Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1893-09-02
CHAPTER XIV.
Now | see
The mystery OF your loneliness, aud find
Your salt tears head"
.ll. Vr-u III. TT. mn

NefN $3.50 y 80
SO they get into the boat. Ii is a grimy.
leaky little affair and will not improve the
girls black gown. but then she was never
one u think OF her clothes. She has seated
herself In the prov. opposite her husband.
He looks very handsome in his boating suit,
with his hat pushed carelessly back from his
broad, sun-burned brow. He Is rowing with
swift, vigorous strokes, cutting his way well
tsrough the shimmering ocean water; q
good oarsman is he. The salt breeze fans
her cheeks 1t plays with caressing little
touches about her bronze hair. The foamy
spray flies up and vets her dark serge gown.
Conversation languishes; what, indeed, Is
there To say? Over their heads the white
winged gulls fly: what happy creatures
they seem 10 be. The sun Is giving us q good
taste OF him before he dies his daily death.
All the sky is streaked with his brilliancy,
and Eleanor's soft hair looks as il King
Midas had laid his hand upon It.. SO they
float on; she Ii leaning over the boat. She
has n bit Of white may-tOwer In her hand,
and is trailing IL through the water. How
the waves kiss and cling 10 her poor white
blossom.
Joe" she says.
"Wellw
Joe" not lifting up her head, "have you,
did you hear that Mr.. Carew was engaged to
Miss stanley"
Yes; | heard it,"
He does not see fiji to add that he knows
for a certainty that there is no foundation
for the report.
She steadies herself and stares nj Inc
flower.
I'll suppose il will be very soon"
No answer. Then, after q pause, which
he has spent In staring at her ear, Qt is all
he can see), he says indlfferentiy, You
were very much in love with Mr.. Carew be-
fore you did me the honor to marry me,
were you n0ty'
All, she does not need any red wine now.
I FTA. lttIa xNlffA IIArJAt. haI HAafAl OF
amid the waves; she has lifted both her
hands TO cover her p Jr crimsoned face.
Then, with 4 sudden impulse, she takes
them away and looks brayely up at him.
Yes, | did love him. Why should 1 be
ashamed 10 W it? lie was well worth the
loving
An angry pang shoots through Aliens
heart. Ii sliowsi itself in the depths OF his
light-grey eyes.
And may / ask why it was ever broken
OFF, he says coldly.
Broken otf?' echoes the girl. There
was never anything between US"
'Oh, a one-sided AFFAIR." No answer,
only her cheeks flame again.
Il see now continues Joe, knocking the
ashes of his cigar. IL quite understand
why you condescended to marry me. l am
glad | know, for Ii has been pnzzling my
out OF p!que; a thing OF oil Others the most
foolish
Still no answer. What answer can she
make? Only the quick color comes and
goes, and her eyes refuse 10 meet his.
Il must say think 1t rather unfair TO me,"
speaking aggrievedly, ITO use me as the pin
10 stick him with"
Then she finds her voice. IL told you,"
she ,I.5s, ~ warned yo,, la tho beginning,
but you would not listen 10 me. You paid
no attention TO what | said, and now-now
Ii Is too late! ~
'1iood Heavens! how was | to know?'
he says roughly. Il could not tell you wero
going to freeze into an iceberg, rs II were.
My soul, Eleanor, when | tnink OF what yog
were then and what you are now, l think
Am l then so much changed"
"Changed?' with a short laugh. "Well.
yes. DO you remember that evening We
went to ride together. i do well. What q
lovely day II was, and how beautiful you
looked. l thought you did not care for amy
one 80 much as for me-"
She does not say q word; she, too, remem
bers that ride.
"How gracious You were" he goes on,
looking Mt her rs though to read her very
heart. "You were kind and loving then,
and IL loved you as we seldom do; boy.
ish II may have been, hut it was very true"
1t has not lasted very well:".
under ali the tam, You think fiirted with
Rose Darrell. You mistake, l merely want
Cd some c~ompanionship; J grew tired OF be-
ing snabbei and s,,eeFsd at b. y0s. Beauty
does not make up for everything"
"You need not tell me that" she saws sad
~. II know 1t too well already. | have al
ways prided myself on my good looks, but
new-now l would BIO willing to change
with almost anyone"
Hoo l loved you" he goes on, resting on
his oars while his mind travels over the fair,
mforsotten past. 'You was my ideal, and
] never doubted that you loved me until that
liked Dallas Carew best. How distressed l
was" He laughs bitterly.
did l say SOP !.
Yes; but even then could not and would
not believe y0u l do not think / ever gave
up the nope Of winning you some day."
at would have been better for yon II yon
had, lyon had gone away and forgotten
me-" she cries.
sDo You think SOP Well, perhaps you are
Silence for a little while. Then she
stretches out her hands ~ him. and her eyes
fearful eyes they are-look piteously up To
his.
aAs you loved me then" she says broken
", .love me now. have very few people
10 care for me-, Joe. and II We have made q
mistake we must abide BY II. There Is NO
going back now. But oh, my dear, l did u
Tor the best. | thought l was doing right
and. after an, life Is not SO long nor 80 pleas
ant that We should spead Il quarre!ing."
How still II Is.
''rhe dim, red moon had died. her journey
AMI with dead lIps smiled .. The twilight plaia-
Hair fallen across the threshold OF the sun
Never 70 rise agaiu."