Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1922-08-09
The I~nfatuation of
Dacey
By MURIEL>BLAIR
"a, 1921, Western Newspaper Union.)

r4-a-sasE y
(@, 1921, Western Newspaper Union9
Wherever he looked, whether at q
lovely sunset scene or some radiant
picture, he saw a sheen Of geld red
hair, a cheek the hue Of a rose leaf
and yes as tender as the softest
moonlight. 1t affected the heart Like
enchanted music. The hushed dreams
of youth were awakened and his pulse
bounded at the alarm.
He sat now-he, Norman Dacey-
young, rich in money but dissatisfied
of soul, telling the story Of it all to his
closest friend, Elliott Hughes. As he
spoke his subdued tones reminded OF
a poet traversing some sweet and ten
der lay, for into his barren life had
come a purpose-to find one woman
he had seen and to tell her tSat he.
loved her.
1.-TWO MONTHS. he was saying, land
it seems like two years. 1t was just
beyond the village that the team took
fright at a passing automobile. l was
thrown put. 1t was the cash from a
deep cut that was the most serious. j
was stunned. Then between that and
the hospital there vas one supreme
moment. 1t was when / saw her."
"You have told that, Dacey," broke
in Hughes in a tone of slight raillery.
"She was lovely as an houri and all
that"
"She was simply a girl, an innocent,
beautiful girl" resented Dacey grave
ly. "a man stood at a little distance,
probably a relative. She had torn a
scarf from her throat and vas trying
to staunch the blood from my wound.
1 recall one look into those plying
soul-like eyes. Then the blackness OF
death again.
"And nothing Of the girl SINGER
questioned Hughes.
Nothing" replied Dacey.
"Well, 1 am at least glad to see your
mind reused out of the torpor of your
habitual ennui, Hughes. If you can
take any interest in pursuing this ex-
travagant phantom, keep it up. Let
me see, thought believe you told
me that the accident was costly to you
in more ways than one?"
"You mean the trife I lost?" OBJ
served Dacey.
"You call five hundred dollars In
money a trifeI"
1.-THE money does not trouble me-"
replied Dacey carelessly. 81 may have
lost it before the accident"
The friends separated, Hughes to go
home to his wife to smile over "the
ridiculous infatuation of Dacey," the
latter to still more determinedly seek
some trace Of the mysterious unknown
whose bonny face was with him every
where.
After that he spent days and then
weeks in a constant effort to trace
down the being he could not dismiss
from his thoughts. And then one chill
clustering November night, as he sat
in the library Of his lonely home. he.
saw a forlorn form appear before the
easement and falter there. He saw a
wan, agltated face and dripping,
storm-beaten garments. In an instant
he had drawn open the window, and
she, the lady of his dreams, tottered
into the room and fell to the nearest
chair, where she dropped like a wilted
flower.
She raised her eyes at last to muir
muir his name, to draw from her bosom
the pocketbook he had lost.
"You are Mr.. Dacey," she faltered.
'SThis is yours, I must 60"
"No! MOI" cried Dacey, blocking
the way. Then he saw her reel with
a terrified cry. The windows behind
Dacey opened and a rough-looking
man intruded-the man he had seen
once before with the girl.
"Ah, 1 have found you, have I, Clio
ria?" Missed tie Intruder. "You had
that all of the time"
The speaker made a dive for the
pocketbook. Dacey put out his strong
arm.
$40 not harm him." pleaded the gil
piteously. "He has kept me a pris-
oner, he has nearly starved me be-
cause I would not give up the pocket
book which I wrenched from him. But
he is my brother-and it was all his
cruel lust for gold"
"Take it and-go." said Dacey to
the brother.
With a gloating cry Of Joy the man
sped from the room, holding the COW
eted money to his breast like a wild
beast clasping its prey. Dacey re-
closed the windows, pressed a button
in the wall and told the servant who
answered to summon his widowed sis.
ter.
"sit down, please" spoke Dacey, as
wondering Leah Davelin entered the
room. 81 have a story to tell"
How sweetly soft he told it! How