FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135  
136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   >>   >|  
I see nothing but a black pit." And Amy still hesitated, with an odd mixture of fear and coquetry. "I brought you up in safety; shall I take you down again?" asked the stranger, with a smile flickering over his face. Amy felt rather than saw it, and assuming an air of dignified displeasure, motioned him to proceed, which he did for three steps; then Amy slipped, and gladly caught at the arm extended to save her. Without a word he took her hand and led her back through the labyrinth she had threaded in her bewilderment. A dim light filled the place, but with unerring steps her guide went on till they emerged into the courtyard. Major Erskine's voice was audible, giving directions to the keeper, and Helen's figure visible as she groped among the shadows of the ruined chapel for her cousin. "There are my friends. Now I am safe. Come and let them thank you," cried Amy, in her frank, childlike warmth of manner. "I want no thanks--forgive me--adieu," and hastily kissing the little hand that had lain so confidingly in his, the stranger was gone. Amy rushed at once to Helen, and when the lost lamb had been welcomed, chidden, and exulted over, they drove home, listening to the very brief account which Amy gave of her adventure. "Naughty little gad-about, how could you go and terrify me so, wandering in vaults with mysterious strangers, like the Countess of Rudolstadt. You are as wet and dirty as if you had been digging a well, yet you look as if you liked it," said Helen, as she led Amy into their room at the hotel. "I do," was the decided answer, as the girl pulled a handkerchief off her head, and began to examine the corners of it. Suddenly she uttered a cry and flew to the light, exclaiming,-- "Nell, Nell, look here! The same letters, 'S.P.,' the same coat of arms, the same perfume--it was the baron!" "What? who? are you out of your mind?" said Helen, examining the large, fine cambric handkerchief, with its delicately stamped initials under the stag's head, and three stars on a heart-shaped shield. "Where did you get it?" she added, as she inhaled the soft odor of violets shaken from its folds. Amy blushed and answered shyly, "I didn't tell you all that happened before uncle, but now I will. My hat was left behind, and when I recovered my wits after my fright, I found this tied over my head. Oh, Nell, it was very charming there in that romantic old park, and going through the vaults with him, and
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135  
136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
vaults
 

handkerchief

 

stranger

 

exclaiming

 

Suddenly

 
examine
 
corners
 

uttered

 
perfume
 

letters


digging

 

Rudolstadt

 
Countess
 

wandering

 
mysterious
 

strangers

 
hesitated
 
answer
 

decided

 

pulled


examining

 

recovered

 

happened

 

romantic

 

charming

 

fright

 

shaped

 

shield

 

initials

 

cambric


terrify

 
delicately
 

stamped

 

blushed

 

answered

 
shaken
 

violets

 
inhaled
 

emerged

 
courtyard

Erskine
 

flickering

 
filled
 
unerring
 

visible

 

groped

 
shadows
 

figure

 
audible
 

giving