“I don’t believe the lodge meets every night! And you are away every night!” she gayly remonstrated.
“Dear love, this lodge does meet every night,” he answered, seriously.
“I declare, one would think, to see and hear you, that you nightly met conspirators who were darkly plotting ‘the ruin of themselves and land!’” laughed Erminie.
But how little she dreamed how much truth she had spoken!
Colonel Eastworth also laughed—a strange, unnatural laugh—that chilled Erminie’s blood; and then he kissed her and went away.
Most of Colonel Eastworth’s visitors were strangers to the old minister’s family, and even to the rest of his staying guests.
But one morning Elfie had a great surprise. She was running downstairs, singing, “Gay and happy,” when suddenly she met, face to face on the stairs, her lover, Albert Goldsborough, who had just been admitted and was on his way up to Colonel Eastworth’s rooms.
“Elfie!” he cried, stopping short and staring at her.
“Well, I do think! Where did you come from?” she exclaimed, stopping and gazing at him.
“I had no idea that you were in this house,” he said, meaningly.