Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1903-07-17
MYSTERIOUS
MISS DACRES
By Mrs. Schuyler Crowninshield.
Copyright 1901. by J. B. Lippincott Co.
CHAPTER V.-CoNr1NUED.

CHAPTER V.-CoNTINUED.
from the vestibule and down that
central aisle, and as he was coming
the door opened again, and you came
in with that tiresome old DR..
Wynne."
my DEAR" said I, excusing her in
my heart, because she. was so like
my little Amaranthe-"my dear,
don't speak so. He is dear old gen
tleman. Highly recommended by
President Smith, of the Galtersville
college,
"Well, if he bored me with the Lost
Tribes as he bores you, I'd get rid of
him mighty sud- mean as soon as
possible. But to go on, where was
; L? Oh, yes, I crouched down behind
the front pew and that man, Beldon,
q think, you said, came down the
aisle. Then you came in and I heard
you all talking. I then felt sure from
the sound of your voices that you
were coming along to the chancel, so
I simply crawled round the corner,
up the side aisle, and while you were
still talking with the officious man
in the back room I was out of the
door and off. Johnny opened the
door for himself, so that 1 could get
out without it being very apparent"
81 don't see why you hid,' said I.
S'WhS, from Mr.. Beldon. I told you
was averse to meeting him. don't
like his looks at all. I won't know
him-simply won't! I never saw
many old churches" continued Miss
Dacres, musingly. "Out in India they
are mostly temples, and such things,
but"
$50 you have been in India" said.
SO young "a
did I say India, really? How
careless I am. I didn't mean to tell
you now. Perhaps I will sometime,
all about it. In our Wisconsin home
we hadn't, of course, any old
churches, and after mother died
father took me abroad with him"
o. "When you came here you said
that your mother was in town-in
the city, mean-and that your
brother brought out your slippers
yes, you dear old thing" said she,
strol1ing my knees with her thin
brown hand, ST know did. was so
afraid that you would turn me adrift,
and 1 had really nowhere to go.
said i was married, too, at least I
spoke of my little chap at school!
No such good luck for me. Can you
forgive me?"'
poor child" AS spoke tear
dropped from my eye upon her yellow
. curls.
Don't cry" she said. Don't cry
for me-" She got up on her knees
and stroked my cheeks. cit may be
better some day. She winked very
hard and bit her lip. 81 really
haven't any mother. That is just a
good woman who took me in, but he1
married daughter came home with
two children and I had to leave.
could send you to her any time. She
would tell you the same. And that
Gman-well, his name was Waldemar
q but he wasn't my brother. I an
going to confess all about it. He is
@ that kind woman's daughters hus
band. She sent him out here will
my slippers. They are plain people
and queer sort of people, but II
trust them as I would myself.
knew you would not like it, and, il
fact, didn't like it any too well my
q self. What do you think he did? III,
threw gravel against my windows
Now. did you ever hear of such
thing respectable girl il
a that way? Did you hear anything :?
81 didn't hear the gravel" said I.
0 ''Then 1 needn't have told you," sh,
laughed. 81 was so ashamed whe1
you discovered it, I wrote to hi
mother that when she had anythin.
more eto send or any message, O.
anything, she must send her sol
out in the daytime; but he is EN-
sployed in an automobile factory, a
I told you-that is all true-and h,
can't very well get away in the day.
n I started, for just here I though
heard faint rumbling sound be
meath the place where we were sit
ting. what is that noise?" I ex
claimed:
"Noise? don't hear anv"