Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1903-07-24
MYSTERIOUS
MISS DACRES
BY Mrs. Schuyler crowninshield.
Copyright 1901. by ]. B. Lippincott Co.
CHAPTER V.-CoNT1NUED.

"Hush!" he whispered. Don't
move! Don't speak! Don't breathe!"
1t was Elder lynne. I was struck
with amaze. He drew me under the
protecting enclosure of the back
stairs and whispered:
go upstairs to your room; I can
attend to this matter alone. Leave
me to handle it," I saw now that
the old man possessed more vigor
than I had thought possible.
"But I am afraid" I whispered,
~afraid to leave you. What do you
think of it? Do you think she has
got into the hands of some house
breakers? Oh, if Mr.. Beldon were
only here! You are so old, so frail.
those men might murder you. Let
me stay in the dining room, that I
may be within CALI
Elder Wynne laughed, silent sort
of laugh.
"We have no time now," he whis-
pered, "to explain matters. Do as
tell you; go upstairs quickly. Leave
this matter to mes At the same
time he threw back the lapel of his
cotton dressing gown, and flashed
forth little CLEAN of light from
somew'- ore which struck full upon
the h4.iing shield bearing the badge
of the detective force. We heard a
movement within the room, then a
hand was laid upon the knob.
'Run," he whispered. run to
your room," and then began to cough
violently, following me and calling
at the same time up the stairs:
Mrs. Brathwaite! Mrs. Brath-
waite!" I was only on the third
step, and saw that he had lighted a
match and was cropping his way to-
wards the dining room door.
At this juncture Mr.. Beldon's door
was opened. ''Who is that?'' he
called.
'It is only I, SIR" said Elder Wynne.
81 am searching for some sugar. My
cough is troublesome. 1t is too bad
to wake you all up"
AT this I came running from the
stairs. I was surprised to see Mr..
Beldon. "You at home?" said I. ''Oh,
I wanted to call you some time ago,
if I had only known itl''
WANTED to call me?" He looked
annoyed and surprised.
Elder Wynne gave me a quick,
warning glance.
"Yes-yesI wanted to-to-call
you. Elder Wynne has coughed-
coughed-so-so-co So"
81 have not heard Elder Wynne
cough" said he, turning swiftly on
the old man,-"at least not until just
now"
$50 perisistently," I continued
that was MISUNDERSTANDING
Elder Wynne was now so convulsed
with his cough, that I turned to the
sideboard and got out the sugar
bowl. I then went to the water-cool.
er and filed glass half full OF
water. and dropped some Jumps OF
sugar within it,
Mr.. Beldcn watched me narrowly.
HAS anything alarmed you, Mrs.
Brathwaite? You seemed so upset
just now, So"
ooh, no." said I. SCI never felt safer
nor more courageous than have for
the last few moments"
Finding you in the house, my dear
sir" said Elder Wynne. between his
attacks of coughing; finding that a
gentleman was here who would be
certain to protect lady, and go for
help if it were needed, is what has
made Mrs. Brathwaite feel SO Sc
cure
At this moment another door was
opened and someone came into the
hall. We all three stepped hurriedly
out from the dining-room to find
Miss Dacres standing there in a
wrapper. She staggered and seemed
dazed. She brought peculiar chem
zeal odorE with her.
= 'What on earth is all this noise ?''
she said. do you call this quiet
house7 I have not been able to sleep