Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1902-10-17
MYSTERIOUS
MISS DACDES
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By Mrs. Schuyler Csawninshield.
Copyright 1901. by j. &. Llpplncott Co.
CHAPTER vi.

ly L felt at the turn that matters
had taken If this girl was really
the little Amaranthe of my young
ladyhood, and could not doubt that
she was, it seemed a terrible thing
to have found her associated with
strange men who could come into
her windows at night. But, after all,
was certain that any strange man
had come into the window at night?
thought of asking Mr.. Beldon to
help me, and set him as watch upon
her. The fact of the existence of
that plug which Elder Wynne had
cut in some way out of the floor
of my upper back did not escape my
mind. That, of course, was to keep
watch upon Mr.. Beldon, but I
thought that Elder Wynne, or Bob
Jennings, rather, had overreached
himself.
I made up my mind that when I
went downstairs in the morning I
would speak very plainly to my
boarder. I waited until nine o'clock
and then I went across the hall and
stood at the door of the lower-front
chamber. 1 waited moment, hesi-
tated, bent my head and listened.
1 thought heard some movement
within, and gave gentle tap at the
panel. There was no answer. I
tapped again. Still silence!
l turned the knob gently, and
thought, as I did SO, "What if she
has gone away as she threatened?"
My heart gave great throb at this,
for could not bear the idea Of hav-
ing her leave me. There was some
thing about her which drew me to-
wards her, and was she not, after all,
little Amaranthe? No matter what
she had done, or seemed to have
done, she was still little Amaranthe,
the daughter of Eugene Darlington,
my old friend, and the niece of the
dear ladies at the Hall.
pushed open the door. The room
was dark, the blinds closed, the green
shades drawn closely. There was q
sickening odor in the room, at which
my heart sank way, way down.
What if she were dead? What If my
attitude towards her had been too Sc
we're? What if she, poor, lonely, I'M
protected creature, had taken her
life, here, under my roof, where, in
stead of suspicion and injustice, she
should of all places have found Sc
clusion, confidence and the kindest
of care? We send missionaries to
the heather; shall we net minister
to our own?
I CROPPED my way cautiously in,
and now, with the streak of light
from the open door, began to see
more clearly. looked, fearful of
looking, towards the bed. No, she
had not left me. Her slight body
was there. Was her spirit there
also? She was pale and still;
white cloth lay across her eyes and
brow. My dress made slight
rustling sound. How glad I was to
hear her voice say, weak though it
was:-
what is it?"
The odors in the room were nau-
seating. I ran to the window and
raised the sash, and let some of Gods
mild summer breeze and shining sun
into the room. She cried out at this
and clasped her hands over her eyes.
ooh! Obi" she said. 81 cannot
bear It'll" l wondered what it was
she could not bear, whether the sum
shine or her thoughts.
"What is it?" l cried. "What have
you taken? What is this dreadful
odor? Are you i'll? Amaranthe! lit
tie Amaranthe! are you ill?" She
YEARLY dragged the cloth from her
forehead, and opened her eyes stu
pidly.
What was it," she muttered, chat
they gave ose-those-men?
1t made me stupid, sleepy The room
is full of it. Ah!"-she snuffed at the
fresh, sweet air-''how good!"
I stopped and picked up a handker-
chief that had fallen by the bedside.
1t was mans handkerchief of good
ly size. 1t still held the nauseating
fumes, though lifeless, of that dead
ly, Supplying medium, ether. I
could not mistake it. 1 had been
obliged by the doctors to use it too
often in the judges last illness.
"You poor child!" I said, bending
over her, my tears raining down fast
upon the counterpart. "How could
I have distrusted you? So you were
the victim-sinned against, not
SHINING. My poor little Amaranthe!"
She smiled stupidity and nestled
down on the pillow, my hand UNDER
meath her check.
.'How was it that l heard voices
in your room last night?" I asked.
''How was it?"
81 cannot tell you" She smiled
again, and opened her blue eyes a
little way, looking into mine, but
closing them almost at once, as if
the light hurt them.
Shut you must know, dear child.
1t was before you came out into the
hall"
Not in my ROOM" she said, "per-
haps in-in-there," she weakly mo-
toned towards Mr.. Beldon's cham
Der.
"But heard them. I was at your
door. 1 heard them myself"
you We're listening at my door?"
This she said with much of her or
binary spirit. "You were" and
then, seeing, perhaps, a 'cok of sur
prise in my face, she broke down,
crying: "Oh, dear Wibby! Dear,
dear Wibhyi T will toll Won all all