Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1902-09-30

get up without help. and then not
without great pain"
Then" said Mr.. Beldon. "your
| house is haunted"
what time was it?" / asked.
well, | really don't know. / was
so sleepy that l hardly walked up
enough to sec whether it was man or
woman. heard a slight noise, more
like pouff! 50, and opened my eyes,
and there was this creature at my
table, turning over my papers"
Don't you lock your door?'
"Never thought of such thing
have nothing to steal; but I shall
hereafter"
"Dit-did-it go out, then?"
YES, vanished, with sort cf
heavy lope, before you could say
Jack Robinson / lay there, won
dering what it could all mean. After
about ten minutes thought I'd get
up and Investigate, but the hall was as
dark as tomb. Now who do you
think it WASP"
I'm sure L can't tell" said l. Not
Aunt Jane Mary certainly. However,
l advise you to lock your door here
after"
Then it would have to be ghosts"
said Mr.. Beldon, laughing. mo, 1
think the best way will be to go on
believing it's human. By the way,
did you find that money?'
Now, l had never told Mr.. Beldon
about my strange loss.
what money!" said.
"Oh, beg your pardon;" he looked
confused. Il heard whisper about
it. Servants always catch on to
those things, you know"
Eyes, l know they do said 1. Its
in the very air sometimes. Well, is
there anything can do for you?"
so you don't want to answer
about the money? Very well, then.
No, nothing you can do; only lay
the ghosts, and keep the old lady
overhead quiet"
Quiet? Really, Mr.. Beldon, you
are extremely nervous on the SUBJ
ject of noise. 1 told you that my
aunt could not move from her bed"
eyes, know you told me 500
"And you don't believe me?"
II am sorry to say, dear Mrs.
Brathwaite, that 1 do not. Not that
think you willfully misrepresent
matters, but 1 think you are deceived
yourself. The person you think the
most unlikely to have taken your,
money is the one who has taken it.
You say that your aunt cannot get
out of bed. Therefore she gets up,
when you can't see her. You say
she would not dream of taking a
penny that is not her own. She has
your money without doubt" :
Can you give me a description of:
the person you saw"
Il told you, large and ponderous
person, putting and blowing, in a
lowered sacque, really the most aw-,
full thing l ever beheld in the shape
of woman. Her head"
Her head? Gray curls piled high ?'
mo, you don't!' said Mr.. Beldon.
| Rather, dear Mrs. Brathwaite, don't
- !.
was as big as a pork barrel, and
tied round and round with a black
silk handkerchief, the end sticking
| out in front. 1t reminded me of
| the rabbits that Uncle Dick used to
make for us on the wall when we
were children"
II must confess that you have de-
| scribed my aunt rather faithfully"
said I, '.but you might have heard
of her from some one, the new.
boarder, Or
"You forget that I have not had
the pleasure of making the ac-
quaintance of your new boarder."
81 did forget that. Well, then,
Glorianna-or Baldwin Towner
Come, now, Mr.. Beldon, tell me,
haven't they talked to you about
my aunt ?"
well, yes, somewhat" confessed
Mr.. Beldon, shut really they gave,
me no such idea of her, must say.
no such awful idea of her-as that
she gave me herself when she came
in here last night
| "Iou have been dreaming" l de-
clared-" dreaming! Lock your door,
| Mr.. Beldon, and don't imagine" ;
Here Glorianna unceremoniousIy
polled her head in at the door.
"The's another newspaper Teller
come an he says he wants to get
took in
To be continued