Year: 1866

mer came. g. will hide somewhere
In the kennel there" he said, looking
round quickly; land don't STIR"
lie pushed me into poor murdered Jip's
kennel. and then he disappeared, and | was
left alone in the gathering darkness with
those two PROSTATE forms on the kitchen
fioor as my company, and perhaps the muir.
derers close at hand


l combatted the faint feeling which Char
lie could not understand, by pinching nv
arms and sticking pins into them, and after
iittie Judlcious torture Of this sort, the sick
| ieeiing went of and l could again think. II
VIII take Oh my boots" thought, after
moment; they make such a noise. and |
may nave to move," for already glimmer.
ing plan had rushed across my brain of how
l might warn johnson. So rose a little
from my crouching position, unlaced them
ana shipped them off. l had barely done this
wnen l heard the sound of voices, and the
SICK trembling feeling came on so strongly
that the pin torture had to be again applied.
In another minute three men came out of the
back door, and could distinctly hear every
word OF their conversation.
Hes late, | think" said one. "If he
doesn't come soon, we must go; that GRILL
be home soon. | heard the old woman tell
her not to stop'


9 What's it signify ?' said another. eve
can soon stop her mouth"


. He ought to be coming now," said the
first, anxlously, coming a step or two nearer
the kennel.


Halo! What's that?"


The tone made me turn sick again. Had
Charlie found help already No. The three
men were standing close to the kennel, and
during the moments silence that followed
the mans exclamation remembered that |
had dropped my muff. | tried to stop the
hard, quick humping of my heart, which l
felt certain they must hear, and then, as if
fascinated, | raised my head from my knees
for till that moment | had been crouching
at the furthest end of the kennel-and saw
hairy, fierce looking face glaring in at the
entrance of my hiding place. tried hard
not to scream. and | succeeded but in ano-
ther moment | should have tainted if the face
had not been taken away. To my utter
amazement, as the face disappeared, its
owner said


Il thought some one might be hiding
That's lady's trumpery. What can it
mean?'


Evidently had not been seen, thanks to
my dark dress and the gathering twilight. |
breathed freer now unless something very
unforeseen occurred was safe.


@ Some one has been here and has dropped
it," a voice said, quickly. ''That's all on
account of your cursed foolery, Dick" it went
on, angrily. Why couldn't you stop at
the door, as told you?"


"Well, let's do something now," the third
said, anxiously. I" or we shall be having some
one here"


The three men went back into the house
again, and | could hear them speaking in
low tones; presently the voices grew louder.
and they were evidently quarrelng. In ano-
ther minute they came out again, and from
what could hear, they began to search in
the farm buildings and out houses for the
owner of the muff.


There's no one here" at last one called
out.


They must have gone away again. Go to
the gate, Bill, and see if anybody is coming
that way"


After a moment, Bill returned to the other
two, who were now standing talking in low
whispers at the back of the kennel, and
said:


mo, there's no one coming" And my
heart sank as | thought how long it would
be before succor could arrive.


The fellows late," one of the others
u, u
better be on the watch now. Mind, both of
you, that he's down from his gig before he
sees u.s."


They walked away along the line of the
house toward the other entrance by which
Mr.. johnson would come; and 1. thinking
they bad gone to take up their hiding places
put my head cautiously out of the mouth of
the kennel, and looked round.
T oo,,1J rooob fbo bo,.a xx:xl..,,l
being seen, 1 thought. that if 1 could but
reach the big. ruinous drawing room. which
commanded a view of the fields the farmer
would cross, I might be able to warn him
back from the fate which awaited him.
must warn him if | could it was too hor-
rible that another murder should be DONE


Twas out of the kennel and in the kitchen
before l recollected that l should have to
pass close to the murdered woman before
could gain the door leading to the hall,
which | must cross to gain the drawing
room. | shuddered as | passed the table
and drew near to the horrible scene but to
nv utter surprise and DO little terror, Mrs.
johnson had vanished ! the dark cleaning
pool OF blood and the dead dog were still
there, but the buddled up bundle of clothes
was gone.


What had they done with it? In spite of
the urgent necessity there was for imme-
date action, stood motionless for minute.
hesitating to cross the dimly.lighted hail.
Suppose it should be there. l had never
seen death before, and the thought of again
seeing the dead woman looking so CHASTITY
and horrible with that great gaping wound
across her throat, was at the moment more
terrible to me than the thought of her muir
derer's return.


While | stood hesitating, shadow passed
across the first window, and, looking up
quickly, to my horror saw the three men
in another moment pass the second wind w.


had no time for thought. In another
minute they would be in the kitchen.
turned and fled down the passage and across
the hall, rushing into the first open door,
which happened to be the drawing room
door, and instinctly half closed it behind me
as had found it. Then glanced wildly
round the bare empty room in search OF
shelter.


There was not particle of furniture in
the bare empty room, and it was quite empty
except for SINE apples on the floor, and
few empty hampers and sacks. at the further
end.