Warren High School - Hilltop Yearbook (Warren, MA)

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THE HILLTOP 15 Then she entered the cave. Immediately she lifted the stone, and there she found a leather packet. She opened it and found a paper written in her father's hand- writing. Ellen-A long time ago I had a hobby for collecting beautiful and priceless jew- els. I praised myself on attaining a great number. Then came the fear of having them stolen. One night I took the chest. containing the jewels, to this cave, and hid them. I was just linishing my task when I heard voices outside. In fear that these people would find my jewels I threw a coat over my head and came out screaming. The people terrified, turned and ran down the mountain. Since then the cave has been branded with the word, 'hauntedf The strange noises which are heard every night, are the cooing of the doves which inhabit this cave. Now, my dear, the chest is hidden in about the center of the cave. buried about a foot underground. My dear-there are enough jewels there to make you a very rich woman. My bless- ing on you.-Daddy? As it was getting dark Ellen descended the mountain, determined to come up the next day for her treasure. To think, she sighed, that the cave which I have feared so long contains some- thing which will make me rich and happy, and that the mystery of those noises which so many people fear are but the cooing of beautiful doves. M. R. '26. DISASTER AHEAD! Business for stenographers was dull. Lillie Dubois was looking for work. She had inserted notices in several papers, and before nightfall received an answer. It was at 525 Landis Street, a god- forsaken place, she thought, as she read the reply. The next morning at seven, found her on her way to work. On reaching the house she glanced about disapprovingly. She ascended the steps and rang the door- bell. Silence reigned within. Presently she heard footsteps-steps of a man- coming down the long hall. The door was opened by the butler. Once inside, she began to look for what might be a boss. The butler directed her to a room con- verted into an office, where she espied a desk, a chair, and a table with a type- writer on it. The butler, before he left, told her this was her opportunity to make good. She sat down and looked over the papers which were strewn about on the desk. What he needed was a girl, she thought. She began to frame answers to the letters. Among the things on the desk was a check-book, which she used to make out the checks for the bills she found. These she left unsigned on the desk while went out to lunch. She returned at and as the butler had given her a she one, key, she entered without ringing the bell. checks she found had been signed. The She read and re-read the name-Warren Raymer-what a manly name! She thought about it even more, as she uncov- ered the typewriter. As she found noth- ing to do, she cleaned the typewriter, dusted the desk, and arranged the books and other articles necessary to a stenog- rapher. About two o'clock, the door back of her opened and in walked a dark com- plexioned young man of moderate build. He wore a long brown ofiice-coat over a brown suit. He told her his name and what he ex- pected of her. He dictated a few letters, and she was to compose replies to the rest. From the dictation she gathered that he was a scientist. She went home that night, moved considerably by her young boss. A week passed. One day, in the middle of the forenoon, following a deathly si- lence, a terrific crash was heard. Lillie

