Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1902-07-04

village folks They have enough to tall
about as it is"
Not exactly seeing the force of thi
reasoning, but quite willing, seeing tina
he had no intention of taking me bacl
at once, that he should leave me to III,
own devices as soon as possible, point
ed to locksmith's shop l saw near b,
and babe him put me down there
With sniff l might have interpreted
in any way, he drove up to the spot
pointed out and awkwardly assisted mt
to alight.
Trunk key missing?" he venturet
before getting back into his seat.
did not think it necessary to answer
him, but walked Immediately into the
shop thought he looked dissatisfied
! at this, but whatever were his feelings
he mounted presently to his place anG
drove off. was left confronting the de-
cent man who represented the lock fit.
ting interests in X
l found some difficulty in broaching
my Grand Finally l said:
"Miss Knollys, who lives up the road
over there, wishes key fitted to one Of
her doors. Will you come or send up
there today? She was too occupied to see
about it herself.
The man must have been struck by
my appearance for he stared at me
quite curiously for minute. Then he
gave hem and IA haw and said
Certainly. What kind of a door
is it?'' When l had answered, he
gave me another curious glance and
seemed uneasy to step back to where his
assistant was working with IA file.
lyon will be sure to come in time to
have the lock fitted by night, said in
that peremptory manner Of mine which
means simply, Il attend to things when
and where promise and expect you to
do the same. P"
His Certainly" struck me rs a little
weaker this time, possibly because his
curiosity was excited. .Are you the
lady who is staying with them from
New York." he asked, stepping back
seemingly quite unawed by my positive
demeanor
yes" said l. thawing trifie; II
am Miss Butterworth. "
He looked at me almost as if l were a
curiosity.
and did you sleep there, " he urged,
"last night"
Il thought it best to thaw still more.
"Of course, " said. "Where do you
think would sleep? The young ladies
are friends of mine.
He raped abstractedly on the counter
with a small key he was holding.
Excuse me, said he, with some re-
membrane of my position toward him
as stranger, but weren t you afraid
"Afraid!" l echoed. Afraid in Miss
Knollys' house?"
"Why, then, do you want a key to
your door," he asked, with slight APP
pearance of excitement. 1--WE don't lock
doors here in the village; at least we
didn't"
II did not say it was my door, 3" be-
gan; but, feeling that this was prevari-
cation not only unworthy of me, but
one that he was entirely too sharp to
accept, I added stitfly: "It is for my
door am not accustomed even at /
home to sleep with my room unlocked +"
"Oh," he murmured, totally uncon- I
WINGED, II thought you might have got
o scare Folks somehow are afraid Of
that old place, it's so big and ghostlike.
I don t think you would find any one in /
this village that would sleep there all /
night. ~ !.
IA pleasing preparation for my rest
there tonight" l grimly laughed.
Dangers on the road and ghosts in
the house. Happily l don't believe in
the latter.
The gesture he made showed incredu-
lily. He had ceased rapping with the
key or even to show any wish to join
his assistant. All his thoughts for the
seemed to be concentrated on
me.
"You don't know little Rob-, he in
luired, 1.-The crippled lad who lives at
the head of the lane.
"No," / said; Il haven't been in
town a day yet, but l mean to know
Rob and his sister too Two cripples in
one family rouse my interest "
He did not say why he had spoken of
him, but began tapping with his key
again.
"And you are sure you saw nothing?"
ne whispered. Lots of things can hap
pen in lonely road like that"
"Not if everybody is as afraid to en-
;er it as you say your villagers are, I
,etorted. Il
But he didn't yield jot II
"Some folks don't mind present dam
yers, " said he. "Spirits''- Il
But he received no encouragement in
lis return to this topic. "You don't be-
ieve in spirits?' said he. "Well, they
ire doubtful sort of folks, but when
honest and respectable people such as
i've in this town, when children even,
ZEE what answers to nothing but phan-
oms, then remember what wiser man
han any of us once said But perhaps
-ou don't read Shakespeare, madam"
Nonplused for the moment, but in
crested in the mans talk more than
vas consistent with my need of haste,
aid with some spirit, for it struck me
IS very ridiculous that this country me-
hanic should question my knowledge
# the greatest dramatist of all time,
Shakespeare and the Bible form the
taple, of my reading" At which he
ave me little nod of apology and has !
ened to remark: I
"Then you know what mean-Ham- !
cts remark to Horatio, madam, There ,
re more things, etc. Your memory {