Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1893-12-16

rier Of caste, and that only submission 10
her fate, as she chose to call it, was left to
her.
One afternoon In March, as Lady Ravens
carriage stopped before her house, horse.
man rode mp quickly, and was welcs med
| by Lady Raven with considerable eager
ness. His voice brought back rush of old
painful memories TO Florence; and turning
round suddenly, her eyes fell upon Lord
Hareourt. lie was 80 his horse In mo-
ment, and at her side. Her hand In any
| sort OF greeting she would have withheld !;
but, as he aided her to alight, she was per-
force obliged to touch his arm. She took
! care that the touch should be the ligbtest
possible.
"Need tell yor the pleasure IL gives me
to see Miss Worthington againi" his low
voice said, half to Lady Raven; and then
to Florence he added an earnest inquiry af-
ter her health.
Her face was flushed BEAUTIFULLY by the
fresh sea air. Her eyes were bright as
stars, with more subdued expression
than when he had last seen her; but ut a
glance he perceived IL only intensified her
beauty. The little heart that his lordship
owned went out again quickly TO his ex-
| which was trebly dear from being lost to
him.
With little more than a monosyllable in
reply, and with her head erect, and her
| face defiant, Florence swept past him into
the house, Lady Raven lingering behind q
moment to express her pleasure ut seeing
his lordship again, to ask when he had re-
turned to England, and TO ascertain the
latest news he could give her Of her daugll
| ter, whom she was sure he must have seen.
"Lady Meddowes has been SO very kind
as TO entrust q little parcel to me for yoli-
piece OF China small cup, believe
which she says you admired NJ Nice. ar
rived In London only two days ago, and
came down here only last evening. To-
night am engaged; but may 1 have the
pleasure Of bringing your parcel to-mor-
row evening, Lady Raveni" his lordship
asked.
"Of course--at any time that best suits
you. We shall be delighted to see you,"
Lady Raven told him; adding, ave re-
ceiye few friends tomorrow evening at
nine-quite friendly gathering. Perhaps
you will join US them"
His lordship was only too pleased to avail
himself OF the invitation.
After few more gracious speeches on
each side, his lordship mounted his horse
and rode away. Lady Raven, ON entering
her drswing-room few moments later,
found Florence with flaming cheeks and
evidently pent up indignation.
"Aunt, you will never subject me to
meeting that man whom l loathe SO In
tcnsely--for whom you must know l can
have only contemptH she cried passion
stely.
Lady Raven was rather taken aback: but
she was always wise in her tact. Florence
was preparing herself for defiance, and
expected very different reply from her
aunt
"Of course not, my dear child. There
is no reason on earth why you should be
subjected to any annoyance from Lord
Vernon; We are not likely TO see nSich Of
him think"
Florence was disarmed, and there was
silence between them for some minutes; IL
was broken at last by her ladyship.
81 own, Florence, my pride would be
more content were YOU able 10 meet and
treat his lordsbip ~ a stranger; but IL it
Is really painful to you--to your feelings,
mesn-to be thrown into contact with him
which can we'll imagine IL may be, by all
means let US avoid him"
Florence was amazed at her aunt's gra-
eious manner, her excessive amiabllity; but
the words had taken effect in way that
her aunt intended they should.
al have no feeling in the matter, aunt
Raven; you know yourself that my engage
ment was one Of convenience. 1 never
cared feathers weight for Lord Vernon
I'm that ] did him wrong, and for aught
know he may have had the tact 10 dis
cover IL; but no one can deny his execrable
taste In accepting his dismissal as he did
without an effort at explanation or to as
certain beyond doubt the state OF my feel.
ings."
"There Is reason, and good reason, In all
you say, Florence; but my pride would
be, my dear, TO show his lordshp that he
was nothing to me, to meet and treat him
as an ordinary acquaintance. That is only
my idea; you have a right however to fol-
low your own inclinations-and be sure
that shall not try to coerce you In any
way. l only fear that by avoidance and
expressed repugnance he may im~gine that
you have some deeper feeling left for him;
but may be wrong. Let US forget his
lordship--at any rate for the present. We
are not likely to see him again, and it
Is getting late. promised Mrs. Audleigh
that we would be with her early tonight,
aud we shall both be better for q little rest
before dinner--this air always makes me
feel so sleepy. Edwards shall bring some
tea to your room--go dear"
Lady Raven knew well that she had
placed herself upon very advantageous
ground for the encounter she fully intend
ed to enter into. Florence went gladly to
her room to brood over past wrongs and
her present pain. She tried to console
herself by writing long letter to Maud
Darlington, and thus to catch breath ot
the atmosphere that, In spite Of herself,
she loved too well, and which seemed to
revive her so refreshinslv.
-cdv Raven han certainly changed very
wonderfully during the past year-and
the change was q marvellously pleasant
one. So thought Miss Worthington on the
following evening, as she stood before her
dressing-glass contemplating her own fault
less figure, arrayed for her aunt's friends
In black silk dress, beautifully made by
Mrs. Gilbert, and draped with black lace
to soften the still indispensable Grape; but
her white arms and neck looked fairer still
for the sombre contrast. She loved dress,
and she had always been used to the best
garments that money could buy or debt al
low; this dress however, new one which
she had inst donned at Lady Ravens re-
quest-was too costly for her own purse to
have purchased. Lady Raven had ordered
1t for her from Mrs. Gilbert q few weeks
before, and Miss Worthington's glass told
her that the beauty Of IL could not be
doubted. Edwards, her sunt's maid, had
been lowering over her toilet for the last
hour, and had left her only few moments
before. When the girl again appeared, she
entered with her hands tlled with crimson
roses and lilies Of the valley.
"My lady's love, and she has sent you
these to brighten your dress littlc," Ed.
wards told her. sAbrahams has just
brought In some fresh flowers for the
rooms, and her ladyship desired him TO
bring you some crimson and white ones
also.'
Florence took them, marveling the while
at her aunt's extraordinary interest In her
adornment. A moment later she felt sick
at heart as she remembered the last low.
era that had been given to hcr--dead now,
but still hidden away in her dressing-case.
They had been offered to her by ono not OF
her caste, but with loving thoughts, the
like Of which she might never have again.
Those flowers did not lack beauty In her
eyes even now, withered and broken as
they were; and they were hidden away
because she dare not look at them. She