Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1888-04-14

pleasantly. won have lost no time. Mr..
ihcrne, bat il would have been IA poor
conplimen. 60 my daughter had Won
failed 10 perceive hcr charms"
II should b. dull indeed had She failed
TO impress me-" | replied.
We talked for some time, and finally
he said. with emotion:
II must give up my dear child, sooner
or later. Her happiness is dearer to me
than anything; and can wish her no
greater blessing than to find a 2ood and
worthy husband"
AT that moment Edith opened the door
but, seeing US, she stopped III the en-
trance.
"Come here. Edith" said Sir Edmund;
and, taking her hand, he continued, Mr..
Thorne wishes YOU to he his wife; is that
your wish also?'
She buried her burning face in her
fathers shoulder; she could neither say
yes or &c.
at is a question that should not he de-
cided hastily the baronet continued;
'takc time. my dear. Meanwhile. | see
no reason for your leaving the house,"he
added, addressing me.
"Unless--" faltered.
"Unless Edith wishes it," the baronet
said, helping me out True. Shall you
feel more at ease, dear, if Mr.. Thorne
goes away-for "A certain time, say? Shall
he go!'
Still screening her face, Edith shook
her head, and then l knew that l had
won a treasure greater than the Hesper
diamond.
In the afternoon of the Goth, Sir Ed
mund said:
81 have been looking at your engage
ment, Bernard, from a practical point Of
view, and q fact occurs to me that, AT
such a time as this, would, probably es-
cape you. That agreement of yours
must be altered. You will see that. for
Edith's sake, what | call the tontine
clause-a clause comforting upon the sur
Great Hesper-should be abrogated. 1t
posed to-you understand me?'
l understood what he said perfectly,
and agreed with him that the clause
must he altered.
Consult with your partners" he said,
Gas to what change is advisable. / ex-
pect my lawyer here on the cath. and he
can then draw mp a legal agreement in
accordance with our general wish"
/ took the Judge into Van Hoeck's
room that night, and there told him Of
my engagement to Miss Lascellcs. Van
Hoeck was visibly alarmed when he
heard this: and when | went IN to say
that Sir Edmund wished the clause al
tered by his lawyer on the 9th. he said
quickly, in IA low voice:
The crafty old fox. What does he
mean by that!'
''His meaning is obvious enough" l
replied: ''if ! marry Miss IAscclles, and
die. she will be dispossessed of my share
in the diamond. j "A leave her only a
legacy OF debt"
eyes, end that amt all on it, said the
judge. dragging his wiry chin-tuft
through his hand and bending his brow.
THAT amt ali by a lump. We're play
ing with n marked card in the pack-a
card as might tempt e'er Il n or us TO
foul play"
What on earth do You mean? Speak
plainly if you can" said Van Hocck, in
angry impaticncc.
."Wcll. | mean this ere" answered the
Judge. with slow impressiveness, THAT
if one of my partners wasn't a gentle
man, and t'other wasn't helpless blind,
I'm burned if Id go to bed without n
~six-shootcr under my piller, and my fin
ger on the trigger. don't ailude to n
any more'n another, but we'll just take
~Israel's word for gospel, that everyone
is a thief if you give him n chance Of
thievin'; end, at that rate, I'm just as
likely as not to murder my two partners,
and git the whole Of that diamond to
myself. Consequently. You will allow
that the squire has n double reason for
wantin' that agreement altered; for it
amt only the money he's got to secure
on to his daughter, but her husbln's life
likewise. Time enough for the young
lady to be a wilder in the nat'ral order
Of things in general"