The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1892-05-28


.Any.nay. Idon't !thiaklhs ought
to hsvs Isft you here alone, +" said Mrs.
Gludess severely. ~ $500
"gss ySp have hay: come to stay with
bless your heart, Miss Ruth, no!
I'm on my way 70. carry 2 letter to.
Mr.. Bommty's up the road Il very
important letter, with in haste writ
on it." In addition to her duties asA;
farmers wife, and mother o. 3 la1kS
family OF little children, Mrs. Glndge
helped her husband in the care Of an
obscure little country post Office mile
down the road. "And-by the way,
I'd nearly forgot tive got letter
for you, too. That's what brought
me here"
"For me, Mrs. Gludge?"
Instinctively ! put out my hand to
grasp the treasure, while the woman
fnmbled first in one and then in an
other OF her pockets.
"It's SO strange" said she. ~ made
sure had it. did have it when
started away from home; but now
remember. just ut the foot of Gibbs
Cliff l took out my Handkerchief to
VIC 6TOuHu my icSAp INV VIM S"hhc ~
keen around the rocks, and must a
pulled it out with that, and every
thing too pitch dark to see. Oh, Miss
Ruth, am SO sorry! Please don't re-
port me, there's a good young lady,
or l shall lose my place."
/ swallowed down great lump OF
discontinue and tried to laugh.
Report you, Mrs. Gludge!" said ].
Certainly not. 1t wasn't your fault.
If you hadn't kindly thought of me,
and started to bring it to me on your
way to Romney's, you would never
have lost it,"
"And quite true" said Mrs. Gludge,
ruefully; .'blt all the same, wish
hadn't been so dreadfully thoughtless.
I'll send the boys out to search for
it"
"Oh. never mind the letter." / inter-
rupted. ~ dare say it's only from
Jack. Tomorrow will do well enough
for that. But. Mrs. Gludge, you will
come back and stay with metill Peter
gets back? Jean is away, you know,
and"
"Yes, my dear, I'll do that" assent
ed the woman, evidently relieved to be
letter. "And it won't be long first.
It's only short halfmile to Romney's,
If the wind didn't blow so like all pos
sessed tonight"
With good-natured nod she dis
appeared into the rain and darkness,
and ran back to pile fresh logs on
the waning fire. Bank burglars, ex-
tradited wanderers, a lunatic at
large-with all these possibilities
whirling in my brain, it is not strange
that lighted second lamp in order
effect ually to Danish all lurking
shadows in the angles of the room,
and started nervously when a sudden
gust of wind shook the window-shut-
tiers as il with some imperioIs hand.
'T'll go up in the garrett and bring
down some Dutternuts," thought /,
.and then I'll get some cider from the
cellar. 1t will be fun to crack the but
ternuts and watch the shells blaze in
the fire; and Mrs. Gludge will like
drink OF cider when she comes back ell
wet and chill"
Cheered by this happy thought, I
caught up q lamp and flew to the
garnet of the roomy house where my
father had bestowed all the treasures
of the nutty autumn woods, Some
how, Priscilla, the cat, had got locked
into the garnet, and had to release
her from dnrance vile, and replace n
box or two, which she had Knocked
off from the window-sill, before came
down, driving her catship before me,
with the lamp in one hand and an
apronfu OF butternuts in the other.
Through the open keeping-room door
n ray OF ruddy light streamed into the
Cimmerian darkness of the hall. /
stopped abruptly. Surely Ihad closed
that door when Icame out, remember
ing q certain trick it had Of slamming
to and fro in windy weather like this.
And at the same time a curious con-
seriousness of some human presence
near by crept over me like an unseen
magnetic current.
stretched my neck to peep curiously
into the room saw seated before the
fire a youngish gentleman, pale, black
haired, and, as thought, rather un-
settled OF aspect. And decidedly
wet and mud-be-spattered gentleman,
whose raiment- was steaming in the
glorious blaze and crackle oil pine logs,
rs he sat there holding out his hands
to the general warmth.
How had he gained An entrance?
had II carelessly neglected to bolt the
big door after Mrs. Gludge's depart
ure? Yes, ] must have done so-and
that was proof of how. utterly unfit
was to be left by myself. For q sec
ond ! stood there quaking, my heart
humping like a trip-bammer, and a
cold sweat breaking out upon my
| forehead before decided what to do.
had never seen n bank burglar, 30
be sure; but was pretty certain this
blackhaired gentleman could not be-
longto that race. And | did not
think he acted like any other scoun-
drel who was fleeing from the rigors
OF the law. sIe must be the English
gentleman gone wrong in his head,
who had escaped" from the Stephen
4 sons. at jn
/ Twas alone in the house with a
maniac. And at the idea my heart
beat more violently than ever. and
the cold drops grew colder on my
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