Facing the World | Page 8

a man!" retorted Mrs. Fox. "I'll go up myself, and see if I can't manage better
than you."
"Then you'd better take this wallet, and put it back in his pocket."
"Give it to me, then."
With a firm step Mrs. Fox took the candle, and took her turn in going up the attic stairs.

CHAPTER IV
MRS. FOX COMES TO GRIEF
Harry confidently anticipated a second visit to his chamber.
He was rather surprised when the door was again opened, and Mrs. Fox entered. Opening
his eyes a little way, he saw her, after a brief glance at the bed, go to the chair containing
his pantaloons, and put back the deceptive wallet. She was about to prosecute a further
search, when Harry decided that matters had gone far enough. He did not fancy their
night visits, and meant to stop them if he could.

Chance favored his design. A puff of air from the door, which Mrs. Fox had left wide
open, extinguished the candle, and left the room, as there was no moon, in profound
darkness.
"Drat the candle!" he heard Mrs. Fox say.
Then a mischievous idea came to Harry. In his native village lived a man who had passed
a considerable time in the wild region beyond the Missouri River, and had mingled
familiarly with the Indians. From him Harry had learned how to imitate the Indian
warwhoop.
"I'll scare the old lady," thought Harry, smiling to himself.
Immediately there rang out from the bed, in the darkness and silence, a terrific warwhoop,
given in Harry's most effective style.
Mrs. Fox was not a nervous woman ordinarily, but she was undeniably frightened at the
unexpected sound.
"Heavens and earth, what's that?" she ejaculated, and dropping our hero's clothes,
retreated in disorder, almost stumbling downstairs in her precipitate flight. Dashing into
the chamber where Mr. Fox was waiting for her, she sank into a chair, gasping for breath.
"Good gracious, Maria, what's the matter?" exclaimed her husband, gazing at her in
astonishment.
"I--don't--know," she gasped.
"You look as if you had seen a ghost."
"I haven't seen anything," said his wife, recovering her breath, "but I've heard something
terrible. It's my belief the attic is haunted. I went upstairs and put back the wallet, and
was looking to see if I could find another, when all at once the candle went out, and a
terrible noise shook the chamber."
"What was it like, Mrs. F.?"
"I can't tell you. I never heard anything like it before. All I know is, I wouldn't go up
there again tonight for anything."
"Did the boy sleep through it all?"
"How can I tell? The candle was out."
"Perhaps he blew it out."
"Perhaps you're a fool Mr. Fox. It wasn't near the bed, and he was fast asleep, for I looked
at him. It made me think of--of Peter," and Mrs. Fox shuddered.

Peter had been taken from the poorhouse three years ago by Mr. Fox, and apprenticed to
him by the town authorities. According to popular report he had been cruelly treated and
insufficiently fed, until he was taken sick and had died in the very bedroom where Mrs.
Fox had been so frightened. This may explain how it was that a woman so strong-minded
had had her nerves so easily upset.
"We won't talk of Peter," said Mr. Fox, shortly, for to him, also, the subject was an
unpleasant one. "I suppose you didn't find another wallet?"
"No, I didn't. You can order the boy to give it up to-morrow. The best thing to do now is
to go to bed and rest."
The breakfast hour at the house of Mr. Fox was half past six. Harry was called at six, and
was punctual at the table. Mr. Fox cast a suspicious glance at his ward, but the boy
looked so perfectly unconcerned, that he acquitted him of any knowledge of the night
visit.
"How did you sleep, Harry?" asked Mrs. Fox.
"Soundly, thank you," answered Harry, politely.
"You didn't hear any--strange noises, then?"
"No."
"Now, Harry," said Mr. Fox, after breakfast, "we may as well speak of our future
arrangements. I have considerable to do on my twenty acres of land, and I can give you
work here."
"What compensation do you offer, sir?"
"As a boarder I should have to charge you five dollars a week for your board, and fifty
cents extra for your washing--that would go to Mrs. Fox; as well as pay twenty-five cents
a week for your mending. That also would go to my wife. Now, if you work for me, I will
take off three dollars, making the charge to you only two dollars and seventy-five cents
per week."
"Don't you think, Mr. Fox, that is rather low pay for my