The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1905-08-10
THE 1MAe1NArIoN on MApeE

THE IMAGINATION OF MADGE.
Its all my own imagination, Of
course" she whispered to herself,
cropping her own way down the dark
lane. and graspihg her lantern tightly;
there's no one here-there never has
been; and l have done this every night
for-oh, years upon years, and nothing
has ever happened to me. Why should
it tonight of all nightsp"
She was only slim f1ve-foot-nothing
of a girl, dressed in the usual dark
blue serge which somehow seemed to
match her eyes, and she carried her
dainty little head rather higher than
most. BY way of earning her own
livelihood and that of her mother she
taught the three small children of Mrs.
Freddie Tomlips, the wife of the big
gest wholesale grocer in Treeourt. She
s-Madge Cayle-had once known what
1t was to have governess all to her
self. Her father had been wealthy
squire, but in his efforts to redouble
his income he had speculated not wise
ly but too well, with the result that at
his death his widow and orphan daugh-
ter found themselves pretty well on
the verge of starvation,
Since that time-six years ago
Madge had been teaching the grocer's
children, and as one was added every
year to the establishment, her duties
| multiplied, while her salary remained
| about the same. The Tomlins lived In
terribly new house, two miles UP a
oy1r ~ No tYy
| no means a coward by nature. often
| felt her heart sink as the winter
months came round bringing with them
the necessity for "a. lamp.
| Tonight Ia was almost darker than
usual, owing to the presence Of a
brooding storm and the absence of any
mood, / and every, sound in the, hedge
made 2the5 girl start and brought the
| color to her cheeks.
1T is only Imagination" she said
again. But even as she spoke a sud
den gust of wind blew the lighted lamp
out, and she was left in total darkness.
The next moment a hand was laid on
| hers, and she found herself drawn
| gently but firmly forward.
| Speeches. with terror--for she could
| just distinguish the bare outlines of a
| mans form in the inky darkness-she
| followed, her useless lantern in one
! hand and her school-books in the oth-
err 1t was her lantern hand that her
unknown companion had grasped, and
for fully ten minutes she felt herself
being led-led she knew not WHITTIER
| Then a voice Kissed in her ear:
you are away from every one now;
| hand over your watch and anything
everything you have that can be turned
| into money. 1t Is useless for you to
cry out-11o one can possibly hear you,
and it is my only chance. am pris-
oner, but wronged one, and money
will enable me to start in fresh coun-
try. Give me what you have, and will
let you 60"
The tones were those belonging to a
gentleman, and an educated one.
Madge CROPPED in her pocket. drew
out her only too lightly filled shabby
| purse; took off her watch, kissed it
with feverish lips and passed them
\ both to the waiting man.
'"Take them, it is all have" she
said slowly. eff you are only a COM
mon thief heaven will punish you, for l
cannot, but if you are honest, heaven
I will help you to succeed. One thing
more; it is dark, I do not know where
I am; you must take me back to the
corner"
| Another gust of wind nearly swept
| the girl off her feet; once more the man
caught her arm and led her back to the
place she mentioned. Then, without
another ord, he vanished, leaving her
| wondering whether she had dreamed 1t
all or not. -,
Only when at length she reached
| home and looked for her watch and
| purse and found they were both gone
| did she feel convinced that it had w.
happened without doubt And that
night, when she lay her head on the
pillow, the poor little governess sobbed
herself to sleep, for she was pounds to
the bad to her account book after what
had taken place, and it meant extra
work to make up for 1t.
''Ghosts?' l don't believe in them for
a moment; they're only your vivid i'm
agination, Madge."
The years had brought peace and
prosperity to 'Madge Gayle First of
ALL. the smasl1-up of their fortunes had
been found not to be SO bad, but the
discovery had been too late for the
| widow, who had Joined the husband she
had rlotlrned so deeply. Then. an uncle
Of Madge's, a man she had hardly
heard of, came home from the anti
| podes, and nothing would do but
| Madge must come and live with him
and be his daughter as well as his
niece. He took house in town and
hired a splendid houseboat, besides CIV
ing her the sole use of a beautiful mo-
tor, lavishing not only wealth but such
affection and care as the pretty orphan
had not known for the last six years.
Madge was now staying with one of
her new friends, forming one of a large
shooting party. For girl, she was a
very fair shot, and was often to be
seen4out with the guns. 1t was whilst