The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1907-01-24

Clearly and distinctly, in the dearn-like
silence which p~ergaded everything,
miss Vint had heard a voice-mufh sd
and cautious-apparently proceeding
from below. What the words were that
were spoken she could not say, but
she had distinctly heard a voice-and
that voice the voice of a man
Before the worthy lady had time to
decide what to do another voice-as
mufiled and cautious as the Tristan
swered; only in this case, it appeared
(but the idea was, Of course, too ridic-
ulous to be entertained) the first
speaker had been outside in the gar
den, and the second at the open win
dow, speaking down to him.
Miss Vint's first natural thought was
TO rush downstairs and summon Ar
thur B%arnshaw TO her assistance. Blu
it was & long way down stairs and
there was a dark and ghostly corridor
to be traversed before she could reach
him. On the other hand, her was
quite close; she had but to dash up
three steps, open the door, plunge in,
and find herself in safety.
Accordingly, Miss Vint took the
plunge; flung open the door, shut it
hurriedly, and locked it on the inside.
At the same instant Miss Vint's candle
was softly blown out and a strong,
firm hand uyaC p1oanI nunr Mice Ninf',
mouth-a hand which pressed her, not
too tremendously, against the door
she had locked.
Not a word" whispered a voice,
huskily. "Scream-and I'll knock your
silly brains out. 7 air't alone; there's
pals O. mine outside, as mightn't be so
co~nsiderate of a lady's feelings. Now
are yer goin' to be quiet?"
Miss Vint nodded her head, as well
as she could for the steady pressure of
the hand against her mouth, and the
man relaxed his hold. She could Just
dimly discern his figure, looming large
above her, in the faint light which
came from outside the window.
What dc you want?" asked Miss
Vint, in a frightened whisper.
We've got wot we want" replied
the man, In a low voice-"an' nobody
amt 'urt a bit. / found my way into
the young lady's room without wakin'
of 'er-an' now I'll wish you good
night. Only mind"-the man paused.
for a moment to give his words great
er effective got something ERE
wotll keep yer quiet If l ears any
noise from yer" Miss Vint felt some
thing hard and cold touch her fore
head.
MY good man." whispered Miss
Vint, TREMENDOUSLY, you may he sure l
will not place you, under the necessi-
" for doing violence upon me. l would
only beg that you will join your com
panions- | hesitate, in your pres.
ence, to call them depraved, although
| fear they are not what they should
be-and leave me in peace. Your
friends are evidently impatient to see
YOU" This last was in reference to a
low whistle which sounded from the
lawn.
The man, after hesitating for a mo-
ment, moved slowly toward the win
dow. which Miss Vint noticed, for the
first time, was wide open, and got one
leg yer the sill; looking back at her,
he shook a fist, by way of caution to
her to be quiet, lifted the other leg
over, and slowly disappeared-appar
emily down a ladder-from her view.
Then it was that Miss Vint, no long
er restrained by the fear Of his pres
ence, opened her mouth and emitted a
long and piercing shriek-a shrek to
tremendous that it brought Arthur
Barnshaw tumbling out of his den,
half asleep, and stumbling blindly in
the darkness; and brought another
man, who had been %crouching behind
a hedge, leaping over 1t, and hurryiIg
to the scene. Having accomplished
these useful purposes Miss vint
backed toward her bed and tainted
away with propriety and comfort.
Ito Be Continued.)