Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1892-10-29
A Dangerous Game.
ur TINE AUTHOR OF 'ur DEAREST nrArr."

~ IA hGlllOIO w AL DEAEEAT ME AI.I.
And how? By covering his name and
your sisters with shame! G%wendoline, you
shall net do this fearful thing. You are ard
must still be his wife I'm the eyes of Heaven.
Iou are not so dead to your own self-respect
as to lose that Of the world nj once and for
ever, to throw away earth's best and sweet
est happiness, and risk your very hopes Of
heaven. You are mad to speak OF, TO dream
of this terrible sim
Perhaps am mac" she answered duly.
"But | must 90. Dent meddle with me; ii
is OF no use"
'Of no use!' 1 cried. "Of no use to keep
you till you are sane, TO prevent you from
running your life? swear l will not leave
you, GwendolineI'
She tried TO shake me off with frantic
force; but / chung the tighter TO her hand.
Il will, | must 20! He Is waiting. 1 will
not be kept Ia this way. 1 am not a child
TO be treated like this!' she gasped broken
ly. Viola, you do not understand, you do
not know. l ca.not draw back, | dare not
1T Is too later
ANSWER me one question, Gwcndoline.
Do you love Crawford Carden?''
Love him !'-and there was an intensity
of hatred and loathing la her voice. II de-
test him! The thought that / am going TO
cheat him, TO be revenged on him, is the
sweetest thought | haye!'
And for this YOU VIII blight the lives Of
all who love you-fOr one who is cruel and
crafty, and knows not the meaning of hon
esty or honor?'
"Ah, | am not so vile rs you think, Viola
l an going with him but, once away, ! shall
escape from him and go my W course, and
leave him TO do what he may. ! shall be
out of his power taen; now | am In IL. Once
more. Viola, let me go, or / must make
your
"Once more, G~wcndollne, / viii notl
appeal to every instinct OF right and good
ness In you, l appeal
They have told you nothing Of me" she
interrupted. "Do you REow aught of my
life, Viola? Did they tell you how / have
been treated all my life-how | was put mp
by my aunt 10 be sold 20 the highest bidder
Ia the m~arriage-msrket, and, when they
fancied | loved Gay Eastwood, who fell IN
love with me. how they lied and burned Lis
letters 20 separate uS, and half forced INC
into marriage with Martin POmcrOy? You
mean well, child; YOU have been the only
friend / remember 10 have had all my life,
and sou have been my friend in spite Of N.Y.
self; but you cannot understand such a life
as mine"
remembered the name OF Gay Dash.
wood; il was he whom Lucy had mention.
ed as the artist who painted the portrait OF
beautiful Miss Farquhar.
Did YOU love Mr.. DashwoOd?" | said.
IF | had loved him, | should have b.
lieyed nothing against him. No; | did mol
know then what love was. 1t | had cared
for him, Iwould never have married as !
did; Il was because | did not know what
love meant that they cheated me. And, aft.
er / was married, | learned their treachery,
and | said 10 myself that | would avenge 1t,
and this is the last Get, Viola! Ny hus.
band accused me Of flirting. Why should
not? | said: and | went on. refused to "a
20 India with him, and he sent me here as a
prisoner. | outwitted my ~gaolers; | never
believed in Crawford Gardens declarations
but | let him go on becauseI was Outwitting
my uncle and Hilda and you, and because /
had been suspected unjustly.'
".And TO live up TO suspicious will you
iare 10 commit n crime against Heaven-be
false to yourself to play into the hands of q
~rillain?'
Hear me out she cried, ''since you have
nterfcred with me. | never thovght 70 con-
less: but you have forced il from me-. Af,er
gou came here, there was always some one
you or anOthcr-ncar to prevent me from
,eeing him; but / could use my pen. In my
.xultatiOn at deceiying my warders, i acted
Is a fool. Now there Is nothing left Tor me
but this"
do yOu mean that he has letters OF
TOurS?' j said slowly.
"He has letteTs-four letters-and those
ctters Will be given TO my husband If |
iraw back now. Do YOU think | viii stay
10 meet my husband, knowing this? lwou!d
rather fling myself into the lakeland |
would do il but TO be rev, nged on Cardrn!'
And what is TO be your husbands greet
ng on his return homer
ADO You doubt that he Will BE- glad to be
rid of me? lie will get a divorce. Do you
,oubt that be will avail himself of ii? No;
he may win then-l pray Heaven he may =
1 good and true wife-l think might once
have been one-and forget me. lie VIII
soon forget me-"
She was sobbing and trembling from head
10 foot. | was glad TO see her SO. knew
.he victory was won.
"~Gwendoline,' | answered gently, taking
both her hands In mine-and she did not TO
,ist me now-''you love your husband"
Heaven help me-" she cried, Il do"