Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1892-09-10
40 / am not to be favored with their com

"And your mutual liking has not inereas-
ed yetg'
"Annis Is always pleasant
"But her sisters are notg Never heed II,
never heed It! Well check them In good
time. I've never had a lady here before,
and 1t has annoyed them a bit. They know
very well / had to send away my young
gentlemen because they got 10 flirting; and
they don't like 1t. That's why they are
angry"
''They think" / said, 'that I am here asa
spy upon their actions, Mr.. Gascoigne; and
IN that position / viii remain in no ones
eyes"
And what business have they TO do any
thing they are afraid OF a spy watchingY'
THAT 1 cannot answer. But 1t Is imp0ssi-
bic for me TO stay In such a position"
my dear Miss Thorne," he said, II cam
not afford 10 lose you; | cannot really. You
are worth all the young men i ever had put
together. Won't you laugh at the girls
nonsense for a little while for the sake OF a
helpless old man? I'll tell them that when /
want any detectiye-work doing i shall not
get a lady 10 do II. Don't be hastyl Now
please sing Bonnie Prince Charlie TO me-"
l said no more, and the evening passed ON
I'm the usual m0notonouS succession OF music,
dinner, chess.
II was while we were playing our open
ing game that, for the first time since l had
been at 81. Gabriel's Grange, a visitor 10 MIR.
Gascoigne was announced.
"Mr. Cardenr' the old man-seryant quiet
~ told his master; and / recognised the
name without recollee.ing at the moment
where | had hearG IL Afterwards l rerpcIn-
bered Hilda Farquhar had asked her cousin
how be and Mr.. Garden got on together.
He came in softly, with the step of a man
accustomed TO tread cautiously, and when,
in advancing toward Mr.. Gascoigne, he
caught sight Of Inc, he started.
Don't be alarmed" said the old gentle
man ~sardoricaily. 1T Is only my new sec
Rotary. Mr.Crawford Carden-Miss Thorne."
"YOu are very fortunate, Mr.. Gascoigne,
TO secure such a charming assistant Mr..
Garden replied, regaining his equanimity
speedily.
Mr. Gascoigne turned from the chess-tablc
10 talk to the newcomer, who drew up a
chair to his side, evidently familiar with bis
surroundings.
rose 10 leave them.
Don't 60, Miss Thorne," said Mr.. Gas
coigne. ''In a few minutes | shall van TO
finish our game, and Mr.. Garden may amuse
himself by watching u.s."
So ! took up a bit of work and stitched in
silence, looking once in a way, for lack of
other interest, at Mr.. Garden.
did not like him. Nay, more-for that
is negative only-I dislIked him from his
first entrance; but my mind vas too full of
other things 10 allow this feeling 10 be ac-
tive then. He was a handsome man, with
restless quick black eyes, a thin-lipped
mouth, small dark side-whiskers, and dark
hair carefully parted down the centre.
AT first / did not heed at all what they
said, and, when by-and-by the words drifted
10 my ears, they had little meaning for me.
The two men appeared to be discussing a
chess problem.
"And so the black kings castle Is likely
TO interfere with the moves OF the white
kings castle-eh?' said the old man.
"Yon will never do II with the queen,r
replied Mr.. Garden.
"Why?" inquired Mr.. Gascoigne.
''rhere is not the least chance Of mating
In that direction. The queen was not in the
play, and the king has his castle 10 defend
him."
Hasn't the white king a castle tooy' in
quired the old man.
Not In any available position" was the
reply.
'NOh, we'll, he has a knight anyhow |!
You're a good hand at it, Crawford. Now,
Miss Thorne, let us finish this game, IL you
please. Mr.. Garden will play with me when
IL is done"
Excuse me- said Mr.. Garden, rising. Il
have q business engagementto-night. lonly
came 10 let you know how things were go
ing on"
And you did not expect to make aequaint-
ance with my new secretary
II hope 10 have the pleasure of renewing
that acquaintance another time. l think,
Mr.. Gascoigne, there will soon DO further
news for you in the matter we were speak
ing OF; L Ola not understanu the Iast liONc.
Good nightr'
Good night, Crawf0rd-always glad 10
see you. win you oblige by pointing out TO
Miss Thorne your private entrance, that she
may know it in case my fair nieces are In
on the occasion of your next visit? And.
Miss Thorne, bring Sdrtor Resdrtus from
the library as you return"
! followed Mr.. Garden into a part of the
house which, being occupied by Mr.. Gas
coigne's rooms, / had visited before. A dark
staircase led into q long corridor below, and
a door at its foot opened upon n winding
walk through the tall rh~ododendrons of the
shrubbery.
"Mr. Gascoigne Is peculiar Mr.. Garden
thought II necessary 10 explain. He does
not like his nieces to be aware OF my visits.
We cannot tell why, but we must respect
his f~ancies, since they concern him alone.
You and | may have q good many secrets to
share, Miss Thorne; but sharing makes
them lighter, does IL not?"
/ answered only by bidding him good
evening, and vowing mentally that, were l
Mr.. G. lscoigne, L would entrust nc secret to
this handsome soft-spoken man, and that,
as Viola Thorne, I would never share one
with him.
j stood a few moments at the open door,
for the cold damp air was refreshing after
the warm atmosphere upstairs, and, as l
looked out among the dark bushes, i saw q
woman's figure among them. She was
some distance from the house, but she APP
peared to join Mr.. Garden in the ~shrubbery
path. / shut the door-I had no wish to
learn augIt OF the proceedings of any onein
the Grange-and, in so doing. a puff Of wind
~extinguished my lamp. In the hope of find
luS lily way W tic iipfdl1, Il Wcut uONH tlc
corridor, but, having taken the wrong turn,
came to a stand-stiil by the servants hall
and the backStaircase.
At the same moment an outer door at the
end OF the passage was softly opened, apd q
woman cam in hurriedly. 1t was Mathilde,
Lady Martin Pomeroy's French paid. She,
then, acted In some way as spy for Mr..
Crawford Garden. l had always mistrusted
her.
Does mademoiselle require anythingT'
she asked, with perfect aplomb.
"Yes; l want to find my way to the library.
Please to re-light my lamp"
at Is strange mademoiselle has come so
far out of her way said the woman persIy.
sThe library Is not In this ~direclon-not at
ALL"
When / ~re-entered Mr.. Gaseoigne's room,
he made no remark on the length Of my
absence.
what do you think of Carden?" he asked.
ut Is early yet to form an opinion,"I
said.
Not at all. Women always form an
opinion ON the spot. Be candid, IL you
please, Miss T.rorne."
Il do not like iini.n
"Why?p he asked.
women are not bound to account for
their opinions, Mr.. Gascoigne. 1 do not