The Opelousas courier., 1897-10-09
Miss Marvale's Danger.

"You heard your own BREATH"
answered, negligently.
"You know, Dode, my room is tn
last i'll this part Of the house. Well,
always thought it odd that the folk
should be SO stiff about the sout.
wing, and I have kept my eyes opel
to what went on there. | have foun,
out that there certainly is some on
mp stairs, whom they are keeping sly
l have heard noises from the uppe
floor, and I have seen both Mr.. an,
Miss Markham go up there. The,
won't go if they see any one looking,
but l have seen them 60. Then, yes
terday, when I didn't come down tc
breakfast, I heard after a while a ster
in the hall and Il rattle of dishes, as ii
some n carrying a tray had STUN
bled. | opened my door, thinking
that somebody vas bringing me my
breakfast, and there was Miss Mark.
ham and the old hired man., Jacob,
going toward the upper stairs, she
carrying O waiter with breakfast and
he with a coil of rope in his hand"
Bessie stopped in her loV-voiced re-
cital and glanced appr extensively
about; but there WAS no one within
hearing. Miss Markham was of at
tending to household affairs. Mr..
Markham was out in tie fields now
ing with his men, Miss Marvale was
sitting under a tree in front of the
house, her arms thrown up over her
head as she leaned against the great
bole, her eyes half shut in some de-
licious summer reverie; Frank was
off trouting and Mr.. Afford was in his
room.
Bessie drew a little nearer to me.
Il got mp very early this morning."
she said. cit was hardly light,
and must have been about three
o'clock. I felt nervous and could not
sleep. All night I had been thinking
OF who and what might be up in that
story, and I had got myself into per-
feet fever. I wanted to go to Clara's
room, but was afraid of disturbing
her. | thought that I would try and
find out if she were asleep, and if not
| might venture in. I opened my
door and looked out, aud, glancing up
the hall, saw that the door at the foot
of the upper stairs was open. I had be-
fore thought it wa left open at night.
Well, frightened as 1 was, I could't
help creeping along up the hall toward
that door. [ trembled least some of
them should hear me as I passed their
but all was still. But as I came
near the stairs 1 heard q whisper from
the upper story. I stopped and lis
tened, for 1 dared not go a step nearer,
and l dared not at first retreat. It
seemed to be some one whispering to
himself, for there was only one voice,
and no answer. It wal an awful whis-
per, sharp and as though the person
to be heard at a distance. but
leep.toned, too. Aud, Dode, it said
Is plain as plain could be, 4 will kill
hem! I will kill them!'"
"Well, what did you do?" I asked.
IL crept back to Clara's chamber
md went in" Bessie said. "She was
wake, and l told her the whole story.
But you know Clara is cold, though
he is splendid. Her theory is that
should never try to find out what
people try to keep from us, unless it
8 more Il business than theirs. So,
# course, she only cautioned me to
% no more beyond our own hall. and
0 try to think nothing OF the matter.
'he was good, though, and let me lock
Ier door and get into bed with her.
nd when she found that I was really
baking with fear she invented all sorts
t plausible explanations to soothe
le. Clara is an angel; but the plain
act is, Dode, I am afraid"
considered. / really was a little
impressed by Bessie's story. I had I
otIced some trifing things which
lade me think that our host aud host
had trouble on their minds, though
did not doubt their honesty.
"What do you think, Dode?" Bessie
'ked, after waiting a while.
Il think | don't know anything i.
the NATTER" I said. "Of
purse we can't pry into their affairs.
he best thing to do is to keep quiet. !
ave as good q time as we can and
stem ourselves into our rooms when !
go to bed. If you get frightened '
the night, just knock on the wall 9
your room and mine. and {
will go to see what is the mat Q
i
Bessie sighed and remained silent: :
d at that moment Miss Marvale rose .
9 languid grace, and sauntered 9
ward the house. !
ito Raen;a /