One afternoon, while they were at lunch, a telegram was brought in, and on opening it, Alice exclaimed delightedly “Charlie will be back in time for dinner.”

The evening passed away till dinner time but Mr. C. did not arrive and the ladies waited till nine o’clock.  Then they dined, and when the clock struck ten and still there was no arrival, Alice said she would go to bed, as Charlie must have missed his train and the next was not due till near midnight.

Ethel looked up from her book and said:  “Well, I am sleeping in my own room.”

“O! you know I hate to be alone,” exclaimed Alice; “you might come and sleep in mine until Charlie comes in.”

“Alice, you are selfish,” retorted Ethel.  “I shall barely be in bed before he walks in.  The only thing for me is to go to bed in your room in my evening dress.”

“How silly you are,” said Alice peevishly; “why cannot you undress as usual?  Charlie may not come at all to-night and I dread being alone.”

“Oh, very well,” said Ethel, “I will come and read in your room till Charlie does come.  I shall never marry a man who is always away on business,” With these words she forsook her easy chair and accompanied her sister into the large bed-room.  She threw herself on the side of the bed and went on with her book.

Alice undressed, got into bed and was soon asleep.  Ethel finished her book and then lay waiting for her brother-in-law.  The lights in the hall and on the landing were not extinguished, but the house was still and quiet.  It was near twelve and Alice was just wondering if Mr. C. would really arrive or if it would not be better for her to undress and get into bed comfortably when she heard gentle footsteps on the stairs.

“There’s Charlie,” she said to herself, “and how softly he is coming upstairs! he is a considerate husband.”

She looked at her sister, saw that she was sleeping very soundly.  “I will pretend to be asleep too,” said Ethel to herself and she drew up the bed-clothes to hide her evening dress and put a pillow over her head.

To her disappointment, Charlie delayed his coming and she was wondering if he was dining when the door slowly opened, but instead of Mr. C. two Chinamen entered the room.  Ethel stared at them from under her pillow with amazement.  At first they stood motionless beside the door.  Then, closing it noiselessly, they advanced into the room.  Their quaint clothes, long pigtails and red eyes together with their stealthy movements and the hour of midnight, created an uncanny atmosphere in the room, and for the first time in her life Ethel began to understand what nerves mean.  Never in her life had her pulses jumped and throbbed as they were doing now.  She controlled her inclination to scream and from under her pillow watched the men.