New-York tribune., 1903-01-10
TIE Sfrayin6 Of Penelope.
By MARGARET wEsTRuP-

Immaculate Fielding. who cherished an Ineons =.
ReD RS affection a for her L isrss s aaa o,ep pavn
impedimenta. Lastly. the driver had emerged
He had mounted to his seat and driven away
The urchlns and urchinesses had dispersed slo~y.
Mrs Hardy's sister. stood looking down on me
stepmother lay assiduousiy smelling AT slNer
Sorry | startled YOU. the girl was saying. in
pleasant brisk sort of voice. its over two years
yes, 1 am so easily startled now" The voice
came in sharp contrast TO that other; il was thin
Worse?'' asked the girl
oh yes with yal sounded 1ss ztrsHEey W IKE en-
:s1a shaIl go, Do YOU want e Be slops, 9,,. co
'1oh. all right How's the baby7-
Penelope? Nothings ever wrong with her
AT the rectory 7 suppose She racks my poor
all s1ad the t morning and 1TssTnoon m Mr. Grs0 Sends Is
sVsqySn IA san on usty tye b6oRs full Of mcro6es
Msa, HSlsa Was & pulling b a. OF 1haFs her gi9Sss @
Who? Penelope? Lessons. of course
How absurd you are. Helen The light green
ish eyes the sofa looked with cold sort OF fre
se her terFoT at that ook when she was much
younger. She wondered suddenly If Penelope Were
There was pause. .Heien's thoughts wandered;
tns3F wqnderng n7r % oT9ugns ssd az nef
Yes; to Sir Ralph Bennington: the name rolled
marriage for you Helen
Helen frowned- She rose and walked 70 the
When is it to beg asked her sister
1T ought to be soon; see nothing to prevent it,
and much to render i advisable You are home, e
less. now that Mrs. Wiloughby has her cousin 10
curious look shone in Heen's gray eyes for
Il can get another post as companion she said
But how ridiculous it would be. And cannot
r weeks y9g hs s here S ssed Hss b But you am m poor
my bad health is so expensive -, -.
Of Ne wPt gcs 5ofss 3 s a9 the
and cushions and yellow backed novels
does Sir Ralph hold back?" asked her sister.
A gieam of niirth lit the frank face over Dy 'ne
No; he wants me to marry him now-at once
"6h. don't know" Helen shrugged her shoulders
slightly her short upper lip curled wilIqy
Upon the peevish remonstrances- Of Mrs Hardy
bros the maeu9e lat ftsI FisRs ing and Miss Penelope
has not returned. She didn't come home 10 olr1Sr'
Fielding spoke in hushed tones that reminded
Helen irresistibly of death chamber: .,,r,. =,
RealIy M Fielding L DO 2onfnr not see why snou'' .
s.Does Miss Penelope always return to dinner.
broke in HeIen's voice
Then why wasn't your mistress told that she had
4 didn't want to trouble her. miss ! never Des
5nnlS n9g he he quite safe at the rectory.'
There was hint of defiance in Fieldns's nusned
she is quite right. murmuTsd her mistress
faaDly. nerves VIII IOt Sldif1
4 thought had struck Helen.
DOCS She return alone" she said .5-,,r,,z-
r5aien AZ Fieiding my lavender salts.
Fielding handed the bottle TO her mistress and an
7 can't be spared to take and fetch her. miss
s6e IS perfecty safe n1oaned Mrs Hardy. AL
tHs - 50 o1e must 20 to tte rectory once said
Helen, D.. ,bs ,sev,sb voice grew
I am hot. You must fan me. F1eidlns- ,.,,sa
ea Pns Ad t bGead 29a foa o4Re yoT e toast
and you don't fancy any one elses toaSl
HeIsR H len, walSea ya ebt to sdd sRf anGF a2d went
When she returned Fielding met ner n ,ne rstr neI
oh miss you mustn't go to the poodoor' mistress
MISS Penelope been heard Of yet? She
h P PssH miss Parker the fsEqpgT g ,IToss srogghs H
that p4o UPSET fVyie over her naughtiness
.4,d1 6a1 mas and niayng truant and didn't want TO
cone home and mistress r
..shasa locksd into the boxroou. miss. for pun
ishment." -, --tso-.- ezan+ over
sba LOGGED round the darkenIng hall and through
anent his childhood: Il was dreadfuly alive to nsr
vous terrors. The night time sohtuoe' ana 'h7
osTk e turned to Fielding Give the key. please
Helen turned to the boudoir
~. WIN NO sn miss. she's queted down, now. Field
ing held out the key In an ag1tated nand-
Helen took and swept up tIe Std!iS
she knew she might be disquieting herself vainly
T+ fbe moro idea Of Childs suffering terror hurt
her She had been a nervous child nerseiI- ,,
When she opened the door OF the boXroor1 SllelCs
and dim shadows greeted her she peered IouIu
The room which was filled with boxes ana lFunsS
and rubbish She recognized with thrill the gnost
Iv possibilities of the place to nervous pIsie
penelope" her charming voice rang ou' e'7a'
Over in a corner she deserted bundle that looked
desnairinEIv human. She made her way swiftly 10
the corner and bent over the bundle
.rTlarfing"' She touched the Httie nsuIs- aILo
orsa m of terror echoed amongst the empty o2AeS
Helen saw that Penelope was lylng huCoIsI % - ~.
cred fight with agonized hands quickly anu WIN
a firm touch Helen pulled the hands away -,
She felt long shiveT pass through Ine hIIls I
bodv but no screams ra ng out Ite-- reIeICtpe-
I am Aunt Helen. Darling. don't you rsnlsitlost t.
me-" She held her close to her warm hedlt- fAUll
Helen dear T, d. +-s-,
SLOWLY the figure her arms relaxed IN IreLIl. @
bling whisper Penelope muttered IheF VIII se'
Wi come downstairs now. Helen said cheer
fully. ,rd her rec. with
sl44iT iWiI Won lock the door, Penelope whispered
There are such lot of them-on- GO iocN tne
YES dear" answered Helen. soothinsy. but
it,s only bad dreams, sweetheart !. - .
She tilrned the key with reassurtnS Creaks IN tns
lociz and they went downstairs Heiens gray
eyes e7 %eTg ,I aeve your tea darling? she asked
r-iskIy as they entered the dining room e.,
There was the one with the light green eyes
whispered Penelope and ne was ever - i7'
'sToeneIope.' Heen's voice was very nTu ne
was a had dream they We're all bad dreams nome
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