, 1905-01-18
n !: s s e s :: e e g :: :. !.

ivied wall.
"Gustave, G~ustave!' she called, but
received no answer. She was a little
early, and doubtless Gustave would ar
rive in a few moments. She continued
to wait, and she must have been there
quite an hour when she heard an unu-
sual noise in the direction of the house.
Surprising that Gustave had at last
come with the clock, she hurried back
through the darkness. As she entered
the door the excited voices that had
reached her OF the way ceased.
Disappointed in her hope to enter the
house unnoted, she read in the trou-
bled glances which greeted her that
something extraordinary had Just oc-
Cured.
"Oh, Kitty gasped her two aunts.
katherine, where have you been?'
said her uncle sternly.
I'm the garden replied Kitty, wild
with curiosity.
Girl, have you seen any one?' con
tinued John Faversham, frowning.
Aunt Martha and Aunt Mehitabel lis
NhNu WIN suppressed CANIltilItll.
"Whom should l see?" asked kitty.
katherine, don't equivocate.' storm
ed Faversham.
Husband" interposed Aunt Martha.
"Kitty could not have seen him, for
the man did not fly toward the gar
den."
mo, John; he did not leave the
house." said Aunt Mehitabel tremu-
lousy.
81 thought that you said he ran down
the stairs" calculated her brother i'm
patiently.
"Oh. dear, | am all u~nstrung." said
Aunt Mehitabel Historically.
"Brace up, Mehitabel," said Aunt
Martha, land tell us how 1t was"
Thus %entreated, the spinster told her
story more intelligibly, and Kitty lis
tened with Il suspicion that grew like
a grain of mustard seed.
at was almost night" said Aunt
Kitty, land getting too dark to sew, so
l thought l would go to my room and
, put my embroidery away and get my
knitting, at which / can work without
seeing. You know, Martha, | keep my
knitting for the twilight, for my eyes
are not so strong as they used to be-
Eyes, yes: go on" said her brother.
"Oh, John. spare me! I'm all of a
jump
Let her tell it her own way, hus-
band"
& went up and got the Knitting" re-
sumed Miss Mehitabel, land. coming
down, | had just passed the landing
when | heard Il step behind Inc. |
turned my head to see who it was, and
a man caught me in his arms and Wills
pered, Darling, I've come! | stream-
ed, and the mar rushed back up the
stair, and ran down.
When Aunt Mehitabel finished. Kitty
turned pale.
With a suspicious glance at the girl
John Fayersham exclaimed;
"If he ran upstairs, the villain is
still in the house, Mehitabel, for no one
has descended since you screamed. On
ly let me find him!' said old John,
clinching lis teeth and ~gesticulating
with the derringer which he held in his
right hand. In his left he carried a
long dirk. Come, Katherine, bring the
candle"
Kitty was terror stricken. She was
sure thai the man was GustaYe, who
in the dark had mistaken Aunt Mehita-
bel for her. Seeing the clock on the
landing, she supposed that her lover
had brought the timepiece back during
her absence and nfterward, instead of
returning home, had secreted himself
n the house with the intention of max
ing his presence known to her in the
way of a happy surprise at the first
convenient moment. But, alas, front
and back entrances both locked and
barred. the young nan was as securely
caught as a rat in Il trap.
Would ii not be best to confess ey-
erything to her uncle? To do so might
only add fuel to his wrath. She knew
Whit she would do. She would obey
bnr uncle. but her eyes were keener
than his. and as soon as she spied Gus
fave she would blow out the candle.
Tben rushing downstairs she would
extinguish all the lights below and
hide tbe matches, and in the confusion
and darkness she would undo the door
md LET Gustave escape.
"Katherine," roared her uncle, why
do you tarryT'
after this stormy remonstrance the
search party proceeded upstairs with