Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1902-07-25

grets.
The consequence was renewed eQua
nimity and a gentle brooding over tn
one event of the day which brought III
regret in its train. The ride with Mr.
Trohm and the mountaineering which
it had led to were topics upon which
could rest with great soothing effec
through the weary hours stretching be
tween me and daylight. Then of Mr.
Trohm let me think as far as modesty
would permit, since shame trouble anC
| horror lay in other directions into which
my now wildly aroused thoughts might
stray.
Whether the almost deathly quiet
into which the house had now fallen OF
the comforting nature of my medita-
tons held ineXorably to the topic | had
chosen acted as soporitic upon me
cannot tell, but greatly as l dislike to
admit it, feeling sure that you will ex-
poet to hear l kept myself awake all
that night, gradually and insensibly
sank from great alertness to an easy lis
tening to my own heart beats and from
that to vague dreams in which beds of
lilies and trellises covered with roses
mingled strangely with narrow, winding
staircases whose tops ended i'll the sway
ing branches of great trees, and so into
quiet and nothingness that were only
broken into by rap at my door and a
cheerful:
Eight o'clock, ma am. The young
ladies are waiting"
/ bounded, literally bounded, from
my chair. Such summons, after such
a night! What did it mean? / was sit
ting half dressed i'll my chair before my
door in Strengthened and uncomfort-
able attitude, and therefore had not
dreamed that had been upon the watch
all night, yet the sunshine in the room,
the CHEEKY tones such as l had not
heard even from this woman before,
seemed to argue that my imagination
had played me false and that no horrors
had come to disturb my rest or render
my waking distressing.
Stretching out my hand toward the
door, l was about to open it, when l be-
thought me.
"Turn the key in the lock, said l.
Somebody was careful enough of my
safety to fasten me in last night.
An exclamation of establishment came
from outside the door.
"There is no key here, ma am. The
door is not locked Shall open it and
come in?''
l was about to say yes in my anxiety
to talk to the woman. but remembering
that nothing was to be gained as yet by
letting them know to what an extent
had carried my suspicious hastily dis
robed and crept into the bed / had not
pressed before that night. Pulling the
coverings about me, assumed COM
Portable attitude and then cried: /
Come i'll. "
The door Immediately opened.
"There, ma'am. What did 1 tell you?
locked-this door? Why, the key has
oeen lost for months. ~
Il cannot help it, " said but with
little if any asperity, for it did not suit
ne that she should see l was moved by
my extraordinary feeling, "a key was
nut in that lock about midnight, and
vas locked in. 1t was about the time
hat scream was given by some one in
our own part of the house"
"Scream?" Her brows took fine
fucker of perplexity. "Oh, that must
lave been Miss Lucetta. p"
"Lucetta?'
Eyes, ma am; she had an attack,
elieve Poor Miss Lucettal She often
as attacks like that.
Confounded for the woman spoke SO
aturally that none but suspicious ma
ure like mine would think of suspect
ng her, l raised myself on my elbow
nd gave her an indignant look.
yet" said l, "you said just now
nat the young ladies were expecting me
} breakfast. ?"
Eyes, and why not?' Her look was
bsolutely guileless. Miss Lucetta
ometimes keeps us up half the night,
ut she does not miss breakfast on that
count. When the turn is over, she is
S we'll as ever she was A fine young
Idly, Miss Lucetta I'd lose my two
ands for her any day.
"She certainly is remarkable girl, -
said, not, however, as dryly as L felt
/ can hardly believe / dreamed about
lie key. Let me feel of your pocket, ]
ughed.
She, without the smallest heSitancy,
allied aside her apron.
II am sorry you could think l would 6
eceive you, ma am, but Lor' me,
a am, this is nothing to what some of
II guests have complained of-in the t
iys, mean, when we did have guests. c
have known them to scream themselves t
I'd VOW they saw white figures creep. c
e up and down the halls-all non c
nse, ma am, but believed in by some {
lks. You don't look as if you believed G
ghosts.
land / don't" l said, mot whit.
would be a poor way to try tc
tighten me. How is Mr.. William this
orning?"
"Oh, he's well and feeding the dogs, il
a am. What made you think Of him. b.
"Politeness, Hannah, =" l found my. 9
If forced to say. Hes the only mar y
the house. Why shouldn't l think OF :,
m?' q q
She fingered her apron minute and ~
nghed. p
81 didn't know you liked him. He's tv
rough, it isn't everybody who under tn
inds him." she said. "
Must one understand a person to -
70 him?" I uueried good humoredly. / ~ ~