Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1888-03-04

had danced and laughed, and chattcd
mcrrIly for tAc long hours-let hearts
ache rs they may, women laugh sill
very.
Guy Randolph had never approached
her. Calm and grave as usual. he had
mingled with the jewellers, watching
covertly that one girl face, seeing
only its mirth and It's beauty. finding
in it no memory of his cousins grave,
no regret for his W dcsertion.
Fair blooms the Alpine flowers with
!ts root in the snOa," lie thought Bit
terly, as he watched her. "And fair
~ her face is, she has n heart Of ice.
Would l had never met her, knowing
all | know now! | will not bid her
farewell. She will understand why
| go silently out of her life. Alas! my
transient dream Of love"
Il cannot bear it cannot bear it,"
murmured the girl to herself. II
must have a moment alone or shall
sob aloud"
SO she slipped away from the dane
ers and stole out to n deserted part OF
the grounds, tears rising at last to her
lashes and falling like dew on her
cheeks.
A mans low step reused her at last.
She turned and found Guy ut her side.
Both faces were pale in the soft
light, and hers was wet with tears.
When he saw them some Of the hard
ness died out Of his eyes.
you know that | am to 20 away ut
daybreak," he said slowly. You
know ms reason? | wished you to
hear all said this afternoon. think
YOU did"
IL did" Her voice was clear, even
with a ring in it which he had never
heard before in those silver tones.
II heard all, for | was ~sketching, and
did not know until the story was half
told that | should hear anything not
intended for me-"
"But it Was intended for you. I
wished you to quite comprehensive
understand that the woman who had
amused herself with my dead cousins
heart, could never be more than hate
full memory to me. l thought il best
for you and me to part in silence since,
n grave divided u.s."
''Stay!' she cried imperiously. "You
have the right TO 20 where you will,
silently as you wish, but you have no
right to accuse my youth Of crime! 1t
was not ! who won your cousins love
six years ago. 1t was not | who
lured him on, and laughed Mt him,
and drove him to suicide! Six years
ago | was a child at school"
''But Mrs. Alden-"
Eyes. Mrs. Alden spoke OF Miss
Gascoignc. You did not question her,
or you would have discovered that she
spoke SO OF my Cousin Lena, not of
me
He brcathed hard, standing quite
still and stunned in the moonlight.
Was = true? Might he love and
seek love fearleSsly after allp
She read his rcmorsc. aud her color
stole back softly.
He put u his hands to her in ST.
lent pleading, and she laid hers in
them without a moments hesitation.
you will forgive mc?" he faltered,
forgive me all l have said and
thought | should have known you
were neither false or cruel-you, my
beautiful, ~star-eyed love"
you should have come TO me at
first she answered gently. Then,
with n smilo, as he bent his head: Am
| to bid you farewell? You 90 at day
break, and the bail is over. l am
going in"
Not yet" he pleaded. "Not until
know whether or not you care for
me. If you do not love me, bid me
90. and | obey you. Speak my dear
est! You are not n ~triiler; and yes
torday | could have sworn you cared
for met"
And to-dayP'
To-day. forgive it all. my darling!
| have suffered enough to atone. Must
| 20?
None of those who thronccd out to
the nisht-air caught her tender MUIR
mar:
Stay, Guy!'
Aud SO Fate for once decided kind
l., with a smile, for Love.