The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1895-11-15

scapea red glow of sunset yet fingered
while the black pines and cedars
quivered in the wind.
81 wish," added Jessie, ssthat ]
had asked that man below which was
the right turning to take. But was
afraid of him; he looked SO cross"
She was tall, slim slip of thing,
with blue, wistful eyes, hair of the
real Scotch gold, and red lips, that
trembled partly with cold, partly with
certain vague terror at the position
in which she found herself.
IL her hand she carried a heavy
bag. for Jessie had no money to pay
omnibus hire, or to engage a sleigh at
the railway station.
Suppose she said to herself,
'tthis lonely road should lead no.
where, except into the woods? Sup
pose it should conduct me straight
into a gypsy camp? For it seems
more and more desolate the farther I
so. Suppose I should be frozen to
death, all alone here, with 10 helping
hand to save me?"
s'Take care, child" cried loud,
clear voice. ''Do you want to be run
over?"
1t was no gypsy, nor yet black
brown tramp, simply a plump, COM
Portable woman, driving herself in a
trim little red cutter. She eyed Jes-
sic curiously through her spectacles.
Jessie returned the gaze with interest.
'sPlease, madam said Jessie. ''can
you tell me if am near Bucknor Hall ?''
"Bless me- said the woman, ''don't
you know? Bucknor Hall was burned
down last night, and the old lady was
suffocated in the smoke. Friends of
yours?"
Jessie put her bag down in the
snowy road she trembled violently.
''No-not exactly friends" she said
s'But [ was engaged to go there as
companion and reader, and-and-
Oh, what shall I do now?'
The old lady looked meditatively at
the lash of her whip.
"Come from New York;" said she,
after a pause.
ssYes-from the Wilberforce Protec-
tiveAgency. And spent all my money
for the ticket here
Zone or two bright round tears de-
tached themselves from the long lashes
and rolled slowly down her cheeks.
Mrs. Parkhurst, who prided herself
on her knowledge of physiognomy,
made up her mind on the spot.
Zone thing is very certain, said
H.
quire companion and reader now.
And if you're puzzled what to do next,
you had better jump in and go with
me-"
"Where?" said Jessie.
sHome, said Mrs. Parkhurst.
Now, Jessie Morton herself was not
a bad Judge of the human face divine,
and in the indescribable solitude of
this moment, she caught at the vel
come idea of shelter and company.
She got into the red cutter, drew the
buffalo robe around her shivering form,
and nestled close to Mrs. Parkhurst,
before she ventured to ask, timidly:
''Where is-home?"
Mrs. Parkhurst shook the reins. The
road into the purpling dusk.
Its the Bassett Military Institute, u
said she, with very visible pride
I'm housekeeper there"
ssWhat!"
s'Oh, take care" scolded Mrs. Park
hurst. ''You should hold on tight
when we turn those sharp curves. You
had very nearly fallen out. Yes, the
Bassett Institute. And a fine place ii
is! l was thinklng-if your references
turn out what they should be-we
might make room for you there. We
need a smart young woman in the linen
room. 1 suppose you can do something
else besides companioning and reading
-eh?'
"Oh, yes!"
''You'd like place."
81 must have one.
s.Then," said Mrs Parkhurst, "we'll
think of it. Fourteen professors and
one hundred and ten boys-that's q
family to take care of, isn't it? For
the colonel's wife is an invalid, and
don't trouble herself about the house
keeping. I and my widowed daughter
run the whole establishment, and
there are nine OF us sit down to din
ner in the housekeeper' room. There y
as they drove in between two massive
stone gate-posts, into an avenue of
rustliDg tamaracks. do you see that