The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1902-10-31
which would lend themselves very

said, drawing a curtain aside as we
entered the Venetian chamber, here
is a little door you would hardly OBJ
serve, even were the curtain absent.
The passage behind runs the whole
length of the house. 1t is dark and
dusty, and I should not advise you
to venture on a voyage of discovery"
cit certainly looks very ghostly,"
I said, as we sat on a low sofa, COM
fortably slipping our coffee.
The old lady's eyes rested upon me
benignly.
81 feel so happy tonight" she mur-
INJURED. "You have made me realize
how lonely my life is"
She took my hand and stroked it
softly. I half expected to hear her.
purr. Then came one of the most
startling moments of my life.
Mrs. s%hepperton, whom that very
day I had seen only for the first
time, made an amazing proposition.
She told me I reminded her very for
chilly Of a daughter she had lost long
years ago. She expressed an intense
desire for my company, and begged
me to go abroad with her on the fol-
lowing morning.
"It won't be for very long," she de-
clared soothingly. "And I will buy
you some lovely Partisan clothes if
your wardrobe is insufficient. I will
write to you mother tomorrow. and
explain what 1 have done. I am sure
she could not possibly mind, especial
ly as we were introduced by a mu-
tual friend"
Somehow I still felt under a spell,
and the delightful suggestion proved
too tempting. I have always been
impressionable and somewhat hot
headed, I fear. Assuring myself that
my family could have no objection, I
joyfully consented to accompany
Mrs. Shepperton on her pleasure
trip.
AS we talked over the many de-
lights of foreign travel, I suddenly
started forward, grasping her elbow.
"What is the matter, child?" she
asked.
sI saw a figure" I gasped, "hiding
in that curtain opposite. I could
have declared the form of a man
stood behind the velvet. The out
line of his shoulder showed quite dis
tinctly."
Mrs. shepperton started up, trem-
bling.
"It must have been your fancy"
she cried, begging me to look behind
the curtain; but, of course, this was
useless. Had anyone been there, he
would have retired through the panel
door into the long, dark passage be-
You'd.
I tried to forget what I had seen,
telling myself it was only magma
ton; but the memory haunted me
as I went up to bed.
'Never mind" I thought. ito
you will be far away from
this lonely building"
I dreampt of the pleasure of wealth
and of the many Injuries I was about
to enjoy.
The following morning Mrs. shep-
perton appeared somewhat depressed
at breakfast.
IT want you, if you will, my dear"
she said, in her soft, cooling voice,
"to do an errand for me on the way
to the station. I shall drive in a
closed carriage, but you must go
round by the town in the victoria,
which will be at the door in a few
minutes. Ineed a little spare money
for our travelling expenses. Please go
to the bank and change this check
for G10O, which you must bring me
notes."
I took the check, and drove away
cheerfully, glad to feel I could do
her a service.
The drive was a very billy one,
and the little town nestled at the
foot of a steep descent. AS the car
riage proceeded at d slow pace, a
well-dressed man sprang forward,
apparently from the hedge, and took
his hat to me.
I felt myself turning very red, for
I hardly knew what to do, since he
was a total stranger. Before I had
time to think, he jumped into the
carriage, and seated himself beside
me. | ~neryously grasped the pres
cious check in my hand.
"What do you want?" I asked
%quivering with indignation
1T his impertinent action.
Excuse me, MISS" he said, "but II
want that check for s1OO which you
are going to cash at the bank"
"You may want it," I said, con-
'inced this was a case of highway
robbery, "but you won't get it,"
"Don't be alarmed" he answered,
reading my thoughts. "After all,
you + quite right not to give it up.
{ suppose you r unaware that you
Ire being made the victim of a very
cruel trick? I saw you arrive yes
'erday, and judged by your looks you
we're not an accomplish, though the
lccomplices are many of the Mrs.
you know. One has
her false, and a very large
scheme is about to end in failure.
"The old lady who received you so
lHectionately last evening, and
'empted you to accept her invitation
II foreign travel, was, strange to re-