Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1890-01-18

AClttt VI tDcki uCbtUt13 1oOfIs My tluin slNtt 70
Mt noon, and I have business in Cardiff.
Wait q moment, Miss Snow. Send the child
away. / wish to speak to you"
Dorothy rose and said:
ALLY, run into my room and bring down
a big bunch of ho~lly-berries you will see on
the table. / want to make y holly-berry
basket"
The child ran away, and Mr.. Penfold put
his hands on Dorothy's shoulders and said
earnestly:
"Mlss Snow, whatever you may have to
tell will make no diffcrence. You may count
m e your friend always. But that Is not
what | want to tell YOU"
"You know that when I brought you here
1t was very late, or early, which you like to
call 1t, and only old Agnes and James were
sitting up for leon to get me some sup
per, II l needed 1t, the other to put away my
horse. All the maids were fast asleep.
"Well, thinking III might not wish 10 be
followed, and KIN wing how gossip gets
afoat, l made Agnes and Jem promise to
keep silent about the manner In which you
came here, TO avoid chatter.
ut is known among the servants that l
am looking for a governess. Now, / wish
you TO let me tell them you came hare as
governess. Let them think i went to meet
you at Cardiff, and when the things you re-
quire are sent from London, let them sup
pose that your luggage has arrived.
II will get a trayeling-box for you, and II
YOU will write a list. Ii can come back full.
When we come TO ar understanding, IL you
decide to stop as Ally's teacher, all will be
plain sailing"
How good you are to me. Mr.. PenfoldT p
mot better than you deserve, 1 IN sure.
Miss Snow. BY the look OF trouble in your
eyes, 1t Is time some N was good TO you."
Mr.. Penfold went into the hall and said
to the housemaid:
Jane, IL Miss Shows luggage arrives
while she Is from home, ask Mrs. Garth TO
pay the carriage. Miss Snow did not know
l should meet her, or how she would man
age, so she left them to follow, and being
Christmas-time, ! suppose they have been
delayed"
The girl curtsied and went to tell the
h~ouse-keeper, Agnes Garth.
And Agnes smiled TO herself and mutter-
ed:
'Oh, the power of a pretty face! The
master would not be so cunning on her &C
count IL he did not admire her."
Agnes" said Mr.. Penfold, appearing
suddenly before the old dame, II am 0blig-
ed to go to London on business. shall be
back on New Years Eve.
while l am away, guard my child jeal-
ously. None know better than you do the
danger that besets her. IL / were TO lose
her / should go mad. / would rather see
her in Der coffin than In the power Of that
bad woman, her mother.
Are you sure the child did dream on
Christmas night? Are you sure the dream
If dream 1t werc-had not a s~ubstance?"
Old Agnes looked bothered, but answer
ed boldly:
''0f course 1t was only a dream, sir; don't
worry about II. I'll take care of the child;
no n shall harm a hair Of her head. Be-
sides, she has Miss Snow now, which makes
1t impossible for anyone to approach her
unknown. ! watch her by day, Miss Snow
watches her by night.
"A child could not be better cared for,
bless her pretty face! l would be the last
10 wish her away; why, she is the sunshine
Of the house.
''Mind you take plenty of wraps and your
flannel night-shirt; you should never sleep
In a strange bed without flannel, it prevents
damp. Shall i put up some whisky and
sandwiches"
mo, l prefer to get put for what / want.
We walt ten minutes at Gloucester, you
know. Goodbye"
He was buttoning his gloves as he spoke,
and Ally came running after him for a last
kiss. He lifted the child in his arms fond
ly, and said:
BE good, darling, and do what Miss
Snow wishes. will bring you home a big
picture-book."
you dear papap
'Yeu dear Ally" he said rs he gave her q
hug and stood her down on the doormat.
The snow was falling outside, and the
scenery seemed desolate in the extreme.
From an upper window Dorothy watched
him away with q strange heartsinking. yet
he was to return soon, and she knew no
cause for fear.
When he had gone she called Ally, and
they busted themselves o. or the Christmas
tree, which wa to be sent to the sick chill
dren at the infirmsry, and Dorothy .
aged to tell a lot of pretty anecdotes Of sick
children she had seen.
Tie day passed pleasantly enough, and
Ally was put to bed by Dorothy own white
hands. When she had said Der prayers she
asked DOROTHY to put her head down beside
ACt tiAi out has hsiccp.
Dorothy did so, and fell asleep herself, to
find, when she awoke, that she had q stiff
neck, and that the light had gone out, and
that there was omeone besides herself and
Ally In the room.
WHO Is thaty' she cried out, as the
moonlight, clear and frosty, showeda shad-
owy shape standing beyond the window.
No answer came.
Dorothy felt creepy. but fearing for the
child, summoned up her courage, and felt
for the matches on the d~ressing-table.
The blind was not drawn, and the noon
light shone full upon her as her eyes sought
the glass, and saw looking over her Shout
der a dark ~revengeful face, full Of hate and
menace.
A smothered cry escaped DOROTHY; she
turned and tried 20 catch Al the form, but .
heavy blow felled her senseless to the
ground, where she lay she knew not how
long, and awoke dazed and faint, with the
peaceful moonlight shining upon her, and
all the house silent.
She rose and found IL was late; then she
crept shuddering back to the parlor to find
old Agnes making up the fire.
why, where have you been, Miss Snowy
You look like q ghost; are you iliy'
Hastily, with many looks at the curtains
and doors, Dorothy told Agnes what had
happened, and showed the bruise on her
forehead where she had been struck. Agnes
$500 4.--fAl-.- - IL A..t.k...l..