Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1891-07-11

ing any longer. but he could not 20
till he had determined something
which tore him with bittcrest agony.
You will tell mel hopc.m faIlcrcd
he. how this key came into your
possessionP" and he indicated the
bright line Of gold hanging amid the
steel.
''Oh. that oner' replied the young
man carclcssly. That isn't mine. M
matter Of fact. though | hardly sup
pose i shall ever have an opportunity
of restoring it to its owner"
Where where did you find itp'
cried Nigel. now in uncomfortable
agitation--so keen that 1t comnluni-
Gated itself in part to his hearers
III picked 1t up on board ship last
year when went over TO Ame rica for
an Autumn trip" answered the other.
1T belonged to young lady-onc OF
the Dasscngers-and--and"--
You and she are eugagcd?" inter-
rupted Nigel. in voice scarcely audi
bic from the emotion Of tho speaker.
NO; we are strangers" the young
man hastcncd to say. II have never been
able to restore the KEY (Which rccog-
nzed as hers from having often OBJ
served it hanging from her watch-chain)
because pressing business, coupled
with the severe illness Of a near rela-
tive who had journeycd out without. me.
prevented my tracing this lady inn
mcdiaicly. Afterward it was too late;
she and her mother had left the hotel
10 which | found they had gone on
landing. and so | placed the key on my
own ring. Suppose | now transfer 1t
to your kecpingp"
Nigel had sat down again. The re-
vulsiou OF feeling had been too strong
for him after believing that his lost
love was cternally divided from him
that she must be bctrothcd To the
handsome young man who possessed
her key. Once, three years ago. hc
and she had been on the eve OF making
their VOWS together at tho altar, when
all at once. through hiS own foolish
jealousy. this bright vision of happi-
ness had vanished. Evelyn--his Evie-
had been terrified by his too cxacting
demands that she should see no one,
think of no one. when in his presence.
and a quarrel. all of his making, had
eusutu. biauCiup DtCh hO SO"'o pSh-
ceive his error his folly, his harsh
ness-now. when 1t was indeed too
late. Such undue proportions had his
| jealousy taken that he had imagined
| EVELYN cared not for him. but for his
wealth, aud he had made one uDgaard-
ed exclamation to this effect. One
only. but it was enough for the high
souled. loving girl who had promised
to be his bride.
Next day she sent back all his gifts,
with these brief lines:
This time yestSyday nothing but death could
have forced me from you; now nothing bu'
death can reunlte US. EVELYN MORE
Nigel had flown up to town before
this brief farewell arrived, intending
to drown his misery in rushing hithei
and thither, saying TO himself (poor
foolish fellow that Evelyn would re-
pent her obstinacy about that fellow
Harrison Qhe acquaintance who had
aroused his jealousy. aud undertake
not TO speak 10 him again when they
met. Why. IL she loved him. was sh'
not ready to promise anything9
lie rcckoned without has host Or
again reaching home-tcu days afteI
he quilted it.-Eyelya was no longer II
the neighborhood. She had gone Il
visit an uncle" was the reply to his in
quiries Mt the house.
Gone! Aud he had found that shor
aud dreadful farewell awaiting.
Distracted now at the idea that per
chance he might not so easily persuade
Evelyn to pardon him (he had no an
swer to the one brief letter he ha,
written her). he eagerly inquired he
present whereabouts. aud learned will
Increased agony that Evelyn's mothe
had seized on most unexpected offer
had let her house furnished To friend
aud that Evelyn had accompanied he
mother and uncle abroad.
WhitherP That was his cry--a CT
still unanswered.
1t was long time before Mrs. More
friend. who had taken the house OF
her hands could be prevailed on to Civ,
him Miss More's address. and it WA
also very long before an answer cam
to the impassioned appeal he wrote (
his wounded betroihcd. 1t was a
answer which threw him into ues
agony of pain and induced feve
which had threatened his life.
Evelyn's mother aud Evelyn hersel
wrote:
IL was impossible after what had occurre
that Miss More would ever n0ain subject hel
self 20 like suspicious. Her engagement VII
Mr.. Greenly was definitely at an end
And after this he. too. tried to for
get. How vainly he felt with adde'
force in this most bitter hour, rs wit
swiftest speed all that we have re
corded here shot through his torture
brain.
When he had received that terribl
dismissal from Evelyn her mother
note was dated from Vienna. but no'
he learned (through the medium of th
golden key) that last year she ha
landed in America. He would follO'
her there! And long ago he would hav
done so had she not hidden herscl
, from him. Had ho not secured ltal,
Switzerland and Germany in val
hope of some day falling ut her fee
and altering two words-"Forgiy
mer
Totteriug to his feet Nigel manage
, to retire from the Willows withOu
breaking down before these strangers
aud he carried with him the small gol
. KEY. Would il ever be the means {
unlocking that door WHICH seemed fol
ever closed against him.
, A fortnight later, hoping agains
hope, he landed in New York aud bS
, gan his inquiries.
Would hc ever discover her whoi
he sought. How. indeed. should b
do so ia this wide citya Was she eve
, | hcrep Aud So ho wrote an .implorin
appeal TO the lady who three years ne
had become Mrs. More's tenant.
A stranger replied after the lapse {
many days. Miss More was on Oh
point Of returning home, rs she wishe
, 10 Tile In England. Her address W,
, briefly added.
To die! to die! Nigel few to the hot
where Evelyn was located. aud W.
, about 10 stammer out an agonize
: question when he met fair. tall. 81,
, looking girl entering the wide doc
r way. II was Evelyn--once his Eve
lyn--his own dear bctrothed! Change
, indeed! No bright smiles wreathe
/ her lips; no mcrriment sparkled in he
! lovely eyes; she looked. indeed. rs
: happiness aml she had long parte
!, company; but she was hcre before n
lonvino eves. md shc was not diving.