Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1893-11-18

the difference, while Philip is often here
for a week ut Il time. When we are out Of
town, papa has only one little parlor be.
hind his shop; you must pay him q visit
there one day, just to see it,"
awe must let her down by degrees,
Ethel, and not brighten her too much at
,nce," Philip said, his eyes all brightness
and liked mercilcsSly upon Florence.
"You are not very generous, Mr.. Car.
r%ington," she answered ~neryously, and, ris.
ing as she spoke, followed the girls into
their brothers other room, which somewhat
resombled the first.
Then tine Hastings party arrived, aud
soon afterwards tea was served, at which
lowers were not lacking, for Miss Worth.
lngton's qualification aud the time passed
away quickly.
"Let MS walk home," was the petition OF
all some hours later, when n splendid moon
was discovered 10 be shining, the air being
somewhat frosty.
Ethel had good reasons for wishing TO
walk with John Hastings, and Maud dc.
sired the companionship of her friend Amy
here remained only Miss Worthington.
whose aristocratic habits had untitled her
for such exercise, Philip looking dubi.
ously at her when the proposition was
made.
alt will be impossible for Florence" he
urged; "she would be balf lead before we
got a quarter of the way And then he
saw unmistakable signs of disappointment
In her eyes. "You would like to walk with
the rest, florence-is it sot" Her face
Frightened like achild's. .sWell, YOU shall
try, at any rate; we can easily lind a cab
when you have had enough-you and 1 GER
tainly, If the rest like to walk best"
"Florence, tell me-" he said half an hour
later, when they were on their way in
piccadilly. "why were YOU SO persistent
IN your refusal to-day until just the last"
al don't know, - she answered neryously
1t was peryerseness, | suppose. have
often been told that | am peryerse."
"And then what made you change your
mindg"
"A desire to please myself, l suppose
I could scarcely think that you wished me
10 come. 1t was to your house, and you
pressed me very %little," she said eyading
ais last question.
.'You think that is quite the truth, Flor
snce;" he asked bending down nearer TO
ler face. "You were not sure that | cared
rOi you 10 Gomez"
GLOW could | b. when YOU scarcely ~
pressed a wish for me TO do so."
1.-The girls urged you constantly, and /
could not forget my last petition, when you
were tolerably firm in your decision from
he first. Well, at any rate i must thank
you for coming; you gave me great pleas
are, and have almost effaced the pain OF
your last refusal"
"Why should YOU care whether 1 came
T not! | can only see that YOU wish "a
give me pleasure; I must be little TO you,
I know"
difference, you are approaching danger
Gus ground; do not let us venture upon IL
lust now. The present is too pleasant for
me at least / do not wish TO risk IT,"
He waited q moment, thinking that she
might resent the words; but she did not
Could he have seen her face at that mo-
ment, could he have heard her heart beat
and she thought he almost must-he would
not have doubted much. But he rarely re-
NAMED long in the same mood. She often
felt that he took pleasure in tormenting
her; he never seemed to tire of doing so,
She thought so still more a few minutes
later.
"Your coming to us must have been a
great trial to you, Miss Worthington; but
| hope and think h has proved less painful
10 you than you first feared"
"Why are you always saying that to me,
Mr.. Darlington? What right have You to
imagine that 1t was anything but pleasant
20 me? 1t is you who are now saying
what YOU do not think ~ Florence answer
ed holly.
81 am only saying what l am sure Of"
"You cannot be-"
s.But / cam" he said softly; "aDd If you
ask Inc why, | will tell YOU"
..Well, tell me them" she said half fear.
fully.
He laughed his low light laugh, which
always SO tormentcd her. She Withdrew
her hand from his arm under the pretence
to re-gather up her dress, but he knew
that was not the reason.
.Put your hand back again Florence
your dress Is all right. You know that
Ethel arranged your aristocratic skirts for
q walk before we started. ! can assure you
that they are safely off the ground" he
said lingering a moment behind her; and
then lac held out his arm to her, and She
felt Obliged TO take 1t. "Well, Florence,
YOU see | understood you from the first
and l pitied you too. l saw that our peo
pie were not your people, and L ala mol
wonder from what / had heard about you.
but / know that you must have been iainl
with shame when, for the iirst time IN your
life, you had TO place yourself upon al
equality with tradespeople. You slranl
from my dear, kind mother, you shudderee
at my fathers well-meant embrace. Icon
pleted your horror OH the first day 1 came
| You see [ knew it-and l must confess
enjoyed the knowledge. The two girl
| alone were not distasteful To ~you-hov
could they be-" he asked, ''except iron
their surroundings"
He was so rarely alone with her that h
seemed to be nerying himself to tell he
ell that was on his mind.
al think you are most unkind TO me !!
Florence answered warmly, with difficult,
keeping back her tears. "iou say thing
you cannot know, and you can only wisl
to pain me-"
4Indeed I do not mean that. But look VI
Miss Worthington, and tell me, on you
honor, that what / have said TO you Is un
true. / will believe you-nay, more, viii
| retract every word, and ask YOU TO forgiv'
| me. cannot say more, can lFo
But Miss Worthington, III she had man,
failings, had at least one virtue pre-emi
~nently-she was truth itself. She was 81
lent.
.sThere you see 1 am right" her torment
or persisted.
81 do not care what you say or think,
| she answered at last, III love them all
my new home Is really home to me. lo
do not know how grieyed l shall be to leav
IL, II / must-how much l care for ALA
least, all but -"
s4Mes Well, you are truthful now, Mis
Worthington, 1 do believe, or nearly ST.
You have begun to like your new homs
four uncle and aunt, Maud and Ethei.-
You like all but your humble ~scryant-an
YOU have little love for me, ! can see. 70
need not tell me that" She was right; a
did ike To torment her. He wal hurtin
her cruelty now, much more than u
thought. ssBut then, you see, l have y
claim upon you like the rest; am nc
really your c~onsin--you have told me 80 !
many times, and have 90 utterly repudi'
ted any kind OF relationship between Y
that there can be none, OF course. Wei
there only remains for me, Florence, TO "
n earn y little regard for myself alone :
time goes Onto try to merit your esteem
II you will grant me nothing else--ana IN