Year: 1871

us TOou-Dy TO the Sn0Otlng and all the
other fun"


May turned to me to explain that the
family service of plate, which was very old,
massive and valuable, was usually kept at
the bank in Daybrook for safety, and never
used except upon what her father consider
ed state occasions, when it was brought to
the house and cleaned up for service.


Hatfield remarked that it would be well
to be sure Of the genuiness of the letter
before taking the plate from the bankers.


"There's no doubt about the letter."
said Charley, tossing it to me. "Do you
think there is"


81 should say not" I replied. "T'hat is
certainly Mr.. Dunham's signature"
And so also said May.


The necessary. orders were accordingly
given to the banker and on the following
day the plate came home. 1t was a most
elegant service and consisted of great
many pieces, so many, in fact, that the
three housemaids were kept busy through
the whole day ill securing it up and getting
it ready for use. At night it was arranged
upon the various tiers of the great oak side
board in the long dining-room and covered
up with a green cloth. The north chamber
was cleaned and fitted up, and we all re-
tired to rest that evening in considerable
curiosity as to what sort of visitor the NOR
row would bring to us, and in not little
disappointment at the sudden termination
of our sport.


The room assigned to me during my stay
was in the east gable of the house and
almost directly over the dining-hall.
mention this in order that the events of
that night, which have never passed from
my memory, may be thoroughly under
stood. The family retired to rest at the
usual hour, but 1 was unable to sleep.
The nervousness induced by the expected
arrival of the dreadful Pedroncelli, kept
me tossing from one side of the bed to the
other, and in vain | endeavored to court
the drowsy god. All efforts to obtain sleep
were fruitless. The dog Crusoe, too,
seemed unusually wakeful. He came be-
meath my window at intervals of five or ten
minutes and vented his uneasiness in q
series of low howls, so lugubrious that l
jumped out of bed at last, and opening the
window, reproved him sharply. He went
away reluctantly, but soon came back,
whining piteously and scratching the pill
lars of the piazza below with his nails. The
night was intensely dark, and occasional
violent gusts of wind, rattling the shutters,
betokened rain. l attributed the dogs
nervousness to the approaching storm, and
| finally, unable to endure his noise any
longer, went down stairs into the front hall
and let him in. No sooner had / opened
the door than he bolted past me like a
shot and disappeared. Fastening the door
again | called to him softly, but could not
ascertain whittier he had vanished. Tho
door leading to the dining-room was slight
ly ajar, and putting my head through the
opening, called again. Still no response.
The entire house was silent as death. Sup
posing that the dog had been frightened at
the wind and had sought place Of safety
under the stairs or somewhere else, gave
up the search and returned to my room,
laughing at Charley's faith in the courage
| of his mastiff. ...Yf. ...l


Toward midnight must have dropped
asleep, for it was not long after that when
| awoke with sudden start and a vague
sensation of terror. 1t seemed to me that
a terrible crash had rung through the house
so loud and fearful that the very foundation
of the earth had been shaken. Yet lay
quietly in my bed and apparently nothing
extraordinary had happened. felt about
me in the darkness TO see if the bedclothes
had been disturbed. Everything was in its
proper place. arose and threw open the
shutters. The night was still intensely
dark and the west was eohoing with the
low mutterings of distant thunder.


1 have been dreaming" thought,
f" and the wind has frightened me. "ai'i


Once more returned to bed and this
time did not awake until the daylight, cold
gray, came struggling through the window.
l had not finished my morning toilet before
heard a piercing scream in the hall below,
and hurried scampering up stairs. /
opened the door and looked out into the
hall. One of the housemaids met me with
a face blanched to an ashy white, and fell
fainting at my feet. Then Charley came
dashing after her, flushed with intense ex-
citement. 81. ,..


"Come down stairs" he cried. "For
God sake keep this thing from May"


"What do you means' said, standing