Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1892-04-02

nowy' he inquired.
DO you mean, is Hespie with us?' said
Flo, severely.
"She has not gone?' he asked eagerly.
"No; she goes tomorrow"
81 hoped / should be in time" said
Dobbin, with q sigh of relief. "Iwanted
to see her again. | couldn't helpcoming
back. At first l thought | wouldn't; but
| couldn't help i'll had to come. !
wanted to see you all, you know" he
added, a little confused at his own out.
spokenness.
They had entered the garden. Old
Mrs. Herbert, warmly clad, was taking
the air on the terrace.
There Is grandmamma," said Amy,
hastily. do you want to see Hespie
alone, Captain Dewar? Z think she is
down by the pond, in the little summer
house-she took her work and some books
there and Dobbin went off promptly in
the direction indicated.
But h summer-house was empty.
Hespie's open book and a dainty little
piece Of crewel-work lay on the rustic
table, with a needle shining in a silken
geranium-leaf half finished. He waited
a minute, hoping she would return, hen
went disappointedly up towards the
house. Mrs. Herbert was no longer on
the terrace; the girls too were nowhere
about. He was passing the greenhouses,
when suddenly he caught sight of a blue
sleeve m a white rounded wrist and
hand between the fiower-pots. '4e open
ell the greenhouse door and entered.
Hespie turned suddenly, and the happy
color Hooded her face, and a look of UNI
mistakable welcome shone for a moment
IN her eyes
YOU she said, smiling up at him as
he had longed for months to see her
smile. 1--WE did not know you had re-
turned, !" she added quickly, in a different
tone. quiet. self-contained, with no touch
of undue excitement. THE girls have
gone to the village; but they will soon be
home. Mrs. Herbert is in, and will be
glad to see you. Will you come indoorsy''
Not yet" said Dobbin hastily; ''let me
see you irst-it was you / came to see.
Do you bnow that your face has been
haunting me? You looked 50 miserably
ill that day went away-you're looking
pale still"
II am quite well" said Hespie. al am
searching for a ~geranium-leaf, to copy
for my crewel-work-one just turning
red. Will you help me?'
Dobbin was not ardent in the search.
He kept his eyes fixed on Hespie's all the
time.
You are going hack tomorrow" he
said.
Yes" answered Hespie.
you are glad, | suppose"
81 am glad to begin work again. lam
interested in my work"
"In political economy
"Yes."
political economy always seems to me
n of the dullest of dull things-the
dryest or dry bones" said Dobbin, with
disgust.
II thought" rejoined Hespie, wonder
ingly, "that o were Interested in polit-
ical economy? You told me so one day"
"No," said Dobbin, with a mirthless
political economist"
IL don't understand, replied Hespie.
"No: you wouldn't he likely to under.
stand" said Dobbin, gloomily.
They were silent some minutes. Hes
pie sat down on a low shelf, and looked
at the leaves that she had been picking.
She forgot her object in gathering them,
and made them absently into a little
bunch, and looked for some string with
which To tic them. Then suddenly, in
the next greenhouse. which was cool and
shady, steps sounded and some one spoke:
"Hespie is happy now. Dobbin has
proposed before this. and been accepted.
| retract all that have been saying lately
about Dobbin. That spray Of maiden
hair will do. Don't stay here, qand-
mamma: it is cold. I'm so glad little
Hespie is happy!'
You expect Inc TO rejoice at your folly,
Amy said a sour old voice: and the door
of the greenhouse was shut, and the
voices were lost.
Hespie's fingers, which had been bind
ing the geranium-leaves together, sud-
denly stopped as though paralyzed. She
did not move. Her very heart seemed
to stop beating with shame and horror.
For a moment Dobbin did not speak;
then he did SO a little huskily.
I'm very glad. he said gently. 'It's
right you should be happy. I'm glad l
came back in time to congratulate you"
Congratulate me?' echoed Hespie,
| miserably.
Il can't help feeling that Professor
Dobbin's co~nfoundedly lucky, you know!'
Professor Dobbin.'
''Isn't he professor
Who said Hespie.
"Dobbin, answered Dewar
'Dobbin!" said Hespie.
"Is il a mistake!" asked the poor fell
low, humbly. Aren't you engaged to
Dobbin? say, / haven't put my foot in
it, have i? l didn't mean to hurt your
feelings. TIM awfully sorry. Look here,
Hespie-don't cry! can't stand seeing
you cry!
mo: I'm not crying" said Hespie, with
a taar IN aarh ehaaly saI',, at a...
Let us go indoors"
cry!" declared Dobbin. IL couldn't help
overhearing you that day, you know
that old woman kept me holding her
woodland you were all talking there,
outside. l didn't say a word then. And
when went away | could see you were
miserable. l felt sure it was that brute's
fault"
THAT brute?" said Hespie.
"Yes-Dobbin. | can't help calling
him a brute-confound him. / shouldn't
have said anything now, only Amy spoke
as though it Yves all right, YOU know
all settled and that rt of thing. Good
heavens, the man must be a fool! And
other men would stake their souls for n
Of your smiles, for the right to black your
boots end go your errands. II l could be
near you, Hespie-see you once a day
once a week, say-just touch your hand
sometimes-I should be in heaven!"
Hespie looked up at him, and gradual
ly a little shy happy smile came into her
eyes.
Il don't think you understand" she
said shyly. 1T vast was-you-Dob.
bin, l mean. 1t was very foolish; the
girls-the girls chose 1.-THE name; the
girls always call you that"
THAR" said Dewar, with a great
happy smile as the light began to dawn
upon him. What