Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1902-09-12
MYSTERIOUS MISS DACRES
BY MRS. SCHUYLER cRowNINsH1ELD
Copyright lsol, b. j. .. Hpplaeos. Co.
SYNOPSIS.

SYNOPSIS.
CHAPTER IA young lady, giving the
name of Josephine Amaranthe Dacres
and protesting to be a nurse, engages
room of Mrs. Brathwaite, the narrator
Of the story, ct her quiet country home
to secure, as she says; some much needed
torial writer- who works nights also en-.
cages room. Both boarders openly OBJ
}cct to tho presence of the other. Squire
lived at the "I1all" Gloss by has just
died under somewhat mysterious circum.
st2,"c.-.
Don't keep me long" said Miss
Dacres. II haven't any sewing, and
1 don't talk gossip. I'm very busy
writing treatise on the best method
to nurse typhoid. hold that"
DO you know anything about
rheumatic cramps?" asked /.
well, 1 should smile, rather
mean. of course I do. Rheumatic
cramps are my speciality. Why,
have you got emp"
NO" said I, II have not, but my
aunt-however, that is neither here
nor there. What 1 have to say to
you will preclude the possibility Of
but come into the parlor," and l led
the way to the room in front of the
dining room. opened the door and
CROPPED my way across the room by
the light that came from the hall.
l threw up the window and pushed
open the blind.
Smells stuffy, don't it?" remarked
Miss Dacres.
That's because it hasn't been
opened for some weeks. My aunt is
confirmed invalid and l have too
much to do to sit in the parlor and
play lady. When I have any sewing
to do l take it out on the piazza, and
there / Sit down." said l, sud-
denly breaking off.
The invitation was superfuous, as
Miss Dacres had seated herself weari-
ly in the best stuffed rocker, and laid
her head back against the clean
tidy. However, what she had told
me about her hair had made me easy
in my mind as to that. I say as I
looked at her that her eyes were
closed, and I really thought she
would drop off to sleep.
Are you SO tired" said I, that
you cannot listen to me for mo-
ment?"
Il don't know what's the matter
with me-" she answered. 81 never
was SO tired in all my life. I'm avn.
fully nervous. suppose that last
case wore ME out. He couldn't have
anybody but me-took fancy to me,
1 suppose. It's real sad after you've
nursed a person for weeks to see
him die. You get so kind of attached
gracious! how / worked over that
old man."
"Did-did he leave you anything
for all that nursing?" asked 1, for
getting for the moment the object
OF our coming into the parlor.
NO." she said, "he didn't-nothing
but some pretty bad thoughts. It's
those I'm trying to get rid Of here,
and hope you won't allude to the
subject until I'm stronger. I'll tell
you all about it later. Perhaps in a
few weeks shall feel equal to the
strain. Il"
"Im afraid you and 1 shall part
company before few weeks are
over" said /; lin fact that is what T
asked you to come in here about
this morning"
l saw the deep color creep up un-
der her pallid skin as 1 said these
words, Her eyelids trembled, and
felt almost sorry for her.
:Nill you tell me why?" she asked
in low voice, "Tell me at once
please. Have ypu heard-have I
done ianything2 You said yesterday
that ! might come. It seemed such
rest to me, such an ideal home, and
now you want to-" She had pro-
eeeded thus far with almost passion
i'll her voice, now she dropped back to
her old, quiet tone, saying, Give me
your reasons"
Il saw your meeting last night"
She sat up, opened her eyes, and
laughed. "Oh, is that all? My meet
ing with INaldemar. That wasn't
anything. Why, he's my brother.
He's employed in an automobile fac
tory, Waldemar. Mother sent out
my slippers by him. She knew how
careless am, and"
"How did he make himself known
to you?" said severely. How did
he know where you were?"
well, as to that, 1 could as well
make my whereabouts known to my
own brother as to anyone else, 1
suppose. We rode out here last week
on our wheels, Waldemar and I. He
can't get osnt until the day class in
learning have got through. So we
generally go out in the evening about
six o'clock. We rode past your
house, and told Waldemar that il I
went into the country to stay, it
should be here. told him, too, that
l was coming out yesterday to see
1T you could take me in, and if I
wasn't back at tea time, to ask
to send out my slippers.