The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1905-09-08
The Gate Leading
Into the Lane.
BY JOHN N. RAPHAEL.

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Il wish John would come home"
said Mrs. Carrisbrooke, for the nine
teenth time since luncheon.
IF you would let me light the
lamps and draw the curtains, Miss
Aggie," said Ferguson, who, having
been nurse to Margaret Carris-
brcoke's mother before her, could not
get used to the fact that her mistress
had for several years now had right
to more matronly title, IF you
would let me draw down the blinds,
nun the curtains well across anu
light the lamps, you wouldn't feel
g. ervous. Sitting here in the dusk
lie that is enough to make any one
feel spidery, Pm sure
ferguson, I've got no patience
with you!" cried Aggie Carris-
brooke. You think nobody can think
hut yourself, and you can't think a
bit. You know perfectly well that
lamps can't be lit without oil, and
that there's no gas and no electricity
in this horrid old ramshackle cot
tage. How selfish men are! hate
mem"
And little Mrs. Carrisbrooke look
ed more like Miss Aggie' than ever.
as she shook the curls out of her
eyes, in which two angry teardrops
were pearling, and rubbed her flushed
cheeks into flame with square inch
OF valanciennes-border handker-
chief.
1t had seemed to the Carrisbrookes
the jolliest and most unconventional
thing in the world to take Hambledon
Cottage, instead of making the round
of autumn visits which they usually
made before settling down in their
cosy little fiat in Curzon street The
cottage was small one, comfort
ably furnished. and had been built,
Mrs. Carrisbrooke declared, when she
first saw it, in the later days of Noah,
for 1t combined much of the architec-
ture of the Ark with several small
conveniences which long confinement
in that structure must have taught
MIN to be useful.
Both Aggie and her husband HAD
the same tastes: both were fond Of
shooting. and the cottage carried
some good shooting with it. Be-
sides both wife and husband were
motor-car enthusiasts and for the
first few weeks at Hambledon time
flew by very swiftly.
Then one day-the day of this story
lit occurred to Mrs. Carrisbrooke
that they had seen enough of one
another; that they were "a guestless
and forlorn old. couple" and she dis
patched her husband ''out into the
highways and hedges" to bring
guests. In other words, she sent him
with the car to Bennington to bring
back Florence and Jack Fotheringay.
who had been married on the same
day as the CarrisbrooKes and were
their closest friends.
Florence can bring her maid"
said Mrs. Carrisbrooke to her hus-
band as he left, and she and Fergus
son are all the servants that we
want: besides which. Dickson
Dickson was the chauffeur-"will al
ways lend hand, II necessary. And
mind that you are back for tea at 5
o'clock"
1t was past 5, and had been grow
ing dusk since 4. and not until too
late did Aggie Carrisbrooke remem-
Der that she had forgotten to order
in more petrol from the village for
the lamps that morning. The lamps
in the cottage were OF the old fash
toned. petrol burning kind. and in the
morning when her husband started
OF upon his guest hunt, as he called
IT, he had bespoken their contents to
I'LL his tanks, and promised that he
would order fresh supply for her
in Hambledon as he passed through.
Manlike. he had forgotten all about
it: unfortunately. his wife had not
thought of 1t, either; Ferguson did
not know that there was no lamp oil,
and, in consequence. the house was
lightless.
Where are you going. Ferguson?
Down to the village. mum. for oil
to NIL the lamps. You can't sit here
in the dark. with nothing but the
flicker of the fire to see by. and
ferguson, absolutely forbid you
to go out! Do you think I am going
to sit here all alone. with not liv,
ing soul in the house except Jasper
Jasper was the cat" while you
go down to Hambledon and back
again? Why, ] should die of fright
I'm frightened as it is. This house
is horribly lonely. and there have
been all sorts OF awful stories in the
papers lately about attacks on lonely
women and WHAT'S thatT