Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-06-01

she had not parted with her senses during
his absence.
That night try rs | would, could not
sleep. | was always n nervous child, and
the past week had wrought upon my SEN
sitivc organization disturbance that for
babe sleep. 1t was not unusual for me at
such times to get out Of bed, and, slipping
past the sleeping maid who watched me,
20 wandering over the house in my night
dress; my feet were bare, so / made no
noise
Somebody else was abroad Just as en-
tered the long hall that passed Gran'ther
Nayhews chamber, a door which led from
this hall to u terrace from which you de
secluded TO the garden, opened and Sadie
Crept through it and down the hall toward
Gran Their Mayhew's room.
The moon shonc down the passage but
dimly, so that ] could not see her face, but
| knew it was Sadie, and in another mo-
mcnt she might have seen me, but another
form half th~lst through the partially open
terrace door drove me back into shadow.
ltwas Colin Balfour, and after hesitatng
briefly he came slowly down the hall. Sadie
stood by Gran'thcr Mayhcw's door still;
she seemed to me to be holding herself up
Colin Bafour approached and dropping
upon her knees extended her hands clasped
as if imploring.
For answer he turned shortly on his heel
| and moved noiscIessly toward the terrace
door,
Sadie dropped an instant and followed
him.
They stood in the full moonlight now,
and ] could see Colin BalfOur's scowling
brows and ~adic's upliftcd glittering eyes.
She shook her head, and clasping her hands
across his shoulder laid her check upon
them. Colin Balour put an arm around
her and bent his face moment to hers;
then he led her down the hall again toward
Gran'ther Mayhcws door, released her and
stood while she slowly advanced
! can give no name TO the sensations that
were mine while ! watched these two. 1t
was something worse than terror vet akin
to that-something that made me long Ia
put my arms around Sadie and hold her
tast-faster than any baby arms had
strength. She opened the door of Gran'thcr
Mayhew's room and vanished within. Sud
denly, swift as thorsht, !, ran back to my
own chamber, which opened upon u piazza
which ran by Gran'thcr Mayhew's win
dows. My own windows We're open Hers
might be-
stepping ont ran quickly along; Gran
theirs windows were open, and as dropped
lightly over the ledge into the chamber
the old man lay peacefully sleeping, and
sadie stood before his bed, Il small dark
vial III one hand. the water goblet from
which gran'ther drank through the night
in the other But she was shaking so that
she could not hold the goblet, and setting
it down again, She stood Quaking and aw-
fully white
Heaven knows what guided my child
ish steps to her side, Jr put simple and
most natural words in my mouth at such u
time.
Sister Sadie" said, throwing my arms
around her, what scares you:'
She stared at me a moment, then caught
me TO her, and dropping upon the floor,
strained me in Il frantic embrace:
"Oh, Gretal Gretal thank God You have
comel Oh, Greta, save me-"
Was she afraid of Colin Balfour? |
fancied So and trembling at my own dar-
ing ran and turned the key in the door.
Then l went back to Sa lie, and she opened
her arms eagerly, and l fell asleep SO, and
walked up so, just as morning was break
ing. Sadie seemed never to have closed her
eyes, and her face was still very white, but
it was the old sweet, kind face again, sad,
but something in it that made me whisper
wonderfully
Are you good again, Sadic?'
Pm not 50 bad MS | might have been but
for you, darling" she returned with n
strange look, and leading me ont into the
hall, where was now no Colin Balfour she
went with me to my bed and lay down be
side me till the servants were stirring. |
slept again and was awakened by hurrying
steps and alarmed ordinations.
Gran Their Mayhem was dead!
a small vial Of Iaudanum was found on
the carpet beside the bed and it was at first
supposed that he had died from an overdose
of laudanum. Bat medical examination
showed that he had come to his sudden
death by pcrfectlynatural causes. An acute
disease which had long preyed upon him.
without the knowledge of any save himself
and his physician, had suddenly set its
tangs in his heart while he slept.
That night when they had dressed Gran
ther Mayhem for his last rest, Sadie took
me in to see him. There, with my hand in
one of hers, and the other laid upon her
dead husbands breast, She vowed a vow
never more to look upon the face of Colin
Balfour
lie tried to see her when all was over, but
it was in vain. She sent him by my hand
the vial of laudanum, and by my lips the
witness to her vow.-BufTalo News
Whittier's Poetic Character.