Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1893-12-23
PRIDE'S CONFLICT.
A o OF cAsTEs

'fThe wish TO oDiige Lady ddowe
might be u sufficient excuse, ami Marga-
ret; but ! II confess hat l think Lord
Vernon lacked good taste la almost forcing
himself into a house where he could scarce
iy, even with his amount OF vanity, have
imagined he would be welcome. However,
II IL ms well perhaps he should know be-
yond n doubt how unimportant a person he
IL to me-"
dwell, you see, my dear--f did not tell
you before-we certainly became very init
mate at Nice. He CHANGED TO be there at
the same time and In our set 80 that really,
without betraying too undisguised annoy
snce In meeting him, we could not well cx-
ciude him. | did not tell you this In my
letters, simply because | thought IL might
worry you or give you p%ain--that was my
only reason"
"Oh that he had power to give ma
pal" was Florencc's bitter thought
chow easily the cure might lie In my own
handsw
Days and weeks passed, and Florence
was fairly launched upon the waters OF her
old past life. The high-born circle Of other
days Ia which she had so reveilcd was re-
gathered around her. The London season
was advancing rapidly, and In less than an
other month the house In Charges st. would
be prepared for the Countess and Miss
Worthington's reception.
Lady Raven began TO feel amply repaid
for all her anxiety in the companiopship Of
her beautiful niece, TO whom she knew she
was indebted for more than half Of the In.
yitations she received. And once again
Lord Harcourt Vernon was Miss Worth
ington's shadow. II her pleasures wearied
her, II her heart ached painfully ut times,
she forced the WEAKNESS. Of the one and
the pain of the other from her, at least I'M
til In the solitude Of her own room, In her
wskeful nights, they would not be repress-
ed, but only with increased power tor
msnted her. She was always haunted by
= face which oblIierated all others-by y
voice which was ever ringing in her ears;
| nut she tried INCREASINGLY &c put them both
from her. At times she revelled in the adj
miration she received, in the grandeur by
which she was surrounded. They seemed
life and breath TO her, even though the life
lacked reality and warmth, and the breath
freedom.
Florence wrote often to Maud CARING.
Ton; but her letters were not very punctu-
ally answered. Her life could not be
Maud's life and such subjects a. they had
Ia common seemed rapidly TO diminish
She knew too, beyond u doubt, why Phil
ips name was always omitted. Once only
had he aroused his sisters suspicious; and
she respected his slightest wish too deeply
to question IL. Once, and once only, had
he asked Maud 10 never mention his name
In her letters to Florence; and the reason
he gave was that he had written q few
lines to her and never received an answer.
That his letter could be withheld seemed
impossible TO him. lie believed only that
she had chosen 10 ignore him, as he had
felt too sure she would.
The Countess Of Ravens politeness was
worthy Of one bearing her noble title. In
her niece's absence one day she penned, In
her most fascinating style on golden cor
oneted paper, o latter to Mrs. Darlington.
To that lady's wo~nderment, there was very
little In IL beyond inexpressibi- gratitude
for the care she had bestowed upon her
dear niece, and the splendid health into
which she had nursed her; also her lady
ships hope tEat they might soon meet In
London, aud the intelligence that Florence
would certainly have sent her love, but
that she had gone out riding with Lord
Harcourt Vernon. This last piece OF in-
formation was quite as startling as Lady
Raven intended il should be. Her letter
arrived at Fulham whilst the family were
ut their evening meal, and was read aloud.
"a marvellous piece Of politeness on
Lady Ravens part. 1 wonder how much
sincerity it contains Maud Darlington
said.
ave should have liked one from Flor
ence much better" Ethel remarked
"What a shame IL Is that she came to us for
six months, and went way just as we all
got 70 like her, and think she was going
to stay forever. ! dou't suppose we shall
ever see her again"
"That IS a cheerful idea, Ethel" her IA
Their told her; but l think better OF Flor
ence. She writes often: and you will see
that directly after they are Ia town she
will be I'm here"
"You should not bestow your affections
on people so far above you," Maud declar.
ed. "Florense's life now, / think, will be
far apart from ours.'
..Aiways wise, Maud" Philip said,
speaking for the first time.
lie had listened carefully to what the
letter contained, and, had they noticed
him more intently, they would have seen
how his face had paled, and how one hand
had frightened OH the other III a grasp of
iron, trying TO force back his passion for
he believed now, what, though In doubt, he
LAID scorned To entertain before-that Flor.
ence had lied TO bim--that her engagement
had remained unbroken all the time she
was with them. lie thought she had lured
him on to crafty her vanity or satisfy her
caprice.