrested?"
asked Laurel, ssif u suspicious char
acter be prowling about Oxslippes:?'
"Oh, my dear" said Mrs. TYrrcl,
1--WE can prove nothing, but his looks
are certainly against him. Mary
nearly had hysteria when she found
him in the kitchen-garden one MORN
ing, and poor Giddes ran for her life
when she came across him inthe sum-
mer-house; she said he was fumbling
at something he held inside a bag on
the ACKNOWLEDGMENT likely he had
stolen a chicken, but he might have
had a revolver there, SO she did we'll
to rum"
81 saw him myself" said Ella,
providing among the pigs at Farmer
Johnson's. Nobody knows anything
about him, whether he walks over
from Stonebridge, or whether he
sleeps in barns or outhouses. Our
constable is On the watch, but as vet
he has not come across the vagrant;
l only hope he has by this time taken
himself off"
"Your uncle will be home on Friday
next-that is one comfort" sighed
Mrs. Tyrrel to Laurel, who privately
rather enjoyed the thought Of an adj
venture; life had of late seemed to
this young damsel somewhat satale.
fat and Improbable"
When the girls were left alone. the
subject of the burglar dropped into
oblivion. Ella had many questions
to ask respecting a certain MI. Chris
TOPPER Cooling, whose name rum0r
had coupled with that of her London
cousin.
s'There was nothing in it at all"
said Laurel, rather impatiently;
s'please, Ella, let the name in ques-
ton be forgotten between us. lcer-
tainly was engaged to him for awhile,
but we found that our dispositions
were incompatible, and we parted by
mutual consent"
'eThe fact is, LAUREL" said Ella,
with the severity of approaching
matronhood, s.you gave way to one Of
your unreasonable fits of temper, and
you were too proud to make up the
little difference. But there! I did
not mean to make you cry: If you
really regret the misunderstanding"
81 don't regret it at ALL" sobbed
Laurel, 'tonly I am tired after travel
ing, and I certainly think, Cousin
Ella, youare very unkind. Was he not
ten minutes late in meeting me at
the picture gallery, and was he not
unjustly offended when I would have
nothing to say to him when he did
arrive? Ought a gentleman to keep
alady waiting at an appointment,
even If the traffic was stopped by a
carriers cart being overturned?"
"You might be grammatical,
Laurel, If not sensible" replied
Ella, stroking the wavy hair. "You
silly thing! to treat him disdainfully
before the rest Of your party just be-
cause his cab or omnibus happened to
be delayed. Why don't you try and
make 1T TN with him Lalral0 Wa