aight out-doors, most probably into the kitchen-garden. She found the door slightly ajar, pushed it quickly open, and found herself, without warnin

. Against the walls were ranged a large number of small, iron-bound chests, similar to the one up-stairs in Nita's closet. The lids of several were open, an

an kneeling with his back to her over one of the open chests, and running his shriveled fingers through th

an appalled silence. She had recognized in the crouching old man gloating over his treasure her miser-husband, Cha

n of deadly fear and dread, that seemed to freeze th

he accident may cost me my life. Heaven h

ance. He continued to play with the gold like a child, pouring it from one

immovable. Suddenly, the power of motion returned. She turned softly, made two catlike step

had creaked harshly! Nita's heart gave a bound of deadl

bove with its intricate windings, she

ld man bounded to the stairs with such wondrous agility that his outstretched han

her forward into the light, he gazed eagerly into her face. A bitter oath escaped his

excitement, the sight of the old miser's face, disto

s rude grasp, and moans of ter

f his snakelike eyes she read a wild temptation to grasp her f

d me here!" the old ma

he chests, and, locking the little door, dropped the key into his pocket. She was at the me

ed faintly, pleadingly, but he looked

to find out the secret of my hidden treasures. Well-her friends are s

ed Nita, with a creeping

er a moment's pause conti

g her alone with the treasure she coveted. It was a long, lo

peated. He saw the shudder that crept

l," he sneered. "Always here, w

k blanket that had draped the chair by t

with the bony digits of one hand resting on the table. About the neck was clasped a golden chain with a

t. She crouched upon the chest of gold with her hands bef

her own, despite the fact that she was boun

urned upon her with

is wing of Gray Gables is utterly uninhabited and isolated from the newer part

be-isolation and starvation in the miser's hidden treasure-vault in company

in. Would he miss the girl into whose eyes he had gazed with such passion? Wou

ng on her knees, she poured out impetuously the story of the mista

death for this unconscious wrong. Ah, sir, how can you be so cruel? W

ulsed face. Yes, it was scarce a week since he

n now. Life had grown sweeter, dearer now since that day in Central Park, when, starvin

vered shall never pass my lips!" she cried frantically. "Do you remember that day

lence to a leering softness more hateful still to her shri