Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1902-06-06

not been sufficiently warned of tn
dangers of Lost Mans lane to keep my
self at a respectable distance from tn
place of peril? l was going to visit tn
children of r- zee devoted friend
there We're perlIs VI no ordinary natur,
to be encountered there, was | not all tn,
more called upon to go if only as mora
support to these young people, who per
haps themselves were paralyzed by fear
Yes, Mr. Gryce, and nothing now
should hold me back | even felt an in
creased desire to reach the scene Of these
mysteries and chafed some at the length
of the Journey, which was of more te
dious character than | expected. A pool
beginning for events requiring patience
as well as great moral courage, but
little knew what was before me and
only considered that every moment
spent ON this hot and dusty train kept
me thus much longer from the embraces
of Althea's children
| recovered my equanimity, however.
as we approached. The scenery was
really beautiful, and the consciousness
that | should soon alight at the noun
tain station which had played more
or less serious part in Mr.. Gryce's mar
rative awakened in me pleasurable
excitement which should have been a
sufficient warning to me that the spirit
which had led me through that affair
next door had seized me again III way
that meant equal absorption if not equal
success.
The number of small packages l car
ried gave me enough to think of at the
moment of alighting, but as soon as l
was safely again on terra tirma threw
a hasty glance around to see if any of
Althea' S children We're there to meet
me-
I felt that l would know them at
once. She bod been SO characteristically
pretty they could not fail to show some
likeness which would lead to an instant
recognition while they could not fail
to know me. But while there were two
or three country maidens to be seen
standing in and around the little pavil-
ion known here as the mountain station
| saw no one who by any stretch of i'm
agination could be regarded as Of AL
thea Burroughs blood or breeding
Somewhat disappointed, for l had ex-
pected different results from my tele
gram, stepped up to the station mas
ter and asked him whether / would
have any difficulty in procuring car
riage to take me to Miss knollys' house.
He stared it seemed to me unnecessari-
ly long, before replying.
"Waal ," said he, simmons is usu.
ally here, butt don't see him round
today, Perhaps one of these farmer lads
will take it, -
But they all drew back with sort Of
scared look, and was beginning to tuck
up my skirts preparatory to walking
when a little old man of very meek APP
toned coach, and with a hesitating air,
springing entirely from bashfulness |
managed to ask if / was Miss Butter !
worth | fastened to assure him that |
was, whereupon he stammered out some |
words about Miss Knollys and how sor
ry she was that she could not come for |
me herself Then he pointed to his
COdCH anu lldlt NE uLtltIsllHtt lHdU I
was to step into it and 90 with him.
1t was not an altogether encouraging |
outlook, especially as | saw the heads /
of the various onlookers draw together .
and many curious looks directed at us I
both and the conveyance that was to .
carry us. But was in no mood to be .
daunted now, and accepting the old cod
gers apologies with what grace l could |
| stepped into the wagon and prepared /
myself for ride into town,
But it seems was not to be allowed /
to enter upon this adventure without
another warning While the old man
was engaged in bringing my trunk, the
station master approached me with
great civility, and with "A touch of his
hat asked if it was my intention to
spend few days with the Misses Knoll
lys. told him that it was, and, thinking
it best to establish my position at once III
the eyes of the whole town, added with
a politeness equal to his own that was
an old friend of the family and had been
:omlng to visit them tor years, but hau
never found it convenient till now and
L
would be glad to see me.
He made some sort of reply, showing
embarrassment, then pluck
ing up his courage said with marked
constraint:
perhaps you have not heard that
this village just now is under cloud.
81 have heard" I said innocently,
"that one or two men have disappeared
from here somewhat mysteriously. Is
that what you mean?"
eyes" he answered. Zone person,
boy, disappeared only two days ago"
THAT'S bad, 1 said, "but what has
that to do with me?' asked smilingly,
for saw he was not at the end of his
talk.
ooh, nothing" he cried eagerly,
"only didn't know but you might be
timid"-
"Oh, I'm not at all timidI" 1 has
tened to say. "If were, l should not
have come here at all. Such matters
Ion affect me-" And spread out my :
skirts and arranged myself for my ride
As if the horrors he had mentioned had
made no more impression upon me than
f his chat had been of the weather.
Perhaps l overdid it, for he looked at
me for another moment in curious, I,
lingering way; then he walked off, and
saw him enter the circle of gossips ON
he platform, where he stood shaking |.