Charlevoix county herald., 1920-09-17
CHAPTER tx.
In a Box.

After half night spent In weeping,
alternately chilled with doubt and
scorched with the shame Of mortified
modesty, Amy had at last fallen into
the heavy sleep of exhausted nature.
The morning sun found her still lying
as she had flung herself In the aban-
don of her grief. Her face still had
little of the look Of child that has
cried itself to sleep. Her hair lay
across her tear-stained pillows In two
exceedingly tight braids.
Her usual awakening time passed;
an hour slipped by, and another. Still
she lay fast asleep. At last old Tillie
came into the room, looked dOubtfully
at the sleeping girl, went out, returned
with a package, and, after a regretful
pause, touched the broad white fore
head.
The brown eyes opened slowly and
looked up. clouded with slumber and
the memory Of grief. Tillie held out
the package. I'm awfully sorry to
wake you, Miss Amy. But It's most
ten o'clock and everybody's gone,
and"
"Ten o'c,ock?"
"Yes. Missus Kirkland and Miss
Ellen left half an hour ago. when they
found Mr.. VIII was gone"
"He has gonel And they went
without telling mel"
"Missus Kirkland said you looked
like you must've been i'll In the night.
and for me to let you sleep till you
woke up. But when this came, l
thought p'r'aps-"
"What Is it?" asked Amy, holding
out her hands for the package.
II dunno. A messenger boy brought
It. He wanted q tip because the wrong
address had made him run all round
Robin Hoods barn before he got here"
Like Pandora, Amy gazed uncertain
ly at the box-and ended by opening
It, Within lay a new hairbrush. the
duplicate Of her own. She blushed
scarlet, and was about to clap on the
cover Of the box when she perceived
q note tucked In under the handle of
the brush. She glanced apprehensively
around her dainty pink room. and aft
er several moments of hesitancy, drew
out the note as II II were bomb.
The writing was In bold sharp
hand, very unlike the copper-plate
script of her brother:
"My dear Miss Lowrie:
"May / ask you to accept the In
oIo In MD nf
which, II seems, carried off with me
In my suitcase? l must also ackhowl-
edge having purloined one of the pho
tographs from the mantel. My Justi-
fcation Is that I need 1t to keep me
mindful Of my little sisters relation
ship to me until such time as my
Identity is established.
Very respectfully,
"Your brother pro tem.,
ORCHARD CLINTON" T.
She slipped out of bed and stole
barefoot through the hall to the door
of her brothers bedroom. She opened
the door q little way and peeped across
at the mantel The frame of one of
the photographs was empty. In the
other she saw the beautiful serious
face of Ellen.
She scurried back like a frightened
mouse, hid the brush and note under
her pillows, and popped into bed.
When Tillie came up with the choco-
late. the girl was cuddled under her
coverlet with only the tip Of her nose
showing.
"why, Miss Amyl You're not took
worse, are you"
"The light" came back a mufiied
voice. sPull down the blinds, please"
AS Tlllie hastened to obey. the voice
called after her: 'Don't worry. I'll
soon be all right now. Leave the
chocolate. I'll get up In little while.
There's the postman's whistle"
Tillle hastened. downstairs for the
mail. When she returned Amy was
almost dressed to go out. She fore
stalled the expected protest with
quick explanation: Nov don't say
anything, Tillie. I'm going down to
consult doctor"
80. oood ~ vou'ro failing bad.