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

vldIS, lou Y ~, olu ic,iOWs lcsttlhdJ
you said you would remain until Octo-
ber."
yesterday I SO intended"
Then something has occurred tc
,ko you hasten your d~eparturep"
eyes; l think I'll tell you, Alec
dave II oigarY We won't walk on;
III tell you here. My story will 20
well wit, this hour of cleaning"
Guy Randolph had seen Il slight,
d~ark-robcd figure in tho shadows be-
hind them; Alec Thornton had not;
and the girl sitting quietly among the
grasses, sketching n mass of foliage
that ran out between the trees and sky,
WAS for n moment unconscious that
she was not alone.
Then q voice that made her every
pulse trcmblc with u sudden, glad sur
prise, rolled out on the soft calm eve
ming air:
II had Il cousin" commenced Guy,
after "A short pause, "Nho grew up III
my fathers house, because his parents
died when he was but an infant. He
was n very loyable boy, fanciful.
dreamy, poetical, with a face as sweet
and fam as Il girls, aud something de-
pendent and half womanly III him. |
had no brother, no sister, and Lionel
was everything to me that brother or
sister could he.
"Whon ! driftod out into the world,
drawn by my burning ambition to
leave some mark of my existence on
some corner all my own in this vast
world of ours, Lionel remained with
my parents-a better son TO them
than L..
"Six years ago his letters to me told
OF a beautiful girl, whose grey eyes
and silkcn hair made her seem as u
hailowed saint to Lionel. He loved
her with n great and single love, and
| felt that such love must win a wom-
all. and never feared for him.
six months later, ! received from
my cousin aich "A wild, dcspairing
scrawl-suCh a beart-sick, soul wound
eel lettcr--that y fierce and deadly ter
o stole across me, and | hurried
back to my home, wondering that love
could have such power over a dream
er's soul-wondcring that the girl
Lionel had wooed had laughed at his
affection, and flung back his heart TO
him with m%Ockory that made him
trcnizcd.
II travelled night and day for y
fortnight. ! was IN time to see my
cousins dead face. rs he lay ready for
burja,-iu time TO hear that his slender
eight hand had severed the thread Of
a., life. and sent ht6 soul IN haste TO
e. iudgmcrt-in time 20 know that
from tie girl 20 loved, nay cousin had
r"o",,e3 his death!'
l'he foil tones fa'tercl. the fine face
., Gu! Randolph was very pale; but
5chind him. in the shadows. a bcauti-
fui girl arose to her feet, and stood,
with startled grey eyes on his ashen
face. her W as CHASTITY.
Poor fcilow!' murmurcd Alec.
"Wnat q dreadful way To die.-and
what n worthless thing TO die for a
wunan like that!'
Yes said Guy through his shut
tccth,-"a worthless woman, rs bean
tiful rs n dream; and yesterday |
would have boon willing to give my
life for hcr-for yesterday | did not
know that it was Iona Gascolgne who
slew my cousin. and yesterday
loved her.
LENA Ga-coigncp"
Yes. Mrs. Alden spoke to- me to-
day OF Lionel, and said that it was so
long since lis death; of course, Miss
Gascoigno had quito forgotten; and
then il struck me for the first time that
had ncve" asked the name Of tho girl
Lionel loved. IL turned me giddv to
learn that il WAS she-the one woman
TO whom my ~ heart had gone; but
now you kuow why leave this place
III tho moruiuE-why l will never
willingly look on Lena Gascoigue's
face again. Would that l had never
seen her; that | could fo-get-not my
cousins fate. but the grey eyes that
shortened k!s life anu sill haunt my
own"
The girl in tho shadows was trem-
bling, but over the Wilderness OF her
face won't n Sudden breath OF pride
that froze it into calm. She turned
unsteadiIy away, and glidcd beyond
hearing; and some instinct told Guy
hat she was no longer near.
Her bosom was uplifted passionate
ly still. by the struggle between pride
and softer. geutlcr feeling, which was
very strong there, when the day was
tuliy dead. and a full moon rose over
the tree tops. she stood at her win
dow, robed for the ball.
''Snail let him coP' she asked her
self for the fortieth time-'Shall | ex-
plain il all. or let him 60 in siloncee"
Then she turned from tie window
ard crossed 30 the door. her grey eyes
bright and beautiful, but Us with tears
that yet must fall.
IL will lot fate decide for me-" she
murmured.
Aud tapping at her mothers door,
,hc went down TO the lights, music,
md laughter that were below. And
40 fairer face was there than that
dainty. ~colorous one of Iona Gas
cofgno.
The ball was nearly over. Lena