Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1903-05-08
MYSTERIOUS
MISS DACRES
By Mrs. Schuyler Crowninshield.
Copyright 1901. by j. B. Lippincott Co.
CHAPTER I.-CoNTINUED.

She awOke fully at this, and STUN
bled up the step into the square hall
and walked unsteadily towards the
door of the room. / took up the
dress-suit case and carried it within
the room and set9it down. Then 1
went outside and softly closed the
blinds. There came ring from Aunt
Jane Mary's bell. 1 finished closing
the blinds and went into the room
again. My boarder was sleepily I'M
tying the knots in the muddy shoe
strings. I looked at the shoes dis
trustfully. ST wonder who will clean
your shoes?'' said.
Il don't Know" she murmured;
some one will have to. I will pay
for it. Do help me, please; you have
made this room so dark, I can't see
anything. Oh''-she fumbled in her
pocket-'I suppose you would like to
be paid for the first week."
81 never thought"
'Herv, take it, it's just as well,''
and she thrust some money into my
hand without counting it. I remind
ed her of this,
do let me Sleep" she exclaimed,
YEARLY. "No matter what it is.
Easy come and easy CO., and she had
thrown herself upon the bed and
was in the land of dreams before I
had closed the door.
I had the muddy shoes in my
hand as I went down the hallway.
had taken them with me, for, SO far
as 1 could see, they were her only
ones; but something. else I had seen,
md fhot hot of ho Il
she had thrust within my hand, one
of these was of the denomination of
fifty, and another was numbered one
hundred.
1 was almost afraid to have so
much money at once in nv posses
sion, and that belonging to another
person. AS 1 went to put the bills
carefully in my desk, they fell to the
floor, and I saw there were four, the
third and fourth being numbered
five and five respectively. ST will
keep these small bills,'' said to my
sef-''it is exactly the amount /
charge her for a week paid in adj
vance-and restore the rest"
AS folded them to put them where
my small savings were hidden away
L saw two dots or marks upon the
very edge. Looking closer, I dis
covered that they were the letters
a "a. d.
81. A. d. said I to myself, re-
Numbering the initials on the dress.
suit. case. ''Some relation, prob
ably. Il wonder if he marks all her
bills I looked at the Others. and
there in the corners of each were the
1aff
know a good deal more about nv
boarder than I do now before I fin
1sh with her." said Il to myself; and
wassnot mistaken.
JUST then Aunt Jane Mary's bell
rang again, but for once I allowed II
to ring apparently unheard 1 wrote a
ourried list for the village store
vent to'the back-hall window, called
Badly Towners from his wood-split-
ting, and sent him post-haste to the
village. Then 1 took a half sheet
folded five-dollar bill within it
wrote on the outside From Mother
and addressed it to Tom, stamped the
letter, called Badly Towner back, anG
gave it to him: then'I locked. my desl
and hurried across the hall to Aunt
Jane Mary's room. opened the door
very quietly. Is-heard a .whiskins
sound, and found that Aunt Jane
Mary was painting and breathing un
easily as I entered. Had 1 no
known that it was quite impossible
for her to move or stand 1 Shout.
have thought that she had been get
ting up all by herself.
Its such an exertion to reacl
that bell,'' said Aunt Jane Mary. IAN,
how long you do take in coming.
thought l heard voices"
'sYou did, Aunt Jane Mary sal,
I, putting the hand-ben close to tn
edge of the table. .'I've letzNth
lower front" egA