Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1888-05-26
HIS STEPMOTHER.

Hush, Dorcas! is that rainp II
sounds as if some genii were dashirg
pals of water against the easements"
ats rain. Guy. The equinoctial
storm. you know"
Sand that dreary moaning down the
~chimney-is it windp"
The boy shivered a little. and drew
the bedclothes up around his chin. The
red flames from the blazing log on the
hearth danced up and down like a
magic-lantern, the shaded lamp burned
steadily on the table. Dorcas Wynter
stitched quietly away at her sewing
without looking up.
"1t must be an awful tempest,
Dorcas," uttered the lad. as a fresh
gust of wind seemed 60 shake the
odd octagonal tower to its very founda-
tions.
at is, Guy. I hea, old Captain
Lake say that the tide not been SO
nigh since the year the Royal Vic
toria was wrecked off Paine Point"
ats better tn be here, even with IA
broken leg" said Guy Paley. slightly
in such u blow rs thisn
"A poou ucll DeUlcT, 0uN.
"Not that I'm n coward, Dorcas!"
cried the boy. "'Therc are worse things
Gan q storm at sea, and | have an in
siinct that | shall be n sailor yet. But
this sickness has taught mc-this sick
ness and you, Dorcas-that it's better
to 60 for a thing in an honest straight
forward way than to try to reach it by
%sneaking. But | always supposed it
vas a fine thing te run away to sea, or
else / shouldn't have tried the get-out-
Observation-Disclosures dodge, and
broken my leg. I'm wiser now"
Dorcas smiled at him with melting
hazel eyes and rose-red lips, revealing
a line of pearls.
"Poor Guy!" said she. sit was a
hard lesson, wasn't itp"
al think | needed it, Dorcas. Ii ever
there was a Thoroughbred young
Ufiaa. II was II" groaned the boy.
'But, you see, nobody yer talked to
me. Seedlings without end | got, ]
grant you, but no one talked common
sense TO me before. You are the only
one who seemed to think me worth
reasoning with; and you shall see,
Dorcas that I'm worth the trouble.
Once I'm up from this scrape, I'll
tackle my lessons in real earnest, and
try to do something better. And say,
DorcaS-"
eyes, Guvp"
You're the pretticst girl | ever saw
'NonSeuse. Guy"
"Oh, but you are! and the sweetest
and the most sensible. | can't think
how Tou ever came to be ii housemaid
in q PLACE like this"
Dorcas colored "A little.
''Shall tell you. Guyp | came as
governess to the primary department,
but ! had no discipline, they told me.
The younger boys did exactly rs they
pleased. I've always thought that
Mrs. Vail. who succeeded to the posi-
ton, had something TO do about the
n0d reports of my management chat
reached DIR. Delfer's ears. But that
can't be proved; neither can it be
helped. was alone here and friend
less, and / was glad to accept a vacant
position under the housekeeper to mend
linen, care for the occasional cases in
the infirmary, and make myself gen
crnily useful"
81 knew you were 4 iady!" exultant-
~ cried the boy; "I could see it in your
face"
81 would rather you would call me a
tQie woman. Guy. than a lady," said
uoEcas. moving the lamp - few inches
farther back. SO that the light should
not shine in Guys eyes.
"But 1 say. Dorcas, how old are
yqRp" , g..
only nineteen"
rand ! am fourteen. Dorcas. Will
yo1.wait seven years fo meP"
TGuyt"
III shall be t~wcnty-cne then. and My
oyy1 MASTER" eagerly added the boy;
and I'll work like n slave to get IA
good profession. and if you will marry
We, Dorcas. I'll make the best husband
th.lt eve was tO you, for I'm dcsper-
ateh in love with you. that am"
Dprcas burst out into laughter.
'Guy." she said "what q child you
sreS"
T'But you do love me. don't you"
eyes. of course ! love YOU; but not a
bit more than | do Cecil Parker or little
frankie Gaines"
'Dorcas!"
well q triie more perhaps. because
Fye had al the care of you these four
WtEt, and you've really behaved very
dGpthfly. but"
Promise me. Dorcas."
~ WON'T Guy"
~e're engaged, all the same" said
GIy with u deep sigh of relief; ''it's IA
QTgain. And now you may get me
fngrb0vl OF Cruel"
'Tes. Mr.. Palov." said Dr. Defer.