Part 5 (2/2)

Aunt Faith spent the evening in the sitting-room busily engaged in her fancy work. On the piazza, Sibyl and Mr. Leslie talked in low tones, and now and then she caught a word or two which seemed to indicate the serious character of the conversation. ”I fear I am doing wrong to allow it,” she thought; ”there is no doubt in my mind as to John Leslie's liking for Sibyl, and the child is so worldly! Still, what can I do? The way in which he put aside my little endeavors this afternoon and walked boldly into the very danger! It certainly looks as though he was not afraid of anything, and, to tell the truth, I do not think he is. I shall have to let him take care of himself; he looks fully able to do it,” and Aunt Faith smiled at her own discomfiture, as a vision of the clergyman's resolute face and broad shoulders rose before her eyes.

Later in the evening Bessie came in and slipped into the sofa corner by her aunt's side.

”How flushed you are,” said Aunt Faith, stroking the young girl's cheek; ”do you feel quite well, dear?”

”Oh yes, auntie,” said Bessie with downcast eyes; ”the evening is warm, you know.”

”Do you find it warm also?” asked Aunt Faith, as Hugh entered, fanning himself with his straw hat. Hugh, who had just taken the horses down through the pasture, murmured some inarticulate reply and crossed the hall into the parlor. ”Let us have some music, Bessie,” he called out as he opened the piano. Then as his cousin joined him, he said in a low tone, ”I cannot bear this deception, Bessie. It makes me feel like a puppy.”

”Oh Hugh, you are not going to tell, and spoil all my fun?”

”You are a second Eve with her apple, Brownie.”

”I am not Eve, and I don't like apples,” said Bessie indignantly.

”Don't spoil my fun, now, Hugh. The summer will soon be over, and you will be gone. Then I shall be oh!--_so_ good.”

”When you have no longer a chance to be naughty,” said Hugh, laughing.

At eleven o'clock the lights were all extinguished in the old stone house, and every one was soon asleep. After awhile a sharp rap on the closed blinds awoke Gem; at first she was startled, but instantly remembering the night-watch in the underground shanty, she stole to the window and peeped out. There stood Tom! ”We want something to eat,” he said in a loud whisper; ”the B. B.'s are awful hungry. Come down and open the back door.”

”Oh, Tom, I don't dare to do it!” said Gem, trembling.

”Don't be a baby, Gem! Come down, or I'll tell, the B. B.'s you're afraid of the dark.”

This taunt aroused Gem's failing courage, she stole down the stairs and slipped back the bolt, regaining her room with the speed of a little p.u.s.s.y cat. She heard nothing more for some time, and was almost asleep when another tap on the blinds aroused her.

”We want more candles,” whispered Tom; ”I can't find 'em. Of course you know where they are. Hurry up!”

”Oh, Tom! must I come down again?” pleaded Gem.

”Of course you must! hurry up!”

So Gem got the candles and crept back to her bed with a lessening respect for the delights of the underground shanty. In a few moments another tap was heard. ”Oh, Tom! what is it now?”

”I want my fiddle; the B. B.'s are awful sleepy, and they say they'll all go home if I don't play for them.”

”Oh, Tom, somebody will hear you!”

”Not under the ground, you silly! Come down and get the fiddle; I can't go in the sitting-room with my boots on.”

So the violin was handed out, and poor Gem at last fell asleep, with a vague intention of being a good girl, and giving up the society of Tom and the B. B.'s forever.

About half past twelve Aunt Faith awoke; ”I certainly hear music!” she thought. Opening the blinds she heard the faint strains of ”Nelly Bly,” with the well known ”Hi,” E flat; ”Hi,” E natural; ”Hi,” F natural, and at the same time saw a light proceeding mysteriously from the ground. Hastily dressing herself, she ran over to Tom's room; it was empty. Much disturbed, she knocked at Hugh's door; ”Hugh! Hugh!”

she called; ”something is wrong. Please get up.”

”What is it, Aunt Faith?” said a sleepy voice.

”Get up at once! Tom is gone; there is music somewhere, and the strangest light coming out of the ground in the back garden.”

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