Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1893-04-01
CHATTER Nv.
A WEARY MAlTINN.

A WEARY WAITING.
ut seems TO me-" sad Mr.. Moore, 'that
we shall have to walt dinner for Basil Bran.
dreth.'
The last man in the world I should have
thought 90 prove iaggard lover" said Mrs.
Moore.
They were In the drawing--oom alone,
and II was within i've minutes Of the dinner
hour. Neither Ruth nor Vida had come
down.
"When n man himself makes an appoint
ment,' continued Abel, 'even In small
matter, he should keep IT,"
Something must have detained him."
said Mrs. Moore.
In any case, he could have sent mes
sage" the husband rejoined.
AT this moment Ruth came into the room.
She looked pale and troubled, and the smile
that she pnt upon her face was very :a;;.
one indeed.
Basil is very late," she said; "he will
scarcely have time to dress for dinner"
Il am afraid that he will not dine here to-
night" said her father, Struggling his shoul-
ders; "it Is sometimes necessary TO teach
the rising generation good manners. Ruth.
how Is Vida?"
Il have knocked at her door several
times,' Ruth answered, and she Is still
sleeping"
Barker slowly and soiemnly entered the
room.
Madame, shall keep dinner back?'
Mrs. Moore looked at heq husband, who
answered for her:
mo, Barker; Mr. Brandreth has been de-
tanned. Let dinner be served at once.'
int lf..s k,.t a
ner. so far as Ruth WAS concerned, was o
mockery. She could eat nothing. The fish
was being removed when Vida appeared.
my dear child" said Mr.. Moore, rising
iur-iedly, show pale you are! Why did you
rot keep your room"
Being alone grew wearisome," she said,
and so came down. No fish, thank you;
little wine"
The attentive Barker poured her out Q
glass Of sherry, and she drank it Then she
looked at Ruth steadily aud without falter-
ing.
why, Birdie" she said, ''you are pale
too. We have ceased 20 be roses and be-
como lilies"
Somebody has been detained" sad Mr..
Moore loosely; "but he will be here by
snd-by."
I'm the seifishness of my headache" said
Vida, II forgot Basil was expected. IL he
were my lover should not easily forgive
him."
II was wonderful exhibition Of speaking
under extreme difficulties. So intense was
the pain the effort cost her that she could
barely keep from crying ont.
Basil Is not TO blame" said Ruth with q
fash from her blue eyes.
"Oh, Ruth" exclaimed Vida, forcing
laugh, .how can you look at me so fero-
cionslys / believe that youare atheart aper-
feet vixen"
They all laughed at this remark the idea
Of Rutl's being vixen was 50 very absurd.
Mr.. Moore put finishing touch to the
merrimcnt.
Ruth Is like you Vida. Under placid
exterior she conceals most fiery nature.
She Is like some Of those faraway countries
where the land Is only thin crust HAT COW
ers volcano. You are terrible creatures"
The dinner was over, ana Ruth, w;ssi ssSs
upon the stretch, had listened In vain for
the sounds OF her coming lover.
After time she began to show signs OF
irritation when q suggestion was made to
account for his absence, and they soon ceas-
ed to speak Of him.
In the drawing-room Vida played and
sang-never more brilliantly, Mr.. Moore
said-and Ruth joined her In duet.
But what bitter mockery II was,
A dark cloud lay upon them, and Vida
alone knew what lay behind Ii.
The first shock OF the crime had passed
away, and she was beginning to look things
In the face.
II angered her TO see Ruth pale and dis
traught, simply because Basil was away,
while shc---V -Vida--loving him more hercely,
and knowing he was dead, dared not give
vent to one WORD or look that expressed her
loy,s.
tit Ii hard to bear" she thought "but II
b better than to have to look ON 1t their
woolng. That must have driven me mad"
And then she sang another song-''rhe
Sands Of Dee"-one Of Mr.. Moore's favor
ties.
''Sweet music" !" be. said, ''sut xatha mel
ancholy. That poor girl being lost on the
sands"
's'Can Basil b losty' said RusA yaddenly.