Brenda's Cousin at Radcliffe: A Story for Girls

n it was not strange that occasionally the girls would rattle the handle in their anxiety to catch a glimpse of the inside

nced Concetta. "She was a very strange old lady, and as rich as rich could be, and

ust be beautiful; I wi

atch, and perhaps some d

their curiosity about it; for Concetta, who was never backward in wrongdoing, had announced that she meant to

o whom she confided her inten

y n

een told that we c

said we co

s South would

n, and on the top I saw a wig, all white curls, and a pink satin dress. I'd like to

t she remembered the room, and another day in passing she noticed that the door was slightly ajar. She now said nothing to Gretchen,

in the ell. Concetta laid her finger on her lips in token of silence, for

s Dreen," said Haleema confidently, "and she's

the others, "there's no one here; come on." And in

and Concetta pointed to the three

e room were seve

uld look inside th

re was real terro

; they're all ou

na," added Haleema; "s

Concetta, mimicking her ton

lways call

a girl, just like we are; why, she used to live down there at the North End, near where Lu

On the top lay the pink satin gown that she had described in such glowing terms. Haleem

to touch it,

" said Concetta, whose Eng

mean 'fraid-cat,

t's all the

rightly conjectured that this trunk was unlocked. Even while she spoke to Inez she was fingering the lid of the chest, and in a moment it was thrown back. Many were the exclamations of the three as garment after garment was drawn o

ewels," said Halee

etta drew out a mysterious, queerly shaped package. Opening it rather gingerly, f

ess up; here

, "perhaps some one

" and she waved the va

awestruck tone, pointing to the gray toupee and th

ed loudly at the bright red spots on Haleema's cheeks. Then Haleema put on the cu

ar some one c

" and then they all shouted again, recall

th her hand at her ear; "I think

ight, and at first their situation seemed rather amusing to the three. Haleema, who had gone in last, had closed the door with a snap, and after a few minutes had passed she s

a little; then, as they realized t

ld come; we might ha

e've run away, and so

we didn't go downstairs; they'l

w the others all ran down ahea

nk of this room. I told her the other

ejoined Haleema; "she'll b

m the other day about a girl that got shut up in a chest, and she did not get out until she was dead.

mpathy for her countrywoman or from fear that as an I

ory lesson once about the Black Hole. Everybody that

" asked Concetta wit

n't remember much about

cheerfully; "there's quite a little light co

lock that lay

her down

rva poem; I couldn't help rememberi

we're fastened in

aid Haleema cheerfully; "'where

she was moving a

you hadn't meddled with that t

find something." Her search continued for some time, and

ed Concetta. "Wha

. "Do you know, I believe th

nsom. But, alas! she was too short, and the stick was too sh

d Concetta scornfully. "We couldn't get out thr

window, but if I break the glass we can

hough Haleema had pronounced it an u

tching a bird, even if you can't put salt on his tail," from which it may be seen that Haleema

ould move about in the closet, their positions were naturally cramped. The air grew closer and warmer, a

ted a distant step she realized that it would be hard to make herself heard. Still t

leema grew

ing I can do," she s

rew it toward the transom. The first time it fell back and hit her on the nose, the second time it

tick crashed through the glass. Most of the pieces went outside, but a few bits fell into the closet, and on

from the room, and if any one should be passing, why, it will

adful hungry. I wish you'd have let that trunk a

asleep. Haleema kept herself awake by telling wonderful stories-some of them fairy t

and she had given up kicking against the

the part of the others downstairs. No one apparently had noticed when they left the g

off for fun. Haleema's al

n off for good, l

t ain't likely. They know which

Angelina as she sat at the end

way, they wouldn't

that this was the evening that Pamela and Julia and Miss South had taken to dine with Lois in Newton.

d room. When she did recall Concetta's desire to explore it, she hesitated about speaking. In the first place, if Concetta heard that she had told of her previous efforts to pry into the mysteries of the trunks, she would surely take vengeance, esp

evening out, that no one suggested exploring the house thoroughly. Anstiss herself had gone to the room of each girl to assure hersel

her eyes with a handkerchief that left a little dark streak, loo

etchen wriggle her shoulders. To save herself, perhaps, from a second

they're locked

ma and the

ready started

e you came in and I thought I hear

you look in? Was

try it. I was afraid t

eard a noise. Oh, Gretch

had not thought of the end room, since every corner

ng her closely. She felt sure that she heard a noise from the direction of the room; nor was she wrong. Haleema, who had managed to keep

owed Anstiss that the girls were in the closet. But here was a new difficulty. The door

discovered had restored the spir

ved," they admitt

she returned with a small basket containing three oranges and some slices of bread and butter, Anstiss praised her warmly for bringing just the right things. In

s-out returned, and when they heard of the disturban

not intend to keep it fastened. There are many things of my grandmother's in these trunks, and though we knew that no one would meddle with them, we m

irls within the closet, although Miss South saw pla

oset on the first floor, and then, to every one's astonishment, Miss South herself set to work

ut Miss South heard the whisper, and, smiling, said, "As well as I hope

e-awake, but now, almost for the first time, they realized the impropriety of their conduct, and dreaded facing their

, realized that she was still wearing the wig, while the observers saw what she co