Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1902-06-13

upOu II! HuTuIy tuuuSuO eo' fch
would not enter into sensation of thi
kind, and fear was what l had seen il
her face before the front door had closet
upon me. But that fear-was it dread o
me or Of something disconnected will
me and threatening her from another
portion of the house?
could not but think the latter. The
way her ear was turned, the Sigh
starts she gave as some sound-1 coulC
not gather what-came from the farther
recesses of the house, convinced me that
her cause of dread lay elsewhere thar
with myself and therefore was of q
character worthy of my deepest atten-
ton Though chatted and tried in q
way to arouse her confidence and sci
her at ease in regard to myself at least
| could not help asking myself between
my sentences: Is it her sister? Would il
prove to be her brother? Was it anything
connected with the dreadful matter that
/ had been the first cause to draw me
here, or was it the sign of some habitu-
al distemper which, misunderstood by
Mr. Gryce, had given rise to the suspi-
cions which it was my possible mission
here to dispel?
Anxious to force things little,
said, with IA glance at the dismal branch
es that almost forced their way into the
open easements of this side of the house,
"What scene for young eyes like
yours! Do you never get tired of these
pine boughs and clustering shadows?
Would not little cottage in the sum-
mer part of the town be preferable to
all this dreary GRANDEUR"
She looked up with sudden wistful-
ness that made her smile piteous.
Some of my happiest days have been
passed here and some of my saddest. /
do not think should like to leave it for
any sunny cottage We were not made
for bonny homes" said she. 1.-The
somberness of this old house suits us
"And of this road" ventured. at
is the darkest and most picturesque l
ever entered. thought was entering
a wilderness.
She for a moment forgot her cause of
anxiety beyond She looked at me quite
intently, and a subtle shade of doubt
passed slowly over her features
sit is solitary one" said she;
quite solitary l do not wonder it
struck you as dismal. Have you heard
has any one ever told you that-that
II was not considered as being quite
safe?'
"Safe?" l repeated, Withhold for
give mean expression Of mild wonder
in my eyes.
eyes, it has not the best of names.
Strange things have happened in it, or
have been thought to, which is inst as
bad thought that some one might
have been kind enough to tell you at
the station"
There was gentle sort of sarcasm in
the tone; only that or SO l thought at
the time l began to feel myself in
maze.
Somebody suppose it was the sta
tion master-did say something to me /
about boy lost somewhere in this por-
tion of the woods Do you mean that,
my DEAR"
She nodded, glancing again over her
shoulder and partly rising as if moved
oy some instinct of flight.
"They are dark enough, l observed
With another look toward the heavily
,urtained windows "for more than one
person to be lost in their recesses.
eyes" she murmured, reseating her.
elf and eying me nervously while she
spoke. 1--WE are used to the terrors they
inspire in strangers, but if you she
capped to her feet in manifest eager
less and her whole face changed in
way she little realized herself-"if you
lave any fear of sleeping amid such
gloomy surroundings, we can procure
you a room in the village where you
will be more comfortable and where we
we can visit you almost us well as
lere. Shall l do it? Shall l call''-
My face must have assumed very
rim look, for her words tripped at that
Joint and flush, the first | had seen
II her cheek, rose up to her forehead,
living her an appearance of great dis ;
ress.
"Oh, wish Loreen would come! :
m not at all happy in my suggestions, y
he said, with a deprecatory twitch Of {
er lip that was one of her subtle
harms "Oh, there she is! Now may I
o." said she, and without the least APP
earance of realizing that she had said [
nything out of place she rushed from j
he room almost before her sister had
ntered it. I
But not before their eyes had met in t
look of unusual significance.