Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1902-09-16
SYNOPSIS.

" Wv S.oiy y, ~ nor quiet country home
10 .ecure. az sho says. Esma much needed
rest. Mr.: Bsldon, claiming to be an cdi.
Iorlai writer who works nights. also on
gage: room. Both boarders openly OBJ.
David Darlington. . millionaire who had
livtd at the "ltall" close by, has lust
disd under somewhat mysterious sireum-
| stsse.>.
This was so entirely what ! should
have to do that smiled family. ]
looked in at her door, and saw that
the work was yet for me to do.
Il must make that bed first, 1 sup.
pose,' said l, with sigh.
"Oh, no, you needn't; I'll make the
bed; just as lief as not. Besides, as
| am going, and you'll have to put
on clean sheets for the next conner
perhaps I'd better leave it as it is
II can't bear to think OF it," said
i. Il never left room like that
after nine o'clock in the morning."
Your rooms don't get much air
ing that way, do they?" said she
This gave me something to think Of
Just go along and don't bother
she added. III make the bed" And
1 went.
When / had walked about quarter
OF mile 1 suddenly remembered
my sunshade, which / wanted mended
at the village store. 1 turned about
and walked quickly backward. AS
l went swiftly towards the house, |
raised my eyes to the window of my
room. woman was standing there
examining something which she held
in her hands. What it was l could
not tell. l came towards the house
as fast as l could, and as l got near
the gate l raised my eyes again, but
there was no one in the room, at
least not at the window When |
came up the steps / found Miss
Dacres' room-door was closed. l
opened it unceremoniously There
she was, pulling and stretching the
sheets, patting them in place-in
fact, going through with all the mo-
tions of making bed in the most
approved manner.
"Who was that in my room lust
now" said 1.
How do l know" she answered
shortly.
Were you up there?"
Miss Dacres stopped her bedmak-
ing and stood upright. 81 declared
said she. II think you are the most
suspicious person 1 ever saw. I'm
glad I'm going. Why should go in
to your room? What should | get
tbpraC Nf,f 81
from" She stopped short. She
meant, think. from my appearance.
You needn't flush up so. You've in
suited me more than thousand
times since l came into this house,
and as soon as l get my money I'm
going out of here, if 1 have to walk
back to town."
Haven't you been upstairs?" asked
I again, scrutinizing her narrowly.
yes" she admitted, 81 have been
upstairs, but only to see how your
aunt is getting on. She wanted some
breakfast, and I'm getting it for her"
And you were not in my room?''
'No! No! Nov' said she, "and no
again. What should / want but my
own money, and that, apparently, l
can't get. Why shouldn't l be sus-
picious OF you? It's probably that
woman out there in the Kitchen"
what woman?"
"1oud better ask her. How should
] know" With this short answer
Miss Dacres returned to her bedmals-
ing, and ! went up the stairs. All
was apparently as l had left it. The
key was still in the lock, still broken
off, still stuck so that it could not be
moved one way or the other. Aunt
Jane Mary was sleeping as if she were
dead. So l descended rapidly and ran
out to the kitchen. Glorianna Tow.
ner was sitting by the stove. She was
holding i'll her hand spoon, with
which she occasionally stirred some
thing which was heating in pan.
What are you doing. Glorianna %
asked /.
"A-stirring the posset," said she,
without looking up,
$50 l see. What were you doing
in my room just now?"
"Declare to God l hain't-'
Stop" said /, 1--WE don't use such
language here. Answer me without
prevarication. What were you doing
in my room?"
Only come jess as you left the
gate-come across the back pasture, ,
said Glorianna. ''Hain't done thing
but set here an stir as she told me
to. She was coming downstairs as
| come in the back-hall door"
"Who?"
"That stranger. Said she'd be'r
up to see your aunt. She got the
things outen the clauset an set me tc
stir this mess"
Have you seen Baldwin," asked
SHOULD think So" said Glorianna
z smile breaking out over her SHARP
features. She glanced towards the
corner. There across chair hung
cowhlde. 1t looked useless enough
at present, but i could imagine it.
possibilities in the hands of the wiz,
little woman.
How long are you going to re
main?"
TEL Badly comes home long Ell
me-"
i sank down into chair, hopeless
Then l must either harbor this little
fiend of a persona lose Badly Tow
ner, my prop and stay.
II haven't any room for you, Glori
anna said l.
sDonst ,n,l,a ~, d;T,,,,oo yyo,.,