The Project Gutenberg eBook, Edna's Sacrifice and Other Stories, by
Frances Henshaw Baden

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net

Title: Edna's Sacrifice and Other Stories
Edna's Sacrifice; Who Was the Thief?; The Ghost; The Two Brothers; and What He Left

Author: Frances Henshaw Baden

Release Date: March 28, 2005 [eBook #15486]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII)

***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK EDNA'S SACRIFICE AND OTHER
STORIES***

E-text prepared by Juliet Sutherland, Diane Monico, and the Project
Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team

EDNA'S SACRIFICE, AND OTHER STORIES

by

FRANCES HENSHAW BADEN

CONTENTS

EDNA'S SACRIFICE

WHO WAS THE THIEF?

THE GHOST

THE TWO BROTHERS

WHAT HE LEFT

EDNA'S SACRIFICE

It was a cold night in September. For three days the rain had fallen
almost unceasingly. It had been impossible for us to get out; and no
visitors had been in. Everything looked dreary enough, and we felt so,
truly. Of course the stoves were not prepared for use; and this night
we (that is, Nell, Floy, Aunt Edna, and myself) were huddled in the
corners of the sofa and arm-chairs, wrapped in our shawls. We were at
our wits' end for something to while the hours away. We had read
everything that was readable; played until we fancied the piano sent
forth a wail of complaint, and begged for rest; were at the backgammon
board until our arms ached; and I had given imitations of celebrated
actresses, until I was hoarse, and Nell declared I was in danger of
being sued for scandal. What more could we do? To dispel the
drowsiness that was stealing over me, I got up, walked up and down the
floor, and then drew up the blind, and gazed out into the deserted
street. Not a footfall to be heard, neither man's nor beast's; nothing
but patter, patter, patter. At length, after standing fully fifteen
minutes--oh, joyful sound!--a coming footstep, firm and quick. My
first thought was that those steps would stop at our door. But,
directly after, I felt that very improbable, for who was there that
_would_ come such a night? Papa was up north with mamma; Nell and
Floy were visiting Aunt Edna and