The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-12-31
a MyyzE0Y.

my part am charmed with It, and don't
mean to leave It at the end Of year,
whatever Mrs. Hornibrooke and Miss
johnson may say
''As We are here, we will stay" re-
marked Josephine. II would not leave on
any consideration" she continued. II
am immensely interested"
I'm the house. dear. and the gardenf"
I'm moro than that" she replied very
softly.
.'Now. Josephine. what do you meant"
''What / say, Patricia" Then she looked
me full In the face. Have you slept well
since you came hers7" she asked.
Admirably" replied. II have been
tired with the unpaokins and have slept
like top. And you, dear. your nights
have been good have they not?"
Fairly good" she answered. hut am
very much Interested. I cannot say any
more at present. Don't question me. Pat"
Pat was her name for me when she
wanted to subdue me altogether. ! rushed
away. brought in a cup OF strong beef-tea
and made her drink It.
II declare" said. ''you must have heard
some OF the neighbors' mutterings. The
house is not haunted, there IL nothing
whatever the matter with 1t. and I mean
to cover the dinner table with red roses
tonight"
So did. and Josephine was just like
her old self. very sweet and gentle and
not at all depressed. and rejoiced more
than ever at our bargain and at the lovely
home we had secured for ourselves.
Tho next day made arrangements with
boatman to take US out every evening
on the water. and Josephine enjoyed her
life more than ever. and more and more
people came to call on US, and We settled
down quite snugly in the beautiful little
place, and forgot the warning that the
ladies' had given me. and the mysterious
way they had talked about the red roses.
Summer passed away and winter came.
The roses had all ceased to flower. Instead
Of flowers, however, they had put on scar
let berries and still they made a show of
color in the. garden. used to take great
punches Of berries now to decorate the
table with. and friends came to stay with
uS, very glad Of the change and of the mild
air of the south Of England. ! never felt
so well In my life. but there was some-
thing about my sister which did not quite
please me. 1t was not that she complained,
not In the very least but she did not look
well, her face got thinner and thinner. and
her eyes larger and larger, and she walked
more feebly, and sat oftener and oftener
by the window which looked into the gar
den without speaking.
"Does this place agree with you, Jose
phine?' I said on certain November
morning.
"oh, yes. dear" she replied. "why do you
ask?"
"Only you don't look WELL
II am never strong, you know, Patricia.
am as well here as anywhere"
would you like to 60 away for change?
Perhaps three or four weeks inland would
DO you good?" queried.
Il am quite WE'LL" she replied. IT would
not leave for anything
"And are you still Interested" said.
bent forward as spoke and took one of
her hands. She was only twenty-four years
OF age. and I was only twenty-five. We
were young still, with all our youth In us,
and in all the world loved Josephine hest.
I7had never had any lover. no love affair
had in any way crossed my path, and did
not think I wanted one. My sister was all
SUFFICIENT to me. and now as looked at her
pale, pale face and noted her hand which
was thinner than 1t ought to be asked
her again almost passionately:
Are you still interested?'
VERY much SO; immensely" she en-
swered.
And do you still have bad nights?"
mot bad nights. but I don't sleep, at
least / sleep very little," she answered.
l looked out of the window. the sky was
leaden, and the sea was no longer blue, It
was gray and angry with white horses,
many of them. riding on it's surface. The
pleasure boats had been all put away for
the season, and the inhabitants OF Alver-
stoke had settled down to their winter
avocations. To- ssi
After all 1t is a. dull little place." L said.
when the sun leaves the water and the
blue leaves the sky, and the roses cease
to bloom, 1t is not worth burying ones self
here. Shall we go to Italy, shall we spend
the winter abroad? want you to get
away from that which interests you and
which you won't talk about?" said to my
sister.
"oh. 1t is all right" she replied. IT
wouldn't leave for the world, am intense
ly Interested"
That night the wind rose and rose. It
roared in the chimney pots and through
the long passages, and cried to us as IL It
had voice. and thought began to un-
derstand quite an ordinary and rational
reason why the people who came to the
tall thin house did not care to stay there
very long. It was only a summer resi-
dence; 1t was not fit for the gales and
storms Of winter.
I went to my window and looked out.
Josephine slept on the drawing-room floor.
She had the best bedroom in the house,
It went as a matter Of course that she
should have this. for she had always been
so frail and delicate. My bedroom was
on the top floor. 1t had dressing-room
trance to the dressing-room but through
my bedroom. When I entered the room at
night as a rule locked the outer door.
Josephine used to lock her door too. It
was habit, perhaps not a very safe one,
which we had accustomed ourselves to.
We only kept one servant very good
one. and she slept In room In a little
wing Off the main part Of the house. Thus
Josephine had the drawing-room floor to
herself. and I had the upper floor to my
self
II turned cold too that night, very cold,
and Josephine asked for fire in her room.
She never cared that I should come into
her room. I mean since we moved into
the house with the red roses.
When went to my room the wind had
slightly abated. the IRE was laid In the
crate. felt for the first time since
entered this house, q queer numb, mys-
terious sensation stealing over me- did
not like It. said to myself. MY nerves
are giving way. the house Of course Is all
right, but It is the look on Joeephine's