The Jasper news., 1920-12-30
CHAPTER TX.

In Box.
After hnlf a 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;
nn 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 package, and, after regretful
pause, touched the broad white fore
head.
The brown eyes opened slowly and
looked up, clouded with slumber and
the memory Of grief. Tillle 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'clockf
Eyes. Mlssus Kirkland and Miss
Ellen left half an hour ago, when they
found Mr.. VIII was gone"
"He has gonei And they went
without telling mel"
"Missus Kirkland said you looked
like you must've been nj In the night,
and for me to let you sleep till you
woke up. But when this came.
thought p'r'aps--"
"What is it2" asked Amy, holding
out her hands for the package.
81 dunno. A messenger boy brought
It. He wanted a tip because the wrong
address had made him run nif round
Robin Hoods barn before he got here"
Like Pandora. Amy gazed uncertain
ly at the box-and ended by opening
1t. Within lay q new halrbrush, the
duplicate Of her own. She blushed
scarlet, and was about to clap on the
cover of the box when she perceived
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 1t were q bomb.
The writing was In a bold sharp
hand. very unlike the eopper.plate
script of her brother:
my dear Miss Lowrie:
"May ask you to accept the IN
closed brush In place of the one
) which, It seems, carried of with me
In my suitcase7 i must also aclxnowl-
edge having purloined one Of the pho
! tographs from the mantel. My justi-
fication is that need II 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.,
"RICHARD CLINTON"
She slipped out of bed and stole
barefoot through the hall to the door
OF her brothers bedroom. She opened
! the door a 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
I face Of Ellen.
She scurried back like a frightened
mouse, hid the brush and note undel
her pillows, and popped into bed.
. when Tilie came up with the choco
late, the girl was cuddled under hel
s coverlet with only the tip Of her nos
!. showing.
"why, Miss AmyI You're not tool
worse. are your
3 "The light" came back a muffie'
voice. "Pull down the blinds. please.
: As Tillie hastened to obey, the voic
Il called after her: "Don't worry. II
a soon be all right now. Leave tn
q chocolate. I'll get up In little whil'
There's the postman's whistle" j
y Tillie hRstened downstairs for tn
. mail. When she returned Amy We