Year: 1878

heard of them, though a reward of fifty
pounds had been offered by Mr. Hall fol
any information that would lead to the
detection of the thief. On my 10th
birthday my godmother gave me beau
tiful watch and chain and the diamond
earring which she had got arranged as
necklet.


Il am so sorry, Lillian" said she, "tha
/ have not the rest of those diamonds tt
give you; but if ever they are found
they shall be yours, my dear"


Imust now pass over six years, which
went by quietly and happily, nothing
very important taking place until the
last year, during which time | had been
married. My husband was barrister
We lived in the North of England. My
mother-in- law, Mrs Benson, and Mary
one of her daughters, lived some miles
away from us near the seacoast. 1t was
very lonely place, a long way from the
little fishing town, or rather village Of
Burnley. 1 confess l often felt very
nervous about Mrs Benson and her
daughter living alone Cher husband be-
ing dead for many years.) Except three
women servants in the house, and the
coachman and his family who lived in
the lodge, there was no one nearer than
Burnley, four miles off Besides, it was
known that there was large quantity
of plate in the house and the little sea,
side village was often the resorts OF
smugglers and other wild and lawless
characters. One day, while thinking OF
them, 1 felt so uneasy that said to my
husband


81 hope, Henry, there is nothing
wrong with your mother she has been
in my mind all day." --f


"Ah," said he, Gwhy should you feel
anxious about her to dayi saw her
Tuesday and, if she were i'll, Mary
would be sure to let US know. 1t was
only one of your "fancies," little wife"


Still did not feel easy, for more than
once before my so-called Hfancy" had
proved to be a sreality y so / determin-
ed that in a few days | would go and see
Mrs Benson. All that evening could
not get her out of my thoughts, and it
was long time before 1 went to sleep.
l think it must have been about O'Clock
in the morning that awoke in state of
horror l had dreamed that saw Mrs
Berson standing in the window of her
bedroom Deckonlng me to come to her,
and pointing to a female figure; who
was stealing along under the shade of
the trees in the avenue, for the moon
was shining brightly.


1 started up, thinking / Iheard her call
ing me. And here is the most extraor-
binary part of it although l was now
quite awake, ! heard, as / thought, a
voice saying to me


"Go, tell Mrs Benson Martha is de-
ceiying her tell her to send her away
at once"


/ Three times these words seemed to be
repeated in my ear. I can't describe
exactly what the voice was like it was
not loud, but quite distinct; and felt as
I listened that it was warning, and that
/ must obey it. l woke my husband,
and told him my dream and the words
had heard. He tried to calm my mind
and evidently thought me foolish to be
so frightened by only stupid dream.
said l would drive over the first thing
after breakfast, and see if anything was
wrong with Mary or her mother. The
only thing that puzzled me was, thai
Martha should be mentioned as deceiv-
ing Mrs Benson. She acted as house
keeper and lady's-maid to her, and was
believed to be most trustworthy in every
way. She had been four years with her
and was much respected. She was 9
silent, reserved kind of person, about s.
years of age One thing had often re-
marked about her was that when speak
ing to any one she never looked straight
at them but thought it might be from
kind of shvness more than anything
else. -


As soon as breakfast was over | set of
telling my husband would very likely
not return until next day, and, if posi-
Bile, he was to come for me. He could
drive over early and spend the day, and
we would return home together in the
evening, if all was well with his mother


When arrived I found Mrs Benson
and Mary looking as we'll as ever, and
everything seemingly justas usual. Mar
tina was sitting at work in her little room
which opened off Mrs Benson's dressing
room. l could not help looking at hel
more closely than would have done a
another time, and thought saw lool
of displeasure cross her face at seeing
me- Mary and her mother ofcourse de-
lighted to see me, and asked why Henr!
did not come too. So I told them


would stay till the next day, if the.
would have me, and Henry would conn
for me then. They were quite pleased
with that arrangement, for it was no
very often my husband could spend {
whole day with them. As the day pass
ed on and nothing out of the way hap
pened, began to think 1 had frighten
ed myself needlessly, that my dream O
vision might have been the result Of al
oyer anxious mind. And then Marthi
what about herr? Altogether / was per
picked. / did not know what to think
but l still felt certain underlined un
easiness. Iofered up slight prayer t
be directed to do right, and determined
to- wait patiently and do nothing for
while. l almost hoped l might hear tn
voice again, giving me definite instruc
tons how to act. Lunch passed ant
dinner also, and the evening being yer,
warm, for it was the middle of July, W
sat at the open window enjoying th'
cooling breeze that set in from the Sea
4 As they we're early people, shortl
after 10 O'Clock we said good night,
and went up to our bedroom. My room
looked ON the avenue, some parts G
which wers in deep shade, while il
other parts the moonlight shown bright
ly through breaks in the trees 1 di
not feel in the least sleepy: and, puttin
out my candle, sat by the window, looi
ing at the lovely view, for 1 could Sc
the coast quite plainly and the distant Sc
glistened ike silver in the moonlight.
did not think how long I had been sittin
there until 1 heard the clock strike L
Just then / heard, as thought, foo
step outside my door, which evidend
stopped there, and then in few second
! passed on: did not mind, thinking
4 MIGHT he one ofth servants, who ha