Year: 1876

And then she should think he was
very proud Of it, and then wanted
to know where it was kept at night,
and whether you would put it away
this evening, as papa and mamma
were out"


"And what answer did you
make 2"


"Oh, told her l expected il
would be left on the sideboard, as
you never touched it, being our
governess, and not a servant. /
don't think mamma would ask such
questions"


"No, Hugh ; but never mind
go to sleep, and think no more
about her."


returned to the empty dining
room, feeling very lonely now that
my little charges were in bed, and
| almost wished Hewitt had been
left at home, as it would hnye seem
ed less dreary had he been in the
kitchen. Nevertheless / drew an
easy chair to the fire, took up o
volumn of Tennyson's poems, and
thinking would spend a short
time with en- old favorite, anu then
go to bed, sat down. But some-
how i could not read, and l found
that my thoughts wandered from
"Locksley's Hail. to the lady who
had called early in the evening /;
and it suddenly struck me that she
had given no name, and left no adj
dress. had not asked for them
certainly, but it was strange, if she
was so anxious to have the house,
that she had not mentioned them
and then thought of the ques-
tions she had asked the children
with regard to the plate. Did the
whole thing mean mischief, and had
she called simply to ascertain who
was in the house, and the easiest
mode of access! The more /
thought the srrer felt that all vas
not right. l glanced at the time
piece, it was a quarter to ten.
What should ! dol The silver l
knew was worth several pounds,
and l was left in charge, so | must
save it at my risk. 1t occurred to
me that the woman had some mo-
tive in noticing so particular the
scullery and cellar windows, so
took light and examined them.
The scullery window was unfasten-
ed, the cellar also-and l could !
doubt no longer. The former
fastened, but the latter / could not
manage. How foolish had been.
/ returned to the dining-room, and
quietly collected al the silver, car
rying it to my own room, where /
put on a large cloak, and then
went to the hall door, and looked
up and down the road, in hope of
seeing Q policeman, for though our
house stood alone and was at some
distance from the road, the garden
sloped down to it, and had almost a
better view from the door than
from the gate. No one was in
sight. Was a policeman ever in
sight when wanted? Should go
to one of the neighboring houses,
and ask for helpi


For q moment / felt very much
inclined to do so but then if any
one was watching, might they not
enter while was away? dared
not risk it.; so l re-entered the
house, making the door secure with
lock and bolt and chain, and then
went the round of the house, max
ing ell as safe as l could. / knew
that Mr. Newstead kept revolver
in his dressing-room, but l had no
idea where. However, fear did
away with all the scruples, and l
hunted wildly till / found it. 1t
was loaded, and i felt thankful that
l had been brought up with a lot
of brothers, who had taught me to
take pleasure in their pursuits,
shooting among the rest, so that l
knew how to handle firearms. /
left the gas burning in the hall.
dining-room and kitchen, and then
returned and took my position in
the cellar, where no one could see
my first entering by the window,
but where / could see any one
plainly. felt sure if burglary
was intended, that the burglar
would enter the house by the cellar
window, finding all other means Of
ingress barred, and I was more