Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-06-21
"The Insider +"
BY Virginia Terhune Van de
Water
Copyright. 1917. International News
SerVsce1

CHAPTER LXN.
We had finished one more story in
Toms old mythology.
Shall we have another" I asked
of the child who sat on my knees, hel
head on my shoulder.
THE raindrops come so fast they
sound like people running around ur
there, don't they?" she commented
ignoring my question.
Yes, they do" I said. Like lots
of little fairies, darling"
! Don't you think" sne ventured
| gazing timidly into the darkness, now
settling in the more distant. corners
| of the attic, that we might take this
! book downstairs to my room? You
could read 1t there. couldn't you. Miss
Dart? like it better down there than
up here"
"Then We'll go down." acquiesced
| l was quite willing to get away
from this huge place, full of gusty ST.
| lences. But did not forget my word
to Mrs. Gore, and, going to the trunk
that contained Grace's baby clothes
put back the few garments that
had not been replaced. and closed the
little girls hand. I went downstairs
/ with her to the more cheerful part OF
| the house.
Mrs. Gore heard us as we reached
our rooms, and called to us.
why not come down to my room
and have a cup of tea with me. Miss
Dart? My eyes are too tired to read
| any longer"
Very WELL" I called back. Then, to
Grace. Well go down to Auntie for
a little while. But I will surely read
you story when we come back up
stairs after supper"
The child submitted without a de-
mur Looking back, 1 appreciate,
even more than I did then, how amen
| able she always was to any sugges-
tion of mine.
We'll" Mrs. Gore asked, when we
were seated in her room and she and
I were taking our tea. did you find
anything interesting in the attic?"
II found my baby Clothes" Grace
replied. They were awful cunning,
Auntie."
Mrs. Gore Tried to Smile
Indeed they were," I affirmed I'VE
looked at them all, and put them all
away again neatly"
And we found a long white veil,
| too" the child said. Least, Miss
Dart said it was a veil. l think" as
if considering the subject seriously,
that it was like a big curtain to a
window"
MIS-. GOIe lIleu 10 SLllle. IeTHdpS
1t was a curtain" she commented.
There are curtains and bedspreads
packed away in one of those boxes up
there"
I knew she was suddenly startled
lest the child had seen her mothers
wedding clothes. But suppose she
had? Why should she not see them? ?
Was she never to be told of the poor
young mother she could not remem-
ber
Were there spreads in the box,
too?" Mrs. Gore persisted.
NO" I answered. There was a
white satin dress in the trunk"
"Ohw
That was all. but I knew that sne
knew the truth now.
She began at once to talk of other
things, and as I didn't wish to make
her uncomfortable, 1 Joined in the
trivial chat.
She did not mention the attic again
until just as Grace and were leaving
her room to go down to the dining
room for the child's supper.
by the way" the widow asked,
with well-feigned indifference, you
left everything up there just as you
found it, didn't you, Grace?"
Again knew the remark was
meant for me and I replied: "Yes,
we folded up everything and put 1t
away, all except the book on myth
ology, which we brought down with
us to the nursery. Was that all
right?"
Certainly" she said. you can
bring down any book you wish.
was only referring to the other arti-
cles-such as Graces baby-garments."
"I put them all back and closed
the trunk" 1 assured her.
Even as 1 spoke a doubt seized
me- Had I shut down the top of
the trunk containing the wedding
clothes? 1 remembered that I had
folded the veil carefully and with diff
fculty Chow IL had clung to- my
fingers), and had laid the blue paper
over it. But had closed that trunk? :?
Something Queer
Grace was ahead of me on her way
to the diningroom. I could not re-
turn to the attic now without exciting
remark 1 would wait until the child
was in bed.
1 carried out my intention when 1
had read to her, said goodnight and
left her alone for her evening chat
with her father, who had returned
an hour before from the city.
I had promised Mrs. Gore to leave
everything as we found 1t in the attic.
had assured her that we had done
this. 1 must be sure that 1 had
, spoken the truth.
Taking my electric torch from the
table at the head OF my bed, I went
out into the hall. Here 1 paused and
, listened.
Nobody was about. From the nurs-