Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1902-09-05

mo. DON'T KNOW HER NAME"
tired out. poor thing, and I didn't
ask her name. Her initials-at least
OF her dress-smt case-are j. A. D."
81. A. d." said he. 81. A. d. Well
that doesn't tell me anything. Some
Cabling girl, L suppose! She'll have
half the village here in the early
evenings, on the side veranda, when
am trying to sleep. And she's GER
tain to have them in the daytime. 1
work hard and late at the office of
the Star Union, and must have my
sleep"
''Then you arc newspaper man?"
1 said.
what else?" said he.
Of course / knew it. / don't know
why 1 asked. William was re-
porter when I married him. l knew
the signs but too well.
"Did-did-you come with any par
ticular object about the-the family
on the-the hill, because if you
did" He started. There! What
fool I always was. Why couldn't
l have kept quiet? putting him on a
scent which l was only too anxious
not to have talked about.
'The family on the hill? and who
pray, are the family on the hill?'
Then he didn't know.
"And who, pray, are the family on
the hill?" he repeated.
"Oh, then you don't know? The
Darlingtons. 1 thought perhaps
since the Squire has just died, and
the papers want SO much to get at
the news If his will. and where he
left his property, that"
The stranger laughed very merrily.
"Hush!" said ], putting up my
hand; "she is asleep"
"Who? Oh, the girl! oh. no, moi"
he said, smiling broadly and shal1-
ing his head. You mistake me en-
tirely. l ge. my living by much more
difficult ways than writing scandals
and society news. 1 do hard. legiti-
mate work for my daily bread, but
l see 1 may as well be going on. If
can't have quiet place, there is
no use-'
Don't you call this room quiet
one?" asked 1.
well, possibly. But that girl in
there's an uncertain quantity. How
long is she going to stay?"
81 don't know" said I.
Doesn't she?"
THAT 1 can't tell you, and she
must stay her week out; besides,
why should l turn her out to please
you?"
She had paid me in advance, but I
considered that none of his business.
Are you sure she's quiet?"
That's just what she asked about
the house. wouldn't dare take any
one who wasn't equally so. She
came first. you know"
Eyes, know she did," said he, smil-
ing.
II should-have ta-ta ask some
sort of reference" said l. hesitat-
ingly, "iou know l am alone here,
with my invalid aunt. We are far
from the next farms, and must
know whom l take into the house"
why, certainly" said the stranger.
you are perfectly reasonable in
that. I'll tell you what I'll do with
you. l won't come to-day, but I'll
come out tomorrow, at about this
hour, and you'll have time to send
the lady away. You say she has paid
for week in advance" I had not
said SOY, but l really don't see why
that should stand in your way. You
could return it. How much do
you charge her?"
Il don't see that that's any"
"Of my business? Right. So Il
isn't! Now I'll tell ycN what I'll do
with you. I'll go back to town, and
90 my night work, and bring testi.
monial from my employer, the editor
of the paper, and the manager, too,
if you like, and III agree to pay $50
week for the room and board, II
you'll let the young woman 60"
l had never let the room for any,
thing like that sum. 1t was back
room and much smaller than the one
occupied by j. A. ID. At once it
seemed to me that had let her have
hers too cheaply, and l sighed, and
decided to raise the price the follow
ing week.
II couldn't turn her out" l said.
she is 80 tired-almost i'll, l think
l really couldn't"
WELL said the stranger, perhaps
l had better try it for week. If
she's noisy. shall go myself" He
Deposited n pad and several pencils
on the table ana Invested his pocket
OF papers, among which were the
morning ana evening editions OF the
Star tnicn. He saw me looking at
the paper and picked it up, holding
it towards me and pointing with an
inky foretingcr to column on agri-
culture. He ran his finger down the
page to the signature, Henry Nal
lard"
'Here," he said with pride in his
tones.
"Wherc?" said |.
There, that's me. my nom de
plume. l wrote that" He looked at
the printed name with conceited
air He ceased the contemplate of
the mystic words suddenly and
turned quickly to me.
This room seems cold" said he.
'That's because there's cellar
underneath IT," said I. "Tf will san..