Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1902-09-09
- Fs,eaEslEssszases
MYSTERIOUS
MISS DACRES
by FRS. Schuyler Crcwninshield.
Copyright 1901, by j. d. Llppincott Co.
CHAPTER III.

/ gave the young woman her early
dinner, and then left her to rest for
the afternoon. / had little time to
spare for strangers, and so long as
| gave her what l had bargaincd to
give, ] felt that I could not be ex-
pected to do more. When Badly Tow
ner returned from the store, l set
had brought out from the lower
front. He was not over-plcasant about
it but saw that there might be much
of it to do, SO l was firm, in the very
first instance. / said:
Badly Towner, you need not look
so unpleasant. Those are the shoes
of my boarder who came to-day. She
evidently roams about the country a
good deal, and doubtless her boots
will often be muddy, perhaps worse
than they are to-day. They mast be
cleaned, and"
"Why sh'd l do it?" returned Badly
Towner Grossly.
might have returned, "And why
should I?' but l said, who else is
there to do it?-Miss Jane Mary?"
The humor of the second part of
my sentence seemed to strike Badly
Towner as huge joke. He really
laughed for the third time that
year.
I did not smile, however, 1 put on
my most severe expression. 81 have
enough to do" said I, without clean
ing shoes. / am sure the Judge
never anticipa-"
81 don't spose he did," said Badly
Towner. "Then why didn't the
ledge leave We more wealthy OFF,"
CHATS enough, Baldwin Towner,"
said /. "I'm tired, and worried, and
$50 be I. But I'll clean them shoes,
if We say so. Miss Brathwaite."
"Thank you, Badly Towner," said
I, and fed incontinently, for fear
that he might change his mind.
1 gave the young woman her tea
in the dining-room across the hall.
She seemed very well pleased with
the young chicken and the nice rhu-
barb sauce, the rhubarb for which
[ had cut from the kitchen garden. 1
was low in my mind about that young
chicken, but l had forgotten meat
for tea when l sent Badly Towner
away so hurriedly, and that chicken
had to be sacrificed. Well, I had sac
rificed more in my life than one little
pullet, and probably l should be
called upon to make much greater
sacrifices.
My guest was retiring early.
heard her bolt her door by half af-
ter eight O'Clock, and l, weary with
my days work, went upstairs to my
room over the parlor. Aunt Jane
Mary rang her bell just as l had
closed my door-her room was
across the hall from mine-and I
went to her, though I could hardly
drag one foot after the other, and af-
ter I had attended to her wants,
which took nearly an hour and a
half-giving electricity is tiresome
work-I went back to my room. I
put out my light and lay down, but
| could not sleep. The moonlight
streamed full in my face. I hid my
eyes in the pillow; pulled the sheet
up over my nose. There was no use
trying; must get up, tired as was,
and close the blinds. l raised the
window very softly so as not to
awake Aunt Jane Mary. stretched
out my hand for the hasp of the
blind, when I thought that I heard
the sound of voices.
Yes, it was true. Standing under
the great elm in front of the gate
were two figures. AS near as could
make out, they were those of man
and woman. strained my ears to