Page 59 (1/1)

Cytherea ie was still warmly cherished in Miss Aldclyffe's heart, and was thankful that she herself had not been betrayed into announcing that she knew e of her father's history, and the chief one, the lady's unaccountable renunciation of hi towards the mistress of the mansion more aard, and would have been no benefit to either

Thus conjuring up the past, and theorizing on the present, she lay restless, changing her posture fro sleep with all her art, she heard a clock strike two A uish a soft rustle in the passage outside her room

To bury her head in the sheets was her first impulse; then to uncover it, raise herself on her elbow, and stretch her eyes wide open in the darkness; her lips being parted with the intentness of her listening Whatever the noise was, it had ceased for the tihtly touching the panels Then there was another stillness; Cythereaof the bed-clothes

Before she had tiiven

Cytherea breathed: the person outside was evidently bent upon finding her awake, and the rustle she had ed the hope The maiden's physical condition shifted from one pole to its opposite The cold sweat of terror forsook her, and modesty took the alarm She became hot and red; her door was not locked

A distinct woh the keyhole: 'Cytherea!' Only one being in the house knew her Christian name, and that was Miss Aldclyffe Cytherea stepped out of bed, went to the door, and whispered back, 'Yes?' 'Letwoer; wo

She got a light in an instant, opened the door, and raising her eyes and the candle, saw Miss Aldclyffe standing outside in her dressing-gown

'Now you see that it is really ht,' said the visitor 'I want to stay here with you, Cythie I caer here But remember that you are mistress in this room, and that I have no business here, and that you o?' 'O no; you shan't indeed if you don't want to,' said Cythie generously