The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1910-07-21

CHAPTER VllI-Continued.

She couldn't speak. She looked a
the spoon she stu held wasn't s,
anxious about It; thank Heaven, 1t
wouldn't chip-and then she stared at
me.
II appreciate your desire to have
everything nice for him." / went on,
but the next time, you might take
the Limoges china. It's more easily
duplicated and less expensive
Il haven't a young man-not here"
She had got her breath now, as l had
guessed she would. Il have been
chased by a thief, Miss lines"
did he chase you out of the house
and back again." | asked.
Then Rosie began to cry-not 81,
lently. but noisily, Historically. l
stopped her by giving her a good
shake.
with your" l snapped. Has the day
OF good comomn sense gone by. Sit
up and tell me the whole thing"
Rosie sat up then, and SMILED.
Il was coming up the drive" she
began.
You must start with when you
went down the drive. with my dishes
and my silver" l interrupted. but.
seeing more signs Of hysteria. l gave
in. Very well. You were coming up
the drive"
X had a basket of-of silver and
dishes or my arm, and l was carrying
the plate, because-because | was
afraid I'd break II. PARKWAY up the
road a man stepped out of the bushes.
and held his arm like this, spread out,
SO l couldn't get past. He said-he
said-'Not so fast, young lady; l
var you to let me see what's In that
basket"
She got UP In her excitement and
took hold Of my arm.
1T was like this, Miss %Innes," she
said, and say you was the man.
When he said that, I screamed and
ducked under his arm like this. He
caught at the basket and | dropped 1t.
| a as fast as I could, and he came
after as far as the trees. Then he
stopped. oh, Miss Innes, 1t must have
been the mar that killed that Mr..
Armstrong"
Don't be foolish" l said. "Who
ever killed MI. Armstrong would put
as much space between himself and
this house as he could. Go up to bed
now; and mind, II l hear of this story
being repeated to the other maids. I
shall deduct from your wages for
every broken dish I find in the drive"
l could fancy Liddy's face when she
missed the extra pieces Of china-she
had opposed Rosie from the start. If
Liddy once finds a prophecy fulfilled,
especially an unpleasant one, she
never allows me to forget 1t. It
seemed to me that 1t was absurd to
leave that china dotted along the road
for her to spy the next morning; so
with a sudden resolution, I opened the
door again and stepped out into the
darkness. AS the door closed behind
me l half regretted my impulse; then
I shut my teeth and went on.
l have never been a nervous WON
an. as I said before. Moreover. a min.
ute or two In the darkness enabled
me to see things fairly well. Beulah
gave me rather a start by rubbing un.
expectedly against my feet: then we
two. side by side. went down the
drive.
There were no fragments of china,
but where the grove began I picked
up q silver spoon. So far Rosie's
story vas borne out: ! began to won.
der II It were not indiscreet, to say
the least, this midnight prowling In
q neighborhood with such o deserved.
~ bad reputation. Then I saw some
thing cleaning. which proved to be
the handle Of = cup. and . step OF
two farther on I found q V-shaped bi,
Of plate. But the most surprising
thing OF all RAJ to End the basket sst,
ting comfortably beside the road. with
the rest Of the broken crockery piled
neatly within. and Q handful Of small