The Carved Cupboard

ining a

all

but bearing the burden

her. The sun was setting just behind the pine trees in the distance, and shedding a rosy glow upon their slender stems; the hush of night seemed to be falling on all Nature, and Agatha was so wrapped up in her thoughts

kindly allow me to enter? I wi

new she was alone in the house, and beyond the reach of any help; she also realized that all the three French windows leading out to the v

and, I will comply with your request. You

h a stoop in his shoulders, and a rather shabb

he said; 'I wish to get at so

annot do without the owner's consent,' she r

-fashioned bow the str

s not abroad. He

hrough thick shaggy eyebrows; a care-worn, smooth-shaven face, with a very bro

u sure?' she fa

molesting a lonely woman, I am now respectfully soliciting admission into my own h

come in, and forgive my suspicio

t here to be known. That is why I chose to come down from London to-day, for I knew my respected brother w

s not call

the book that you are reading that you must be a good woman. I know

ed up sympa

,' she said; 'quite enough to m

thy still more for him. He told her that when he reached the farm where his son had been working, he found

summer would be over. So I came back, and find from my agents in London that he must be still abroad. My journey out there was a failure; both lads are swallowed up in the Australian bush, but I

d Agatha aske

g back to Aus

n't k

u wish to r

lted me openly in this neighbourhood; even daring to hint that I have plotted to get rid of his son! No, I ca

s she turned away she heard him quietly lock the door behind her; and again she felt

he came back to her

what impels me to do it, but the very thing I was going to

k it away, whatever it

forward anything to me. I will give you their card. One thing I am going to leave with you, and this shows the confidence I place in you. It is the secret of opening that cupboard. I have sealed the directions up in this envelope; and I want you to give me your solemn promise that you will

of faces, and I do not think you will fail me. Promise me you will keep this envelope from the

not live here always. If we l

back before the end of th

wish to come a

nor I will ever live

l you be when y

ave, perhaps. I have tol

ve him her promise to act as he wished. Seeing he looked tired and

id, standing up and buttoning up his coat; then glancing at her Bible,

proposition made in the Book of Jeremiah. I believe it's in the

l as I ought. And I can tell you that the same proposit

d Mr. Lester, a little take

from God's worship on the day set apart for it? Even

e a sermon here,' he respon

. I came across it the other day, and thought it fitted in well with a favourite Psalm of ours, the thirty-seventh. We have had an experience

ok it, feeling strangely drawn to him. They shook hands, and

ometimes for a disappointed old man who fear

ely preoccupied when they returned; but when they were enjoying a cold supper together, and the maids were out of the room, she told them

. 'It was a very risky thing to let him have sole possession of

? He locked

mpressions of the locks, and will break into

smile. 'He was a gentleman, and had a t

get at in the cupboard? Is it a treasure store, or does it hide some ghastly secret? I really think I sh

m with a tract?' as

a simply. 'I feel very sorry for him.

t to come back and turn us out? I

ite certain o

ell you what I purpose doing, she said rather s

uoted Elfie, mimicking

you kept it till to-morrow,' said Agatha; 'I

nded Gwen unconcernedl

er for more information, and the next day, after working hard all the

and would often drop in upon Patty, and have

the cottage, with its shady orchard round i

atty sitting, knitting furiously away at a grey wors

y, as she took a seat on the grass by

is no good when she's of an argumentative turn! Yes, miss, she's locked me out, and I hope she's enjoyin' herself, for on Mondays I always bakes a cake for tea. Deb never did have a light hand for such things, and sh

' asked Gwen, her eyes t

smakin', but makin' a very poor thing out of it. And they had kept company for six years, and then his mother died and left his only sister on his hands. But mind you, miss, they were a-goin' to be married, and had fixed the day before his mother took ill, and then what does the young fellow do but break it all off with his girl, sayin' he was only able to keep one woman, and that would have to be his sister! Now what do you think, miss? I say it was

the unknown young couple, and her warm partisanship for the little dressmaker, to

is love of your own opinions, and not the fate of these strangers

and hears so much that it's all hearin' and no meditatin', whiles I sit here, and has the time and opportoonity to weigh the matters in

remained conveniently deaf to all her knocks. She came home, and gave a graphic description of the

with them, for if any one ever goes agai

you love to preach to us all! I won't say you are mistaken, for I am not going to get up an

fie leant back in their chairs, the one in anxious,