Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1888-11-17
tween a pair of little fingers glovcd in

ttpilIcF OlOuent nc t'fDoC llOll
town." she remarked, putting n in
her mouth. They're awfully good"
$50 they are" Mark asscnted.
lie had given himself up to the sit
u%ation, and began to feel vastly amused.
"Are you fond of chocolate, Miss
Fawcett?' he enquired.
WHY, how do you know my namep"
she said, q smile dimpling its way over
her pretty face.
Il have seen you BEFORE" he said,
smiling back mt her.
Have you?:" she said, and then sud-
denly she scrambled to her feet. Along
the beach some distance away. a Stan
hope phGton was rolling towards them.
IL must co." she said hurriedly, hold
ing out her hand. 'Good-bye! Per-
haps | shall see you again. Will you be
here tomorrow"
Tomorrow at ten O'clock" said
Mark. ''Will you Gomez"
She nodded her head.
"Will you allow me to walk back
with you?"
"Oh, no, I thank you! Someone
might see us, and I'd rather not"
She was gone in a moment, leaving
Mark supplied. He stood there like n
stick, till the S~tanhope ph@ton came
rolling by, and Goeifrey's CHEEKY voice
cried,
Halo, old man! Don't you want a
LITE"
He was all alone in the carriage. and
Mark was glad enough that hot day TO
pull up his ten and ride back with
him.
'.Beryl had a headache" Godfrey ex-
planned, ms they rolled along the level
beach. II shouldn't have come out
without her, but Tippet hasn't been out
of her stall for three days, and she was
getting very uneasy"
Mark laid his hand over his friends.
''Geoff, old boy" he said, gravely,
"you know what we were talking
about the other day? I'm afraid | was
nearer right than l thought. This
morning has proven to me that Miss
Fawcett is not only a flirt but possibly
something worse"
'It's a lie!' Godfrey flashed out.
Don't say that again, or, by heavens.
I'll throttle your
Don't lose your head" Mark said,
softly. Il know what 1 am saying.
Miss Fawcett left me not a quarter of
an hour ago"
''She did not"
"But | say she did; and what is more,
she made an appointment with me,-a
perfect stranger TO her,-to meet her
here tomorrow morning"
II will not believe it!' Godfrey cried
fierccly,
s.IaI,, x-o,r-olf - coil Nf,r1- ,,;o.1,.
sit hurts me to have to tell you this,
Geoff; %but-wait! You shall see for
yourself. Tomorrow l will keep my
appointment, and you can be there
toOr'
Near by there was q deserted pavil-
ion, and it was there that Godfrey wait
ed the next morning, with his glass
levelled at the spot where Mark pitched
his tent.
Alas, that fatal morning! His tortur-
inc doubts became agonizing certain
ties! He saw Beryl join his friend, and
affair off witnessed her brazen efforts at
Irritation.
''Mark was right!' he groaned. ''But,
oh, | cannot bear it!'
He wandered about the beach for
several hours. 1t was not until the twi-
light shed its calm upon his spirit that
he yentured into Beryl's presence.
Angry words ensued, rccriminatlon
and denial, and then Godfrey left her,
a free. but q wretched man.
Il think you are right to 90 away"
said Mark, the following day, when
they took their last walk on the beach
together. Your wound will heal better
in another climate"
at will never heal" Godfrey said,
bitterly. My life is ruined"
Don't talk like that, old man."
Mark began.
And then he suddenly clutched his
friends arm, for a bend in the beach
had brought them suddenly upon two
girls sitting on the sand. One, a
dainty figure, in a cream-colored dress
and cherry ribbons, was sobbing bitter
ly.
Il only did it for fun" she cried.
And then catching sight of Godfrey,
she sprang up and ran to him, tripping
over her long dress SO that she fell right
into his arms.
'Geofl, dear" she cried, ''Beryl is
very cross at me be-because / dressed
up in her clothes and came out here to
take n walk! There wasn't any harm
in that. was there?"
Mark was staring from one to the
other.
You must excuse Gypsy, Mr.. Lus-
combe," said the other lady with dig
nifty; and you too, sir. She is only
twelve, though she does look SO tall.
She has been masquerading in my
clothes, you see"
Then you are Miss Fawcett!' Mark
cried, addressing the real Beryl. Your
sister looks SO much like you that L
Geotf, old man. | take it all back! This
is the heroine of my adventure. | have
been flirting with Gypsy"
A cloud seemed to roll away from
Geoffrey's face. Mark did not wait to
hear more. but carried Gypsy off with
him, holding up her draggled train,
and chasing the tears away with his
merry jokes.
1t was u long time before Godfrey
and Boryl came back. but peace had
been restored, and happiness came with
it.
Gypsy was in disgrace. however, and
though Mark tried hard to beg off for
her till after Beryls wedding, She was
packed off to school.
She wrote TO Mark all the while she