Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1903-03-07
MYSTERIOUS
MISS DACRES
By Mrs. Schuyler Crowninshield.
Copyright 1901, by J. B. Lippincott Co.
CHAPTER I.-CONTINUED.

neatly, Scllu l. ! w
not think that you should expect me
not to let my rooms when / can.
They have stood unoccupied so long,
I must let them when possible !"
"Oh, have you only just let it?
Was it when I was asleep?
Yes said I. "The stranger came
just after you lay down. He likes
likes the room and I shall have to
let him have it. He will pay me
well; he pays more than you do, and
I cannot afford to lose him.
"What does he look ike?"
ooh, he's pleasant faced"
"Clean shaven?"
q mustache.''
81 hate a man with whiskers," she
exclaimed. "What is his name?"
The same question he had asked
about her.
81 really don't know" said I. ''He
Is coming back with his credentials
tomorrow"
'And you take boarder, an utter
stranger into your house without
even asking his name. He might
murder me all alone down here"
II forgot" said 1; "but you forget
that do not know yours"
The girls face flushed.
"No," she said, "you do not. Well
then, Jo-Josephine Dacres. 7 ought
to have told you before. But I'm
woman. This is man-among lone
women-in the room next to this"
"He's a harmless newspaper man, -
said I.
"And I'm a helpless woman
I glanced at the dressing case. 81
A. d. said I. "What does the "a
tand for?''
81 can't see that that makes any
difference"
No, it makes no difference at all,
only can't see why
'Why [ shouldn't tell you my whole
name? Well, I don't suppose there
is any reason exactly. It's Amaran-
he"
"Amaranthe?" exclaimed,-"Am-
ranthe?"
eyes, why not?"
Nothing said I. "I've heard the
name before, that's all. It's a sin
gular name, one you do not often
hear"
eyes" said she, San odd name. I
don't think that ever knew another
person who was named 'Amaranthe.' y
She put her hand to her head with
a weary gesture. 81 declare I get so
tired sometimes that I almost forget
who / am. Yes, I am Josephine
Amaranthe Dacres. ought to have
>old you when [ first came, I sup
pose. Well, good-by, I am going"
She picked up the dress-suit case
from the floor.
Going! Going where?" said I,
aghast, partly because I hated to
lose my boarder, and partly because
the money paid in advance had part
of it been sent to Tom, and part of
1T by our old factotum, Badly Tow
aer, to the store for -four, potatoes.
sugar and butter, coffee, tea and such
like necessities. Our credit was not
particularly good in those days.
Don't co. [ said. Don't, don't!
/ don't believe he'll bother you at
all. 1t is likely that you will never
see him. He hated the idea of YOUR
being here as much as you hate the
idea of his being here. He wants
quiet too.'
TITS an awfully comfortable bed"
said the girl, with succession of
'awns. "Wel, if you promise me
he won't have men in there, drink
ing and carousing, I'll stay my week
out anyway. I wish I had some Slip
pers. I must send for my-no, I
won't; I won't send for anything un-
til I've seen that man and found out
how he's going to behave. When can
see him without his seeing me?"
HE said he'd come out tomorrow
morning." said I. Hes very inoffen-
sive, I'm certain. All he wants is
peace and quiet, and I'm sure if you
both want it, you're sure to get IT,"
Just here there was a humping on
the floor overhead from Aunt Jane
Mary's cane. My boarder jumped
and looked over her shoulder.
What is that?" she gasped.
Only my invalid aunt. She thumps
Tor me in that wa"
well, don't let her do it again."
she said sharply. Tell her, please,
my nerves won't stand it."