Connecticut western news., 1892-02-25
AHIGHWAYMAN'SJULIET

sheets) calls one of the ru3nurby sort the front facing street and the back looking over a turfed garden. with lime tree or two. laburnum, and . lawn tennis court marked out, it's white lines plain to see in the starlight. At the end of the garden a door. painted dark green. led into narrow lane be- tween high walls, where, if two persons met, one had to turn sideways to let the other pass. The entrance to this lane was cut in two by a wooden post about the height of your hip. and just beyond this. in the high road, George was wait ing for us with the dog cart. l We had picked the usual time-the dinner hour. It had just turned dark and the church clock. two streets away, was chilning the quarter after eight when Peter and I let ourselves in by the green door spoke of and felt along the wall for the gardeners lldder that we knew was hanging there. A simpler | job there never was. The bedroom win dow on the first floor stood right open to the night air, and inside was faint candlelight fiickering, just as a careless maid will leave them after her mistress has gone down to dinner. To be sure. there was . chance of her coming ~back | to put them out, but we could hear her voice going in the servants hall as we lifted the ladder and rested it against | the sill.
 'She's good for half an hour yet" Peter whispered. holding the ladder while began to climb; "but if 1 hear her voice stop. I'll give the signal to be cautious went up softly. pushed my head | gently above the level of the sill and | looked in.
 I It was roomy place. with a great | half tester bed, hung with curtains standing out from the wall on my right | The curtains were of chintz a dark back | ground. with flaming red poppies spraw- l ling over it. and the farther curtain hid the dressing table and the candles upon it and the jewel case that confidently hoped to stand upon it also. A bright Brussels carpet covered the floor, and the wall paper, 1 emember-though, for the life of me, l can not tell why-was pale gray ground, worked up to initiate watereJ silk, with sprigs of gilt honey suckle upon it.
 looked around and listened for half a
  up here-not a sound in the room or in the passages beyond. With a nod to | Peter to hold the ladder firm lifted one leg over the sill, then the other, dropped | my feet carefully upon the thick carpet and went quickly around the bed to the l dressing table.
 But at the corner, and as soon as ever | 1 saw around the chintz cur ain, my knees gave way. and l put out hand toward the bedpost.
 Before the dressing table. and in front l of the big glass in which she could see my white face. was an old lady seated She wore blaze of jewels and low | gown, out of which rose the scraggiest neck and shoulders have ever looked l on. Her hair was thick with black dye and fastened with diamond star Be tween the two candles the powder show | ed on her cheek bones like flour on a millers coat. Chin on hand, she was gazing steadily into the mirror before her, and, even in my fright, had time to note that glass of sherry and.a plate of rice and curry stood at her elbow among the rouge pots and powder puffs l While stood stock still and pretty well scared out of my wits. she rose. still staring at my image in the glass. folded her hands modestly over her bosom, and | spoke in deep, tragical voice:
 1.-The princeI"
 Then. facing sharply around. she held out her thin arms.
 | You have come-at lastT'
 There was not much to say to this ex. | cept that had So confessed it. Even with the candles behind her l could see her eyes glowing like dogs, and an uglier poor creature this world could scarcely show.
 ''ls the ladder set against the win. dowY
 ''Since you seem to know. ma'am." said 1, it is.'' | "Ah. Romeol Your cheeks are ruddy your peoples are too red"
 ''Then I'm glad my color's come back. for. to tell the truth. you did give me turn just at first. You were looking out for me. no doubt"-
 My princer' She stretched out hpr arms again. and being pretty well at my wits end. l let her embrace me. "It has been so long," she said. "oh, the weary wbilel And they ill treat me Where have you been all this tedious timer
 was not going to answer that, you may be sure. By this had recovered myself sufficiently to guess what was near the truth-that this was a mad aunt of the family below. and that the game was in my hands if played with decent care. So l met her question with another
 Look here," said. I'm running a considerable risk in braving these perse- cutors of your'n. Hadn't we better elops at onceY'
 Fl am ready"
 And the jewels? You won't leave them to your enemies. suppose"
 She turned to the dressing table, lifted her jewel case and put it into my hands.
 'I am ready" she repeated: ''let us be quick and stealthy as death"
 She followed me to the window and looking out, drew back.
 What horrible, black depths!"
 its as easy" said l, .'as pie. Ycu could do it on your head-look here." l climbed out first and helped her, setting her feet on the rungs. We went down Tn silence, l choking all the way at the sight of Peter below, who was looking with his mouth opeA and his lips too weak to meet the curses and wonder ment that rose up from the depths of | hIrvNy hnr | f<,s,, rf ,,.,A IoI