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14 THE HILLTOP THE CAVE Ellen Brown was sitting in her garden gazing at a sparkling jewel which she had in her hand. It was at the time when the sun is setting in the west casting beauti- ful colors on earth and sky. The jewel which Ellen held seemed to gain in bright- ness as the setting sun's rays shone upon it. How beautiful it is! sighed Ellen. Tomorrow I shall open it. The jewel which Ellen held was a pretty, quaint locket. In the center of the locket there was a large ruby and surrounding this were many costly diamonds. Five years ago Ellen's father, her only living parent, had died. But before the end came he had drawn Ellen to him and in a shaking voice had said: Ellen, before I die, I want to give you this locket. It was once your mother's. The large red stone in the center will open-but my dear, I beg you not to open it until you are seventeen. There is some- thing in that which- And Ellen, entranced by the brightness of the locket, turned to kiss her daddy, but he had died. Oh, Daddy, Daddy! she had cried, how can you keep me from opening this most beautiful thing? Oh, Daddy, please! For five years Ellen had battled against temptation and now, on the eve of her sev- enteenth birthday, as she sat in the garden she thought of her father. I have done as he wished, Ellen said aloud, and now, tomorrow! Suddenly she heard weird noises coming from the nearby mountain. She immedi- ately jumped to her feet and ran in the house, crying. Oh, Aunt! The haunted cave again. I never realized how late it was getting. Upon Blue Mountain, which was near Ellen's home, there was a cave which was said to be haunted. People dared not ven- ture near the mountain after dark for it was said that once a man had come from the cave and frightened some people passing by. Since then strange noises had been heard emerging from the cave. Oh my dear girl! I'm so glad you got home safe, gasped Ellen's aunt. The next day dawned bright and clear. Ellen arose early and went to the garden. There with only the flowers and birds for companions, she opened the long sealed locket. Beneath the shining ruby Ellen found a yellow slip of paper, folded neatly. With trembling hands Ellen unfolded the paper and read: To my dear Ellen-on her seventeenth birthday. Before midnight tonight you must go to the cave on Blue Mountain. There you will find a white stone, which you will lift up, and find a leather packet. Please do as I bid you.-Daddy. For a few minutes Ellen sat staring at the slip of paper, then coming to her senses, she cried, I cannot! I cannot! Ellen spent the day in a very nervous state. At sunset she crept from the house, through the garden, to the foot of the mountain. Some hidden force seemed to urge her up the mountain to the cave. The sun shone over the top of the moun- tain casting a golden light. Everything about Ellen was a world of beauty. The higher she climbed the more gorgeous was the scenery. At last she reached the cave. It was surrounded by moss and trees, whose branches were laden with the many col- ored leaves of autumn. As she started to enter, there was a rustle inside the cave. Ellen drew back in fear. Suddenly from the cave flew a flock of white doves, which perched on the branches of the trees, mak- ing the most beautiful picture Ellen had ever seen in her life. Oh the darling things! cried Ellen.

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16 THE HILLTOP sat petrified. Suddenly, summoning up all her courage, she opened the door. There on the floor lay Warren. A doctor was called, and he and the butler carried Warren to his bed. The doctor said he must not be excited, and must be kept in bed for a while. Imagine Lillie's amaze- ment when she saw him walk into the office the next day! About eleven o'clock, a matronly woman came in. As it was quite wet and slushy outside, she advised Lillie to stay. In half an hour she brought in the most appetiz- ing dinner. At eleven-thirty she returned for the empty tray. In the afternoon she made out a check and timidly opened the door to have War- ren sign it. He curtly told her he was pre-occupied. She retreated, thinking of the idly strewn things in his room. Soon he came from the inner office, signed the check, and seated himself as if prepared to stay. He told her how pleased he was that he had found a girl that would not scream at explosions. She was half pre- pared to tell him she wanted to scream, but then she thought better of it. After he went back in his office, Lillie straightened up her desk and went home, followed by a man, which fact alarmed her greatly. That evening the telephone rang. She was alone with her mother who was an invalid, so she answered. To her surprise it was Warren. She could not think what he wanted. He wanted her to deliver a for- mula to Washington which would bring him money. He described his rival, a man whom she must beware of. She was too excited to connect the description of his rival with the man who had followed her. She was so elated over her new experi- ence that she consented and immediately set about to pack a few necessities. The next day dawned after she had spent a sleepless night. Lillie arrived at the station in a taxi which Warren had sent for her. He was there to bid her good-bye. He also handed her a white envelope containing a letter of introduc- tion, and a cream-colored one containing the formula. While this had been going on, the man who had followed her home nights, was hanging around, and at train time, amidst good-byes, boarded the train unnoticed. He took a seat directly opposite Lillie, and as the train pulled out, she noticed him for the first time. She watched him closely. At New York she alighted from the train to make connections with a 'through train to Washington. The stranger fol- lowed, and Lillie again noticed him in low conversation with a man in a car. Suddenly, before she had time to think, she was being hurled away into an un- known country. Only one of the ticket agents whom Warren had dispatched Word to watch out for her, saw her. He im- mediately sent word to Warren. The car stopped at a house, the only one for miles around. They forced her in. Once on the way they had asked her for the formula, but she pretended to know nothing about it. When they were inside, they began to search her. While they were searching her handbag, she put the yellow envelope inside her stocking. They found the white envelope, and satisfied with that they went to bed. COf course they wouldn't have known the real formula had they seen it, she thoughtj That night when all was still, Lillie climbed out of the window, and once on the ground, started to run for dear life. She ran two miles and there reached a town. She hailed a passing taxi and they drove on their way to Washington. Looking back she saw a car dashing along. They must have discovered her ruse. She knew she was being pursued by her antagonists.