The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1897-03-18
Miss Marvale's Danger.

sy.H
uBut I tell you, Dode. heard itF
..d Bessie Winship, with her blue eyes
,ery wide open.
..You heard your own BREATH" l
,psUered, negligently.
oYou know, Dode, my room is the
1ast in this part of the house. Well,l
slvays thought it odd that the folks
Ihould be SO stiff about the south
inc. and have kept my eyes open
j what went on there. l have found
Int that there certainly is some one
b stairs, whom they are keeping sly.
have heard noises from the upper
mr. and I have seen both Mr.. and
Hiss Markham go up there. They
IOn't 90 ii they see any one looking,
nj have seen them go. Then, yes
prday when didn't come down to
reakfast, I heard after a while step
the hall and rattle of dishes, as If
bme one carrying a tray had stum-
led. l opened my door, thinking
at somebody was bringing me my
cakfast, and there was Miss Mark
I'm and the old hired man, Jacob,
ing toward the upper stairs, she
rrying waiter with breakfast and
with coil of rope in his hand.
Bessie stopped in her low-voiced re-
II and glanced appr extensively
but; but there was no one within
bring. Miss Markham was off at
bdng to household affairs. Mr..
prkham was out in the fields now
! with his men, Miss Marvale was
ting under tree in front Of the
use, her arms thrown up over her
pd as she leaned against the great
e, her eyes half shut in some de-
ous summer reverie; Frank was
trouting and Mr.. Afford was in his
bm.
Bessie drew little nearer to me.
y got up very early this morning."
said. ''It was hardly light,
must have been about three
(ock. I felt nervous and could not
p. All night I had been thinking
Vho and what might be up in that
y, and had got myself into per-
fever l wanted to go to Clara's
%, but was afraid of disturbing
l thought that I would try and
out If she were asleep. and if not
pght venture in. I opened my
and looked out, aud. glancing up
hall, saw that the door at the foot
20 upper stairs was open. had be-
thought it was left open at night.
frightened as wac, I could't
creeping along up the hall toward
door. l trembled least some of
should hear me as I passed their
s. but all was still. But as I came
'he stairs heard whisper from
apper story. I stopped and lis
Tor | dared not go a step nearer,
dared not at first retreat. It
ed to be some one whispering to
eif' for there was only one voice.
10 answer. 1t was an awful whis-
snarp and as though the person
ed to be heard at distance, but
toned, too. And, Dode. it said
pm as plain could be, Il will kill
Twill kill them r"
eii' wnat did you do?" l asked.
cfept back to Clara's chamber
rent in," Bessie said. "She was
and l told her the whole story.
ou know Clara is cold, though
splendid. Her theory is that
ouid never try to find out what
9 Try to keep from us, unless it
70 our business than theirs. SO,
aese' she only cautioned me to
more beyond our own hall. and
10 think nothing OF the matter.
aS good, though, and let me look
~ and get into bed with her.
nen she found that I was really
9 with fear she invented all sorts
+uSlole explanations to soothe
lara is an angel; but the plain
Dode' ! am afraid"
l'iaered. Irdally was a little
- '' 8s''is' story ! bad