Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1890-02-01
CHATTER VI.

when you come back, papa, you will
bring me a set of ~tea-things, won't your'
"Yes. pet, | will, because you have been
so good about the circus"
Ally was perched upon her fathers knee,
Dorothy stood beside him, and looking up
at her he said:
Dora darling, you must keep to the nurs-
cry while i am away. Admit no one, and
never let Ally out Of your sight. l have
reason to ask this, l will explain when ] re-
turn. All you have TO do is totrust me and
be happy. l will write directly / reach
town, and II anything happens OF impor-
lance, wire to the Wanderers Club, Pail
Mall"
Little Ally slipped away after q fayorite
doll, and Drift sat looking up at his master
with his faithful brown eyes
Dear old chap" said Pierce, patting his
head; 'he shall have a silver collar for find
ing me such a treasure in the snow. Dora,
you look sad, what is the mattery'
Dornthy's head dropped, and the unbid-
den tears fell fast, asshe said ~wretchediy:
'0h, / do wish you were not going away,
1 have a presentiment that something will
happen while you are gone. My heart sinks
like lead, and oh, 1t does seem so hard TO
part! only feel safe by your side"
Sweet little absurdity, what can harm
you here, If you do as / wishg'
Pierce put his arm round her waist and
drew her alose,resting his dark head on her
breast. 80
She pushed the hair from his forehead
with nervous fingers, and pressed her quiv-
ering lips upon II, while he continued:
IL will return as Don as possible. Is 1t
likely anythhig:G6uix tempt.nie from you?
And when | come back l hopeit will be TO
claim my wife, tfr
Suppose Horace Middleton discovers my
hiding-placea and asserts his authority, must
/ return to my wretched bondagew
"No-a thousand times mol / have writ
ten a letter, that in case Of an emergency
you must give him. Iknow he is a mason,
and better still, a knight templar; he dare
not disregard my wishes, or wrong you.
by the code Of honor among us l shall
appeal TO him as a brother-mason to leave
You In my charge till I can see him. and tell
him II he d~isregards this / shall expose his
plots against the orphan Of a brother-mason
at Grand Lodge.
There Is something beyond idle form,
you will find, dearest, in freemasonry, II the
power Is tested. do not fear that 1t will
fail; unless he would have his evil deeds
blazoned to the world, he dare not disre-
gard my wishes. Why. 1 don't know that
we could not make you ward in Chancery.n
.'Oh, don't do that! / have heard that
whatever Chancery gets hold Of II never
gives up again."
Mr.. Penfold smiled.
'Chancery would be without appreciation
II II could let you go after once having had
the happiness of holding you In bondage
Ally came back crying. She had broken
her dolls leg. and nothing would do but
that II should be set and properly splinted--
a matchbox and some tape serving for
surgical purposes.
Peace being restored, Mr.. Penfold took q
tender leave Of both Dorothy and Ally, and
left them with q light heart.
He Afterwards wondered that no warning
voice had whispered to him that harm
would come 10 his dear ones.
Dorothy watched him away with tear
dimmed eyes, the strange f~oreboding still
weighing down her heart with a giants
hand.
Taking little Ally's hand. she went up to
the nursery, and tried TO busy herself with
some n~ecdlework, but the hours dragged
heavily. and she got nervous and trembled
NJ every sound.
Now Pierce had left Ally In her charge,
she felt unreasonably anxious about the
child, and would not allow her out Of her
sight.
Towards dusk she went 10 her room with
Ally In her arms.
As she went along the passage. a woman
In q dark cloak stood back to let her pass.
The light was dim. yet Dorothy knew the
woman was Z stranger, 50 she paused and
said:
Pardon me. y0p do mol belong 70 the