Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1894-03-30

| FOLLY, nuSned WIN I'll, naSte she nau
made. 'Did you kow, Mis- Arden,
the west door warn't olted?"
Polly was tail fouteen- year Older,
with curly crop of air and nasal
voice.
"Betsy was cartess about the
DOORS" said /, remmbering with
guilty pang Rufus hd bidden me be
very careful about soaring the prem
ises in his absence.
because, he hal said, "there's
that money Wexford wanted me to
bank for him in he studio desk
drawer, and the diaIDnd necklace in
the cabinet"
And then, with sudden after
CLEAN of recollectionit flashed across
me just where Rufus lad stood, by the
depot stove, when bespoke the words,
and how q stout, sort man, in a
slouched fur cape anda ragged over
coat, had watched usas he waited for
ticket and chewed bbacco.
Could he have head the word? And
how was he to knot that ''the dia-
mond necklace" wa only a state
trinket of cut glass borrowed of an
artist friend for the decoration of the
lay figure, OF that Velford's money
was only few dollar, sent in repay
ment of something le had borrowed
from Rufus?
Upon the whole, | was glad that
Polly Shapely had ONE to bear me
company during thai long, solitary
| - nf
danger, but that
"We1l go back and bolt it, Polly"
said l.
"Oh, I done that said Polly.
"Gracious amt then halls dark! |
came through the STUDY"
"Studio, Polly" gently corrected
her.
"Studio, then, Poly accepted the
emandation. ''The fire amt quite
out, here Amt nodanger O fire, is
there?"
Perhaps it had better be covered
with ashes, said 7. Run and attend
to it, Polly, and I'll see about the
tea p"
eve got some apples and chestnuts
in my bag" cried Polly, 'and some o
mothers riz doughnrts. She thought
mebbe you hadn't nothin' baked up,
seein' Betsey waS gone. Gimme a
candle, Miss Arden. l wouldn't go
through them halls N the dark ag'in
for nothin'. | could swear there was
| spooks a-rushin' artT me.
"What nonsense, Polly !" said |.
But, nevertheless, | handed her the
brass candlestick that Rufus had
bought at sale on account of it's an
tiquity.
was just hanging over the tea-ket-
! tie when the sculfieof Polly footsteps
was heard once more. this time at rail
road rate.
81 wouldn't be hired to go through
that there study ag'in, Mis- Arden, I"
said she, slamming down the candle
stick on the table.
'Why, Polly, what's the matter?"
"Them portraitsa starin' down at
me l' gasped the gnl. "Their eyes a
follerin me all rounl! Gracious, what
a start it gimmel'
That's the way portraits always do,
Polly" explainedI. You're a goose !"
II can't help it, painted Polly. cit
fairly makes me creep. An the woman
in white, standin' ND on the platform
she turned her head an looked at
m2, she did
"What, Polly--a wooden figure,
dressed like the Lady of Avenel?" and
| burst ont laughing. ''Why, it's
iointed, like doll! =
"Well, / cant help it, 1t did turn
its head. Aud | wouldn't go back
there ag'in, Mis- Arden, not if You
was to give me silver dollar !"
"Well, Polly, you needn't" !
soothed her, perceiving that she was
really nervous and frightened. "We'll
have tea here by the fire, and after
ward we'll roast the apples and the
chestnuts. There are no portraits here
to follow you with their eyes. "
And Polly soon forgot her tribula-
tions in the tea, the raspberry jam
and the tales [ told her of life in beau
tiful, ice -girdled Montreal.
] made her up an impromptu bed on
a sofa in my own room opening from
this cheerful, fire.lighted apartment;
but when she was asleep aud snoring,
quietly threw shawl over my
shoulders and rclghted the candle
81 will see after that lire myself,
thought |. "There's no telling what
accidents might happen, and we are
not insured.
Nevertheless, ] could but remember
Polly's idea of the ''spooks" as
passed along the silent, moonlighted
hall to the studio door.
Opening it suddenly, the draught
blew out my candle; but the moon H.
Illuminated the room with faint silver
radiance. and one or two live embers
yet glimmered on the deep hearth. the
last remains of Rufus cherished Yule-
log.
just in the line Of the big mullioned
window the lay figure occupied its ac.
customed place on carpeted dnis
close 10 Rufuss easel, and CHANGING 90
glance ia that direction my blood
truze chilli
From beneath the white hood OF the
"l.Ady of Avenel which had been
Rnfua'n last historical study, pair ol
real, human ewes seemed 90 Hash IA
sudden furttve look at me, aud was
Do ouly a iuemory of pully's panic,
mere freak oi my disorlcrcd ima gina
tIun, ~ did the figure really move "a
fttfI.a