Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1892-06-11
Called To Account.

fou before you leave this room and house"
She held out an open letter towards Grace
Merton as she said these words.
This epistle belongs to you, [ believe,
since II is in your handwriting. / picked ii
up In the hall. AS it began with my name [
read the first two lines, but soon discovered
from the tenor OF itthat twas not addressed
10 me. but, / conclude. TO your sister. L i'm
msdiateIy ciosedit then, tori am above read
ing that which is not mine. / hold the per-
son who reads or opens letters addressed to
another in the UTMOST contempt. Take your
letter."
My curious eye could not resist seeing tho
hrst two lines as my aunt reached across 20
hand the letter to It's owner
DEAR BETrs.-I am not sleeping at my
poSt oIuuty:. ] am IA possession Of the heart
OF Bernard McGregor.'
L closed my eyes with a sensation of faint
sickness.
My aunt addressed herself to Miss Merton.
You foolish girl" she said in bitter ac-
cents, ''you may be capable OF winning
hearts for.al idle hour, hut youcould not re-
tam them. No u could liyc@in the house
with you and not see through you. l read
you from the first"
Grace Merton turned pale with that inner
rage which is so dangerous and deadly.
You pfying old maid" she cried, with n
fierce glance, 'how dare you open my deskg''
Miss Merton" | exclaimed, no longer
able 10 keep ms temper calmly under con
trol, my aunt fsa woman OF honor, who
acts up to the advice she gives. / have lived
with her from a child, and.I never knew her
guilty of a shabby or mean action. | beg you
will at once quit this house, and never dare
return 10 IT,"
She glided towards the door with a stealthy
cat-like tread. she east upon me one linger-
tns gazeo 4 c~onccntrated anger, and, withols
uttering one WORD, closed the door.
In about half an hom's time ] heart her
leave The h0tsse. ThusI LOST my friend, but
still retained my lover, whielfl Ter powers were
not great enough to lurt'away from me.
AS / heard the hall door close on her, |
drew a breath Of relief felt that the house
was at last free of the viper.
My aunt sat herself down beside me and
placed her hand on my ann, with the same
peculiar fiTmness which was her habit when
ever She had something serious 90 say o. me.
Child" she said, looking penetratingly
Into my face, was my warning 10 you an
die fancy? Did / not strive TO save you from
this?'
ayes, aunt" I replied. lyon were correct
in your judgment OF Grace; but she has not
proved my rival a. y0u predicted. for"
Bernardcamc to my resele, seeing rnycon-
fusion.
NO, aunt, Gertrude Is moi 10 ne rivalled
by such 4 person as that" he cried, taking
my hand, nor is or love leSscncd In the
least"
Ny aunt shook her head prophetically.
You. are not out of-thr wesdyet, my
hears, ,she safd, with a heavy sigh; "thcTe
Is no end 10 the trailo of the serpent.p
"But, aunt, she has gone"
At that moment Il ring wa audible at the
hall door.
1T is only the servants bell" cried, in
answeFtu my aunt's "lush,' and we resum-
ed our conversation.
''That girl has the face of an angel and the
heart Of a demon" my aunt said after n
pause, during which she hadytesn looking
intently a, the clock over the m~antelpiece.
The face Of an angel when the mask Is
drawn over IT," replied my lover. But did
you ever see q face so altered as hers became
a short time back. ! cannot forget that aw-
ful glance she cast upon G6rtrude as She
closed the door. The fook was a volume,
yet her white lips did not open. She T., a
dangerous woinan 10 tribe with, l am con-
vinccd OF that"
"0ll, letu forget her. Iwant to bury her
very memory,PI replied, with "a shpdder.
SShall wehaye a Little musicT'
lroseto the instrument, and commenced
one Of B~eati4ren's s0natas. / only cared
Tor classical music, and Demands taste was
like my own.
Just IN the midst Of ii | heard the hall-door
close. looked cat o 1.-The window, and saw
Grace Merton walking htfriedly away, a
igrk veil over her face.
"What onearth las shat woman come hack
for!' i cried. 1T must have been she who
ung."
II viii ask the servant my aunt replied,
and she laid her hand upon the bell, which
was almost Immediately answered
sMary, who was that who rang Just nowY'
Miss Merton. ma'an. She came back for
her music, which she left upstairs"
Her musle,v | echoed. "Wlryeshe never
brought af yl am positive Of that
"She came back 10 listen to what we had
30 say, no doubt" said Bernard.
Mary wiihdrew,s and we resumed ourmusic.
Bernard had a lovely voice, and he sang bet
ter than ever on this especial evening.
Afterwards We played chess and ecarte,
and INDUCED in a long and earnest discus
sion about the future, buildingthose charm
ing, airy castles which al young engaged
couples delight In.
Dream on, young people; what matter If
they are but idle dreams after all, so long as
they afford ydnf present happiness present
| bliss? Il not life itself a long continued
dream? Time enough to awake when the
spring has passed and the summer sun set.
Sweet dreams which only visit US once lin
a lifetime. unreat. foolish as they be, what a
halo Of gt6ry ttey She'd acfpsssonr path,
seeming the very air we breathe with per-
fumes like an earthly garden of Eden, and
obscurfng thu shadows of future ills, which,
without them. would force their grim outline
before. car vision even in the s~pringtide OF
G~0pefufntSs. aAaE8
1 Wsgsbt;ursam ns.s7iazy, misty as your
dreams may be? Time enougfsto awake to
stern, cruel reality when tire hoar frost of
winter has checked your bioyant spirit and
PRINTED frrrowsoryNA ar bropa Few con in
duige In bfissful, Joyous dreams when time
has beachesAheiSleeie aud enfsehled their
But, even then, the sweet sufhmertof their
4.stitA kss la~pLasiUg mcgley!es, although
they may nave ffavrfsesr a areary wilderness
s s,sss ,sasISSSssrssyssEEIassssssss.sSst . the reap
sOh, If wccould. Tor epa short hour dream
the bright day dream of sweet girlhood; but,
tESJass tllgc cruel frgsto OF pSptar lies dead and
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