The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-01-16

low keys. instantly Lucetta-lt was
Lucetta who was with me then-bound-
ed to my side with a look of horror on
her face.
Don't do that" she cried, laying
her hand on mine to stop me. Then,
seeing my look of dignified astonish-
ment, she added with an appealing
smile, Il beg peardon, but every. sound
goes through me tonight.
Are you not Well?'' l asked.
Il am never very WE'LL she return
ed, and we went back to the sofa and
renewed our forced and pitiful attempts
at conversation.
Promptly at o'clock Miss Knollys
came in. She was very pale and cast,
as usual, a sad and uneasy look at her
sister before she spoke to me. Imme-
diately Lucetta rose, and, becoming
very pale herself, was hurrying toward
the door when her sister stopped her.
you have forgotten she said, ito
say good night to our guest"
Instantly Lucetta turned, and. with
sudden, uncomfortable impulse seized
my hand and pressed it convulsively.
Good night" she cried II hope
you will sleep WE'LL and was gone be-
fore l could say word in response
why does Lucetta go out of the
room when you come in?" I asked, de-
termined TO Know the reason for this
peculiar conduct Have you any other
guests in the house?"
The reply came with unexpected We
hemence No" she cried, why should
you think so? There is no one here
but the family" And she turned away
with a dignity she must have inherited
from her father, for. Althea Burroughs
had every other interesting quality but
that. YCu must be very tired she
said. IF you please we will go now
to your rocm.'
rose at once. glad of the prospect Of
seeing the upper portion of the house.
She took my wraps on her arm, and we
passed Immediately into the hall. AS
we did so I heard voices, one of them
shriil and full of distress but the sound
was so quickly smethered by a closing
door that FL d'~"ovrr whether
that tone of suffering proceeded from
man or a woman.
Miss KnolIys. who was preceding me-
glanced back in some alarm, but as I
gave no token of having noticed any
thing out cf the ordinary she speedily
resumed her way I'D stairs. AS the
sounds 7 heard had proceeded from
above I fo'' -'acrity. but
felt my enthusiasm diminish somewhat
when l found myself passing door after
door down long hall to room as re-
mote as possible from what seemed to
be the living portion of the house.
rs it necessary to put me off quite so
paused and waited for me to join her
on the threshold of the most forbidding
room it had ever been my fortune to
enter.
81 am sure" she said. that it is a
matter of great regret to me to be
obliged to offer you so mean a lodging,
but all our other rooms are-are out
of order" she explained firmly, and I
cannot do otherwise tonight"
But isn't there some spot nearer you"
urged. "a couch in the same room
with you would be more acceptable to
me than this distant room
II hope you are not tinid," she
began, but l fastened to disabuse her
mind of this at once
81 am not afraid said I, "of any
earthly thing but dogs but 1 do not
like solitude. L came here for compan-
ionship, my dear. I really would like
to sleep with one of YOU
This, to see how she would meet such
urgency. She met it as 1 might have
known she would by rebuff.
Il am very sorry" she again repeat
ed. but it is quite impossible. If I
could give you the comforts you are
accustomed to, I should be glad, but we
are unfortunate. we girls. and,-She
said no more, but began. to busy herself
about the room, Which held but one eo-s
Ject that had the least look OF comfort
in it. That was my trunk, which had
been neatly placed in one corner.
Il suppose you are not used to cam
dies she remarked, lighting what
struck me as avery. Short end from the
enc she held in her hand -
My dear" said 7, "can accommo-
date myself to much that [ am not used
to. / have very few old maids ways
or notions. You shall see that l am far
from being a difficult guest
She feaVed a sigh, and then, seeing
M! eyes travelling slowly over the gray
discolored walls, which were not rel:ev-
ed by so much as solitary print, she
pointed to the bell rope near the head of
the bed and considerably remarked:
If you wish anything in the night
or are disturbed in any way, pull that.
1t communicates with my room. and I
Will be only too glad to come to you"
/ glanced up at the rope, ran my eve
along the wire communicating with il
and saw that it was broken sheer off
before 1t even entered into the wall.
am afraid you will not hear me-
L answered pointing to the break.
She flushed a deep scarlet. and for a
moment looked as embarrassed as ever
her sister had done
II did not know" she murnured.
The house is SO old, everything is more
or less out Of repair" And She made
haste to quit the room
| stepped after her in grim determine
nation.
But there is no key to the door," I
objected.
She came back with a look that was
as nearly desperate as her placid fea-
lures were capable Of
Il know" she said, 81 know. We
have nothing. But if you are not
afraid-and of what could you be
afraid in this house, under our protec
ton and with a good dog outsidep-
you will bear with things tonight, and
Good God" she murmured, but not
so low but what my excited sense
caught every syllable, .'can she have
heard? Has the reputation of this
place gone abroad? Miss Butterworth,"
she repeated earnestly, "the house con-
tains no cause Of terror for you Moth.
ing threatens our guest, nor need you
have the least concern for yourself or
us, whether the night passes in quiet