The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-01-01

boat, small, ferret eyed youngster,
with an intensely freckled face and
furtive, sidewise glance, which Muriel
always distrusted and as they glided
out over the water, already dyed with
the orange reflection of sunset, in the
direction of White Reefs lighthouse,
Muriel leaned her chin in her hands
and thought of Mr.. Clifton.
What would her mother say if she
knew il all-that Paul Clifton loved her
that he was coming to ask for her at
the maternal hands the very next day.
sit will be of no use" she thought
sadly. Mother will say no. She de-
sires me to marry Squire Sedley, who
is bald and deaf and twice my age, and
| who only wants me because his house
keeper has struck for higher wages and
he thinks wife would be better econo-
my. But we can wait, Paul and /. We
will wait"
And then they ran up alongside the
tall, spectral cylinder Of the lighthouse
for the tide was high and landing was
comparatively easy, and Muriel sprang
lightly out of the boat, looking up at
the fiery eye in the lantern above.
"Give me the bag and the basket,
Tommy" said she. STEADY with the
boat now I'll be back i'm one minuteu
SO the orange glow had burned down
into deep red radiance and the dusk
shadows of the New Years eve were |
creeping over all the CLASSY surface of |
the sea.
Aunt Dora was at home. In fact, |
Aunt Dora never was anywhere else. |
Her own society, little as other people |
cared for it, was all sufficient for her
self.
''Oh, it's you, is ito" said Aunt Dora
as unconcerned rs if she lived on dry /
land and was i'm the habit of seeing /
company every hour in the day. She
was darning stockings by her own espe-
cial little lamp, and the teapot already
simmered on the hob for her tea. "Any
thing the matter? Because / couldn't
leave the light if ii was ever so''-
"No, nothing is the matter" said
Muriel. 81 have brought you a note
from my mother. Something about the
pattern of a bedquilt, believe. And
some chickens and apples and "a bag of
fresh hickory nuts"
Aunt Dora read the note once, twice,
three times over. Then she regarded
Muriel in sinister fashion from under
her thick, black brows, while the girl
played unconsciously with the eat.
"Humph r' said she. ''Ycs, I'll go
and get the pattern ~
She was gone some time-half an
hour, at least, rs it seemed to Muriel,
and when she came back, the girl start
ed up.
at is nearly dark" she said. "I
must make haste home"
"Well you needn't be in such a fur
ry'' said Aunt Dora, with grim
chuckle "I've sent the pattern
by Tommy Jenkins. He's half way to
shore by this time"
Muriel uttered little shrick.
"And how am to get home" she
cried.
"You amt to get home at all said
Aunt Dora. YOU'RE to stay and spend
the New Year with me. That's what
your mother said in her note"
''But shall not ~ exclaimed Muriel,
stamping her foot vehemently. ''I must
go home. | expect company to-mor-
row."
''Sit down and be easy-do ~ said
Aunt Dora. "Niust is for the king. I'd
like to know how on earth you're to get
home, with only one boat at the steps,
and that padlocked tight, with the key
snug at the bottom of my pocket ~
And Aunt Dora laughed hard, dis
sonant laugh that was like the croak
of a raven.
For a moment Muriel gazed wildly
around like newly Gagged bird, then
she burst into tears and sobs.
at is all stratagem of mother'sn'
she cried, wringing her hands. 81
might have known it, might have
known it,
And that night at the White Reefs
lighthouse, with the melancholy sea
tapping the foot of the tower and the
wind whistling around the steady glow
of the beacon, was the dreariest that
Muriel ever spent in her life.
"You amt good company tonight"
said Aunt Dora, glancing at her niece
her darning.
''Because you have deceived men'
cried Muriel. "You and mother ~
"Humph 81 said Aunt Dora. It's all
for your own good. You'll thank us
one of these days. Girls oughtn't to
have their own way"
But Muriel only wept Oh and refused
to be comforted.
She went down to the foot of the
tower, the next day, and sat there, her
cloak wrapped about her shoulders list
lessly gazing out on the sparkling floor
of the deep.
as that boat coming?n she asked
herself "With one man in it? Is it
coming here, wonder?"
Nearer and nearer came the boat,
rocking lightly on the surface of the
waves, and presently Muriel started up,
with cry of joy.
For it was Paul Clifton waving his
hand to her, as he came ever nearer
and nearer.
"a happy New Year, sweet Muriel!'
he called out, As the boat touched the
stone steps. al am the enchanted
knight come to rescue you from the
prison tower ~
"How did you know / was here?'
said Muriel, with sparkling eyes and
velvety checks dyed with crimson.
"Your mother was entirely noncom-
INITIAL" said Clifton gayly. "I could
learn nothing whatsoever from he ex-
cept that you were well and were not
receiving company. But l was fortu-
nate enough to meet Tommy Jenkins,
who, for the consideration of silver
quarter ANONYMOUSLY turned states
evidence. And here am, my sweet