Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1903-01-03
Christmas Rose: A Mystery.


aiSeNe kept Shella out OF the room till
now" SAID DR.. Egerton. but, l think.
she shall Try what she can do for my
patient. l have feared the excitement of
fresh face, and know Sheila will chat
ter; but it will harm her less than this"
Shella is just the medicine she needs,
am sure" Dare declared. "She is like
ray OF sunshine wherever she goes.''
30. indeed, she seemed to the girl who
had lived through so many weary DAYS.
Sheiia herself was delighted at the doe
tors permission. Whatever Jealous
pangs and forebodings had assailed her
on Christmas eve, they had been forgot
ten while that fierce battle between life
and death was raging; and only tender
ness and womanly compassion were in
her heart now.
L have longed so much TO come and
see you,' she said, with a gentleness not
always seen in Madcap Sheila.
She had entered the room softly. and
sat down beside the bed. I'VE have all
thought of you continually. Has grand
mamma talked TO you about us?"
Very little" said the younger Girl.
smiling at the bright face and pretty.
coquettish figure beside her. Sheila de-
cided that she had never seen anyone so
lovely III all her life. Wasted as were
the delicately moulded features, the per-
lection of their form made them still
beautiful. The dark blue eyes were soft
and melting; the complexion, even in
health, would have been fair and trans
parent; but the chief charm of the face
lay in its expression of innocence and
purity.
mo wonder" sheila thought, Dare
loved her at first sight"
Tell me about yourself first" the girl
requested, and Sheila complied.
rs Dare-as you call him-your
brother?"
''No; he is my cousin"
But he lives here, does he not? He
is almost like a brother
Yes, almost answered Sheila. feeling
that almost" in this case, was very DIFF
ferent from quite" but he does not
live here always" she continued. talking
very fast. He is only staying here. He
has Just come back to England. His
home is in NOrfolk-such q beautiful old
place, called Linden Hall. | stayed there
once, when | was little girl. Aunt Ber-
tina was living then. She was Dare's
mother, and l loved her so dearly! She
died four years ago. That was why he
went abroad. He could not bear to live
at the hall withou. her. Do you know,
he had only been two days in England
when he met you"
MET mel" repeated the girl, faint
flush rising in her cheek. But where
and how long ago?"
Il thought you knew" said Sheila, in
some confusion. Dare brought you here
after the accident"
THAT was no accident. I Know feel
the truth. Someone tried to kill me-
The knife that made this wound was
meant to reach my heart"
ooh, don't!". cried Sheila impulsively
Il cannot bear to think of iti'
ut is all dark to me now; but some
day l shall see clearly
Sheila maintained a sympathetic 81
lence, caressing the girls long, delicate,
white fingers in her own plump, dimpled
hands.
81 am very thankful--very grateful.
for the kind friends l have found" the
sweet, weak tones went on.
you will try to be happy with us.
won't your" pleaded Sheila. "You don't
know now often | have wished for COM
panion, in such dark, snowy days as
these. We have no near neighbors, you
must know; and so, unless we have
guests in the house, | am often lonely"
Miss Sheila was exercising her magma
ton little in drawing this pathetic pic
ture. 1t was seldom she was without
girl friends in the house; and the pres
ence of the sick stranger was the sole
cause of the present lack of gaiety at the
Grange And you'll call me Sheila, will
YOU not?" she concluded.
"Sheila! 1t is a pretty name. l Won
der what mine isl"
Sheia laughed o little. 1--WE have one
we call you by--Dare and t. she said.
what is it,"
"Once | asked him what you were like;
for had only caught a glimpse of you
it was the night you came. Like white
flower he answered; and afterwards
when we were talking of you again,
reminded him of his words, and said you
must be like a Christmas rose. Then we
began to conjecture as to what your
name was. R. N.'-that was all we
knew. R. stands for Rose, and I called
YOU osamond-Rosamond Noel, because
YOU came on Christmas eve"
"Rosamond NOEL" the girl said mus
ingly. 81 like it. 1t suggests bright
thoughts to me. VIII you call me so,
until-until I remember my own name ?"