The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-06-23

.-r,s-3gu. I had become excessively tired
az a conversation that always languished.
no matter On what topic X was started.
and observing Al old piano IN one corner.
7 sat down before * and impulsively
struck a few chords from the yellow keys
Instantly Lucerta-it was Lucetta who
was with me then-bounded 20 my side
VIII, a look OF horror on her face
Don't DO THAR she cried, laying her
hand on mine to stop me. Then seeing
me reccI at her touch. which was icy
cold. she added with an appealing smile:
"T beg pardon. but every sound goes
through me tonight
Are you not weIl?' asked.
az an never very WELL she returned.
and we went hack 30 the sofa and renewed
our forced and pitiful conversation
Promptly at O'Clock Miss knollyS came
In She was very pale and cast as usual Q
sad and uneasy look at her sister before
she spoke 20 me. Immediately Lucetta
rose and becoming very pale herself. was
hurrying toward the door when her sister
stopped her.
" You have forgotten she said. to say
good night 20 our guest
Instantly Lucetta turned, and. with a
sudden. uncomfortable impulse, seized my
hand and pressed it convulsively.
Good night she cried, I hope you
will sleep we'll. and was gone before
cOb11 say q WOfd III TSS{fODSe-
ssW-hy does Lucetta go out Of the room
when you come imp asked, determined
90 know the reason for this peculiar con-
duct. Have you any other guests in the
house,
The reply came with unexpected vehe-
mence No. she cried, why should you
think so? There is no one here but the
family And she turned away with q GER
tain dignity which cut short all further
rk < a
said II you please we will go now TO
your room
II rose at once. glad OF the prospect of
being relieved from these forced atten-
tons. She took my wraps on her arm
and we passed Immediately into the hall
AS we did so heard voices. one of them
shrdu and fun Of distress. but the sound
was so quickly smothered by closing
door that / failed to discover whether
that tone of suffering proceeded from g.
man or a woman.
Miss knollys, who was preceding me-
glanced back in some alarm. But as I
gave no token of having noticed anything
out of the ordinary, she speedily re-
sumed her way upstairs. AS the sounds
had heard had proceeded from above I
did not follow her with much alacrity
But, rejecting that, whatever was going
on in this house, 1t could by no possibility
have any reference to myself, / resumed
my courage, which, however. perceptibly
weakened when / found myself passing
door after door down a long hall to a
room as remote as possible from what
seemed TO be the living portion of the
house.
" Won't have any one near me?' be-
gan. as my young hostess paused and
waited for me to join her on the TIRES
hold of the most forbidding room il had
ever been my fortune to enter.
" Oh she smiled, you need not be
afraid. Nothing can happen to you here;
I am only sorry that we are Obliged to
offer you such mean lodging. But all our
other rooms are-are out of order she
explained firmly, and to our great regret
you will have to sleep in this one for to-
night
" But cannot sleep with one of your
I persisted. L won't put you TO any in
convenience. l am not accustomed 10 he
put off by myself
Il am sorry she again repeated. but
IL Is quite impossible. IL could give you
the comforts you are accustomed to
should be glad. But we are unfortunate,
we girls. and She said no more, but be-
gan to busy herself about the room which
1 tried TO see in as favorable a light as
could Perhaps she saw my failure in my
face-perhaps she felt herself the drear-
mess of the gray. diScolored walls which
ltt mat lidu peeH lll Oh bnS ned1In
did not serve to tighten, for she pointed
to a beil-rope near the head OF the bed.
and kindly remarked:
I" IF anything disturbs you, pull that. 1t
communicates with my room, and I will
come at once and speak to you
'I glanced up at the rope, ran my eye
along the wire communicating with 1t and
saw that IL was broken sheer off before it
even entered into the wall.
IT Of will ~ no., Y
answered, pointing to the break.
she flushed deep scarlet, and for
moment looked as embarrassed as ever
her sister had done.
3" I did not know she murmured. The
house is so old everything IS more or less
out of repair And she made haste to quit
tho room.
II ran after her in alarm.
but there is no key 10 the foor,' OBJ
jected.
''She came back with look almost like
anger on her stern face
"'What do you fear?' she cried. as this
a public house where you would be liable
to Intrusion? You are in a good private
dwelling my dear, and-good God" she
murrnured beneath her breath but not so
low but that my excited sense caught TIE
words she uttered. Can she have heard
anything Has the reputation of this
place gone abroad? Miss Grant she re-
peated more loudly. you are as safe here
as a babe on ats mothers knee. Nothing
threatens You. nor need you have the
least fear whether the night passes in
quiet or whether Il IS broken by unaccus-
toned sounds. They will have no refer
ence 20 you
'Her look, her manner, were encouraC-
ing and for a moment felt ashamed OF
my foolish tremors. What If 1 were ban