El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-12-30

| lady SnOul0 DE suddenly Startleu uODouy
would know what might happen. But,
although she moved the big key slowly
and with much difficulty, she moved it
steadily, and finally it went around as far
as it would go and without a click.
| The door was unfastened. She turned
| the knob and stood holding it firmly,
waiting for midnight. Very soon she
heard whirring sound in the big clock
on the landing. Then there came the
first stroke of II, and with that Margey
stepped back and opened wide the door.
'Come in!' she said, but before she
could utter the words New Year" she
stopped suddenly, for on the portico in
| front of her she saw a man. The girl
| was on the point of screaming, but even
at this dreadful moment she remembered
that if her aunt should be startled no.
body could know what might happen, and
SO she clapped her hand to her mouth
She sprang back, however. She could
not help that, and at the same moment
the man stepped into the hall.
"You are right" he said in whisper
and looking at the hand which was still
over Margey's mouth. 81 understand. l
won't make the least noise in the world
Let me shut the door. l can do it very
quietly"
If the cold air which rushed in through
the open doorway had frozen Marcy as
stiff as statue, she could not have been
more incapable of speaking or moving
than she was at that moment. If she
had dared to cry for help or tried to run
away, she would not have been able to
do either. She stood and stared, whittier
than the moonlight. The man was re-
fastening the door, and as he did so
ray of blessed relief came into the mind
of Marcy. He had put down on the
floor a valise and umbrella. Surely
no burglar, no wicked man of any sort,
would go about with n valise and an UNI
brella, and he seemed to know all about
fastening doors without making a noise
The ray of relief was a very little ray,
but it revived Marcy sufficiently to en-
able her to drop her hand from her
mouth.
The man now stepped toward the IL
brary door, and with one finger ON his
lip he beckoned to Marcy. She was so
astonished at this action that almost
without volition she followed him. She
was so thoroughly frightened that she
could do nothing herself. She had not
even the strength to disobey, but as she
stepped into the library she Rugged to |
her heart the thought of the umbrella |
and the valise. The man took from his |
pocket a box of matches, and, striking |
match he stepped without the slight !
est hesitation TO the corner of the man |
telpiece, on which stood a great candle |
stick, and lighted the candle. Then he
quietly closed the door.
81 do that" he said, because if your
aunt should hear our voices and be star
tied there is no knowing what might
happen
"How could he know that?" Marcy
asked herself, and a third ray of com
fort was added to that furnished by the
umbrella and valiSe. In the light of the
candle Marcy could see that the man
was rather short, very well wrapped up
and wore a fur cap, which now, however,
he removed, showing a head of reddish
brown hair a little curled and with
some streaks of gray on the temples
His face looked as if he had lived out
of doors good deal in all sorts of wealth
er, but his eyes were bright, and there
was pleasant expression about the
mouth, as if he would be glad to laugh if
there were anything to laugh at.
at was very, very good of you" he
said, still speaking in an undertone, ''to
come down and let me in. You must
have seen me from your window. 1 was
afraid there was one awake in the
house. l heard you at work at the bolt
and the chain, and 1 knew why you were
so slow and so quiet. OF course can
not be mistaken in supposing you to be
Miss Griffith"
a little of it. yes she said, "and who,
beg of you, sir-who are you?"
81 am John Brunder, your uncle's
brother. Surely you have heard Of me?"
"a very little" said Margey.
land how much, may I ask?" he said.
showing some surprise.
81 never heard you mentioned but
once," she replied, ''and that was one
lay when I found Aunt Ellen in one of
he bedrooms which 1 had not seen be-
,ore, the door having always been lock-
ID"
Had it a bedstead in it, said he,
with a curved footboard?"
Eyes, it had" said Margey, more and
more relief coming into her mind each
"And did you notice anything in the
way of sporting articles-guns, boxing
,loves?'
YES" said Marcy. 'There were box 6
ng gloves and foils on the wall at the I
lead of the bed and two guns on a ,
ack, and there were some cases in the ,
orner which looked as if they held fish t
ng rods. l was surprised to see these {
hings and asked Aunt Ellen to whom ,
hey belonged She said that the room S
sed to be occupied by Uncle Horace's I
rother John, but that he did not live s
ere now I
as that all she told your" he asked. I
every word" said Marcy. G
He gave his head a little nod. "Per- /
APPS 1t was as well, he said. There's
o use in raking up disagreeable things s
efore young people. But / am glad to d
ear that my old room is kept just as it 2
sed to be. That's a good sister-in-law r
mine, and hope 1 may not do thing
D startle her, knowing 1 do that no
ne could tell''- d
"What might happen" added Margey O
But you ought to know all about me-" {
aid he. ct will not do for you to be ig- b
GRANT any longer, especially as you were t
D good as to come down to let me in q