The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1899-04-07

"Well, we'll go there said Fanny
I'VE can work there as we'll as in the
studio; and we shall run less risk of
Salina 5 interference. Salina never
can forget that we arc no longer little
girls of ten and twelve"
The supper served up in the little
round room, before the dying CLEAN
of the logs, was exceptionally nice.
Fanny and Abby were in exuberant
spirits, and praised the chocolate,
trout and griddlc cakes with enthu-
siasm. Salina was as gloomy as a
prophecies.
Il only hope we shall get through
this night alive said she.
But as she had made the same re-
mark, on an average, three hundred
out of the three hundred and sixty
five days of the year, neither Fanny
nor Abby paid much attention to it.
But as she passed out, with the last
dish from the table, Salina passed close
to Fanny Clifford. and asked, in a
sepulchral whisper:
care them diamonds locked up?'
"They are in my DESK said Fanny,
indifferently.
Salina lifted her eyes skyward.
"In your desk?' she groaned
Hadn't you better take 'em and put
'em under my pillow"
"Certainly, not" her young mis-
tress answered, sharply. "po, Sa-
lima, leave me to manage my own af
fairs?'
And Salina vanished in huff.
I'll go to bed early" she said grim.
", to herself. at amt no use sittin
up to look arter the good of people
as won't take no trouble for them
selves"
But just as she was about to ascend
with candle, Lady Macbeth like, to
her room, she suddenly paused.
"Them three hemstiched handke-
chers O. mine are out on the grass
a-bleaching,' she said to herself. And
the black clouds in the west means
wind. l don't want them handkechers
blowed away. I'll go out and fetch
'em in
Carefully unbolting three bolts and
unlocking one ponderous lock, Salina
sailed FORTH shading the candle with
her hand; but the first puff Of freezing
pine-perfumed air blew the little
flame out
Undaunted by this mishap, how
ever, Salina went valiantly out, feel
ing her way through the cloudy star
light, until she was opposite the wood
shed.
II guess I'll go in and cross over
that way" she thought.
But as she was turning in the in.
tended direction a light suddenly
flashed out-the reddish glow of a
lantern, that was almost instantly OBJ.
scured by the slide.
"Gracious!' thought Salina, step
ping back, in her terror and amaze,
ment.
"Confound you!" muttered grufl
voice-the identical voice of Milton S
hired man. ''What did you want to
show light for?'
"The slide was rusty apologized a
second voice. "It don't matter
there is no one but cats and grasshop-
pers to see us. The last window was
darkened long ago. Come on; I'm fit
to perish with cold and cramp in that
outlandish hole. Let's get the matter
over with"
And while Salina was striving to
overcome the terrible weight on her
chest sufficiently to cry out or make
some sign, two dark figures slurk past
her like the procession in hideous
dream, and vanished through cellar.
door which she could have sworn she
had safely secured, early in the even
ing.
Recovering her senses as fast as she
could, she hurried through the long
| wet grass to the rcscae of the two
helpless girls in the house.
Il always knowcd it would be so,
she thought "Oh, dear-oh, dear; it
seems as if my feet was weighted with
lead!''
Finally she stumbled in the tangled
fowcr-beds: once she caught her an
kle in the down-hanging loop of an ole
gra pc-vine and nearly wrenchcd it out
| of Joint. But at last she reached the
green space in front Of the door, just
as it flew open and the two midnight
marauders came stumbling out, drop
ping their lantern in their frantic
! haste.
"You fool!' muttered the man who
had carried the light. ''why didn't yor
| tell me there was man about the
place-a great, burly sailor, with :
cutlass half as long as himself? Io,
| told me the coast was clear!