Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1892-03-26

their friend. Hespie's gray eyes gaZed
back into theirs with a sweet seriousness
that made them smile the more.
Il can never quite see why you laugh
at him" said Hespie, in her clear gentle
tones.
''She cannot see why we laugh at him."
cried Amy, turning with mock gravity,
to Flo; and both girls Laughed gaily again.
Poor Dobbin!" said Flo.
"And l cannot gee why you pity him."
remarked Hespie.
''She cannot see why we pity him.
cried Amy, turning again impressi vely
10 her sister.
THAT Dobbin should fall in love" said
Flo slowly, ''some day with some one
was OF course to be expected. That sort
Of man always does fall in love, and stays
in love. But that he should have fallen
in love with you. Hespie-and you .
blue-stocking!"
Don't" said Hespie, impatiently. ~
am not clever-nOt as clever as he"
Love" put in Amy sententiously-
love, as grandmamma says, makes US
blind. Dobbin. Hespie dear-I do not
want ohuyt your feelings-is u~ndoubted-
ly a goose!'
but you do not know him, said Hes
pie. IF you will always laugh and joke
with him, he is bound to laugh too.
You have never talked to him seriously;
n of course you do not really know
him."
1--WE do not know him, Flo" said Amy
solemnly.
"Amy dear, we do not know him." said
Flo, with equal solemnity.
Their laughter was 50 gay and so in
fectious that Hespie laughed too.
You are too foolish to talk to-" she
remarked.
And you, dear" said Amy. "are still
more foolish, for you're in love. Now
confess, Hespie-you're in love with this
faithful Dobbin?'
II? Yes. | like him.
Like! Hespie. do be truthful! You're
n little ashamed, | believe. Of poor Dob
bin and your love for him."
Hespie's face flushed quickly.
I'm not ashamed" she said. eyes, /
love him. There is nothing TO be ashamed
of i'll that-why should one he ashamed?
He is better than better in every way
drawer. cleverer, nicer. Now / have
said it: and | wish | hadn't said it.
Don't tease me any more, girls-you are
pitiless.'
The girls did not tease her any more.
Instead Of teasing, they kissed her, and
were very tender to make up to her for
their ~raillery.
Indoors, the skein was just wound.
The young man got up from his low seat
and Strengthened himself. His face was
crimson; all the light had died out Of his
merry, kindly blue eyes.
I'VE have been overhearing what
what was not meant for us, / think" he
said, in q miserable and shame-faced way.
"Hespie's secret said the old lady,
with a light little laugh.
There was a pause. Then-"Who is
Dobbiny" asked Dobbin himself, with
profoundly gloomy face.
The old lady smiled charmingly at him.
"What would you expect.' she said.
"What il the charm, do you think. of
political economy and logic? Some logi.
cal professor-some specialized youth who
lectures ~learnedly on wages and profits
and rents-all those foolish things which
they call political economy
Yes, | see. Professor Dobbin lisa hap
py man, Mrs. Herbert
"Oh, Hespie is a silly little thing said
the old lady sourly.
She put her knitting into her basket,
and went out to join her granddaughter
and their guest. Dobbin followed, feel
ing suddenly that his call that afternoon
was objectless, hat he would be in the
way amongst the merry party on the
terrace, and that it would be well to find
an excuse for leaving soon. Amy and
Flo were talking still; Hespie was silent,
leaning back in her low chair, her hands
cfasped behind her head, her eyes with a
soft vet merry light in them. Her pretty
bl,,a ,lraaa unttal har. thA hraaza taIfshaI
her brown hair and rufiled it into little
curling tendriis about her brow. Her
lips had u little happy half-smile lurking
about their corners; her cheeks had a
brighter color than usual.
captain Dewar and | have been Ell
joying a very nice little quiet chat. " said
the old lady sweetly. "Hespie, my dear,
YOU look warm, and l am afraid are
freckling. Some compilations do freckle."
But not Hespie's, grandmamna. de-
clared Amy and Flo in indignant chorus.
''She looks warm" said the old lady
slightingly. Il should advise milk-the
skin delicately touched with milk when.
ever YOU come in from the open air.
You are terribly sun-burnt, child. And
you burn red-that l always regard as a
misfortune.
Hespie's cheeks were crimson, but the
color was not due 10 sun-burn. At the
first sight of Dobbin's face she knew in
~stinctively that he had heard their con
versation-the girls foolish teasing and
her confession. That they had spoken ot
him all the time as Dobbin and that h,
would not know his sobriqaet We're little
details which she did not grasp. He hac
heard her confess that she loved him
and now he looked away from her, anC
avoided her glance as he shook hands
and answered at random in adreary tone
when Amy and Flo addressed him.
Quick az thought she found an expiana-
ton of his manner. She had been mis-
taken all along. and the girls had been
mistaken; he did not love her, and he
nad heard them speak assurediy OF his
affection, heard her confess her own, and
he was sorry for her-perhaps a little
contemptuous, thinking her bold, un'
maidenly.
After a while Mrs. Herbert went in
doors. Sitting bare-headed and un'
shawled in the open air she had come &c
regard as a chilly pleasure to be paid fol-
with rheumatic pains. The girls and
Dobbin were left together, and Amy and
Flo, in kindly spirit, began to devise ex
cuses for their own departure. Suddenly
the gardener strolled by, and Amy, wher
he had passed, remembered that she
wanted some flowers cut, and ran after
him, and did not return. And after som
minutes Flo, in the most natural way
7 rose up suddenly, and wondered where
Amy had gone, and went to look for her
Dobbin and Hespie were left alone. Meth
er looked at the other. Each was con
scious of the silence, and felt incapable
Of breaking il.
AT last Hespie stopped and picked ~
n book which lay on the groInl inside
: her chair. and carefully busted the covers
: which were not dusty.
Political economy Intercepted Dob
/ bin.
l mo" said Hespie. lido not read tina
5 IN h~oliday-time."
Another silence.
: The holidays are very long" remarkat
Dobbin.
J ITO BIZ CoNyINURD.l