The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1899-01-27


FIRST 90 delightful. now seems - mi
her usually cheerful spirit with sense
OF depression. Until robbed OF all com
panionship she never guessed what n
soclable creature she was. Happy
would she be II even the most inane
and commonplace caller would come
to break the monotony Of her endless
daysl but II is understood in the
neighborhood that the family az the
Wilderness are away; so from morn
TIL night Shell wanders almlessly
about. with only the gray cat to bear
her company.
Il il evening. Shell Is even moro
desolate than her wont. Susan has
asked permission TO 20 into Mudford TO
make few purchases. and already
she hao been absent over three hours.
Il Is now seven O'Clock. and the empty
house seems TO Shells excited imagi-
nation like a haunted place. She
fancles she hears hurrying through tho
passages A door slams. and her heart
stands still with fear She'll however
Is not one TO give way to morbid feel
ings. and rouslng herself from her
book. she starts on tour OF inspec-
tion through the house. shutting all
windows and securely barring all
doors on her way; then, with n ro-
moved sense OF security. abe returns
20 the drawing-room and determines
to while away the time with music.
Shell ia one OF those sensitive folk
who mover play no well as when alone
she cannot pour her whole heart into
her music whom ehe has listeners.
Now. with the house TO herself she
soon becomes lost to her surroundings.
and the room echoes to such heart
stirring strains az II rarely falls to
ones lot to hear.
suddenly however her music comes
to an end. aud her heart throbs with
terror, for through the empty hall
echoes the sonorous thunder OF the
big iron knocker.
Shells flrst impulse Ia to take no
notlce-to hide herself or to make her
escape by some back window. then
her natural good sense returns. and
she laughs In a nervous manner at hor
fears and with fast-beatlng heart ad-
yances into the hall.
SIS that you. susan1" she asks. but
without christening the heavy chain.
There comes no answer save n Wig
orous ring at the bell.
who In therog" demands She'll, this
time in n nrmer tone and one moro
likely TO penetrate tho thick oak
panels.
"a messenger from Mrs. Widen,
answers voice which Ia somehow
familiar TO Shells ears.
, with trembling hands she shoots
{ back the heavy bolts, and. taking down
the chain. opens the door. There she
stands-paie. big-oyed. and scared
Q looking, before--Robert Champley.
/. "oh. what fright you gave mel" II
[ her frst involuntary exclamation.
q "A fright How sol What have
/" dones" querieA her visitor. iookinI
y much nnrpriaed.
~ oh. nothingl" answers She'll willis
I. the ghost OF smile nickers round he
J; still oolorless lips. ut was my owl
8 foollshneSs; but was not expecting
I any one excepting susan, and youi
= knock frightened mo. suppose
= must be getting neryous"-with a self.
o depreciatlng little laugh.
0 "Neryous1 should think sol" criea
Robert wonderingly. He has taken
. her hand in greeting. and feels II cold
d and trembling in his warm grasp. "But
0 surely you are not alone In the house p
r only for a short timo; am expect.
ing Susan back every minute" e.
= plains Shell, who feels heartily
/ ashamed Of her late weakness.
! Her visitor looks grave.
you ought not to be left alone In
/ house like this" he says very de-
i. e!aaals;.--- -A-As----.s-~----r-- rrrir1iinH
stint"
His words remind Shell that he stu
has possession OF her hand-wlth a
littlo impntlont movement aha with