Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1892-10-01

hand. Il want 10 talk TO you hrst. Come
herer'
different from the terse sentences he had
sharply uttered TO me a few hours before,
that my heart throbbed strangely. l went
20 him and knelt down by his chair.
"You are not angry with Gilbert and me,
Mr.. GascoigneT!
II am not going 10 tell you" he commenc-
ed, taking no apparent notice of my words,
"all the reasons for which / and Gilbert
quarrelled. There was possibly not one
good reason, but what people call incom.
~patibility Of temper. When he first came to
me-, he was q frank outspoken lad, a bit
rash and wild, and had TO keep a sharp
eye on him. Perhaps it was too sharp; he
found out that his words and actions be-
came known to me, and he began to get
Jealous and mistrustful. Because he knew,
l believe or suspected. that all he said and
did was reported to me-, he said and did
what he was well aware would d~ispleaSe
me, and grew fitful, caprlcious, and sus-
picious. We differed in a thousand things,
and at last we parted"
Afterwards | learned that Crawford Car
den had been even then one of Mr.. Gas
coigne's spies. and had done all in his pow
"a ~ RA'N ANROito W "a VhO 0llt &a&6tk
ated pretended sympathy with the other, TO
divide uncle and nephew.
HE is not mistrustful or capricious now"
/ said. "He is generous TO everybody in
word aud deed. No one could be more So"
1.-THE last subject on which We Quarrelled
was the subject of marriage"
.Marriage!' l started.
'His marriage. / had three almost penni-
less nieces. / had two nephews-my heirs.
Uric was young, and at college--Annis at
school; Gwendoline was engaged TO Lord
Martin Pomeroy because he was rich; l babe
Gilbert marry Hilda. He scarcely knew her,
but refused even to learn her mind. He said
there could be nothing congenial between
them, and he would not be married for his
money, as Lord Martin had been-for Gwen
doline's marriage, poor girl, was not happy,
though Mart II was a fine young fellow
whom any girl might have loved. Well, he
proposed to divide the property with Hilda-
! said the Grange property had not been
divided for a hundred years, and / was not
going to Begin to do so to suit him. He an
swered that he wanted none of 1t; and SO it
ended"
"And Eilda," ] asked tremulously-'did
Hilda know Of your wish?'
'Do you think l would let q young lady
know she had been rejected? The matter
was between me and Gilbert, and us only.
The girls knew so little that, when they met
their cousins, they thought Ii advisable tn
keep me In the dark. ! am not easily kept
I'm the dark"
/ looked up at him quickly. How much
did he know? His voice had returned to its
old dry tone, and he chuckled softly.
II heard whispers, plenty OF whispersi
Ny young gentleman began to have private
meetings with Miss Hilda and Miss Annis,
and | bethought me that Master Gilbert
might find his lovely cousin more attractive
now that the money was ON her side. I
wished him to fall In love with her, ] in
tended it,: that would DO checkmate. ]
waited"
Mr.. Gascoigne, who has told you all this?
Who has betrayed them? Not Ir
mo, not you; you kept the secret remark
ably well, and longer than / expected, when
you had every temptation, as great asI could
make it. to save yourself by revealing it.
You did not tell me that my nieces set you
the example In meetings under the rose, and
that Annis was hiding yet morer'
s'Do not be vexed with her" / cried; 'she
could not helpit. She could not prevent her
self from becoming acquainted with Uric
at Norbury; she could not prevent herself
from loving him. 1t was not his wish or hers
that you we're deceived. You will forgive
her, Mr.. Gascoigne?'
'Have you not enough TO think about In
getting forgiveness for yourselfy' he asked
drily.
"Ah, mol II Is more TO them than even 70
Gilbert and me. am not your niece: ! am
only a paid Secretary said bitterly, 10
peating Hilda's words. II ought to have
resisted seeing him; perhaps he may have
been wrong to disobey you. But Annis and
Ulric-they have been innocentfrom irse to
last"
my DEAR said the old man, taking my
hand, s.you see that ! have watched You all,
prisoner asI am; whispers and chcssnen