The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1903-05-29
FARMvILLE, VA, FRIDAY, MAY %, 1903

steep some hops and make tea
for me To drink, and shall sleep to-
night" he whispered, for louder
speech was extremely painful.
Yes, father"
She knew OF old this simple and ef-
fectual remedy. 1t was happy
thought Of her fathers, and she inn
mediately prepared to obey him.
Its nourishment and soothing in
fuence soon had a healthful effect on
him, and, with few last directions
for the night. he composed himself
to a night of natural rest.
Her own room was a half flight Of
stairs down to the ground floor. II
joined the pretty south parlor. and
was so situated that the slightest
sound in her fathers room could be
heard there. Feeling the need Of
sleep, and knowing that she could
rest more satisfactorily in her own
bed than on the lounge near her IA
ther, Brenda arranged the lights, left
the doors open-the house being
evenly warmed-and stole down 10
her own room. by this time il was
nine o'clock, and a very dark night.
She was aroused by sound as if
the front door were gently, almost
cautiously, tried or shaken. With a
bound she was on her feet.
With burning checks and a fast
beating heart, she listened.
Again she heard the door tried. and
so deep the silence OF the house she
could hear a hand brushing and FUN
bling over the panels, as il stealthily
seeking for the lock. Another mo
ment's waiting, then she distinctly
heard footsteps about the front of
the house.
Meanwhile, she could not see her
hand before her, the rooms were so
dark She stood quite still in the cen
ter of the apartment, trying to sum
mon her resources.
She had none. If the person try
ing to get into the house were a bur
l p EAaA VI a lilhA hhAfAf VI FNANN = az "a
seing, what could she. do? Scarcely
anything.
But they shall not harm fatherl"
The girl spoke aloud. Then, gath
ering the soft folds of her wrapper
from about her naked white feet, she
moved out Of the room into the
parlor, and found one of the front
windows with her hands. Not a ray
came from the sable sky, but in
large square Of light, made outside
by her fathers lamp upon the frozen
ground, stood the figure Of a young
man.
He was clearly young, for he stood
looking up at the windows Of the
chamber, thus revealing every fea-
ture. Hands and face were frozen
pale, and then Brenda's eyes dilated
in involuntary horror-a slight. slow
movement showed a red line along his
neck.
For n moment the girls head
swan. Then out of the stiffness Of
the house voices seemed to mock in
her ears and her vision grew Blinded.
For above her stood the ghostly Wis
itor from whom Patty had fed.
1t was swift conviction. Then,
without sign or warning, the figure
disappeared, and Brenda stood in the
silence, listening TO her own heavy
eart-beats-her very brain on fire.
For an hour she waited hardening
to every sound. but all continued un-
disturbed, and at last, forcing her
almost paralyzed limbs to move, she
started from her position and
dragged herself mp to her fathers
room.
lie was still sleeping, sweetly.
Trembling, yet resisting her fear,
Brenda stood watching him, glad Of
even his unconscious presence.
Then, having unconsciously dis
missed from her mind the idea Of
burglars. she lay down on the couch
beside the bed, and lay wide-eyed
and thoughtful until morning.
The doctor, much better the next
day, found the girl very silent and
pale. She made no complaint of any
weariness or trouble, but when he
urged her TO so To the village for
help, she complied, and, driving to
Wellbridge with Mogul, returned
with the village nurse-Aunt Dorothy
Rust.
If not a nurse after her own heart,
she was at least a human being; and
weakened and more nervous than
ever before in her life, Brenda was
glad Of any human presence in the
solitary and echoing house.
Though weak and depressed, Bren-
da's natural strength of mind pre-
vented her relating the episode of the
previous night. She would not yield
to fear or panic, though she pom
dered silently over the mystery, and
retired TO rest as usual that night,
only at a much earlier hour.
The sky was threatening as they
drove from Wellbridge. At dark it
began to snow. Before eight o'clock
il was storming violently.
Brenda retired with sense Of re-
lief and comfort. The security given
by the presence Of Aunt Dorothy,
the privilege Of undressing and sleep
ing comfortably, and the luxurious
warmth of the house, contrasting
with the sounds of the storm. COM
bined to fiji her with a feeling Of
quiet and gratitude; and soon as her
head touched the pillow she fell into
sweet and composed slumber. Judge,
then, of the shock of her being
awakened almost Immediately 10y the
violent shaking at the front door
Leaping to her feet, she felt her
way into her dressing gown and slip
pers, and reached the front hat just
as Aunt Dorothy in her list Shoes
came swiftly down the stairs. -
Brenda. Brenda.y she called, in a
cautions tone, "some one wants 20
come in"
But Brenda had flung herself with
all her force against the locked and