Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1894-05-05

woman, "for | shed oil my tears yester-
| day. You may imagine that | wept oven
our ruin. but You are mistaken; with
| youth and strength such tears would be-
cowardly. No; wcpt over our vanished
love, our buried happiness---over you =
over your falsehood and madness that has
cost you the loss Of faithful heart"
She was beautiful as she stood before
him; more beautiful than Sylvia had ever
been. II in other and happier days hei
face bad lacked expression, or was trife
TOO severe in its classic beauty. the pain
full vigils Of the night had now softened
and given il an additional charm.
George implored her pardon and would
have knelt at her feet.
/ Annie started back.
III you only knew" she cried. "what
/ you recall to me--whose false and treach-
erous face | saw at my feet this last ter
rible night"
"But mine is not falseI" answered
| George.
| Some one knocked.
"You see" she said. with bitter smile,
"that the world claims us
A servant appeared. "Mr. Florence
would like TO see Mr.. Speed in the Office
avery well,' answered his mistress
"say that Mr.. Speed will come as soon as
| possible"
George turned to obey the summons,
] but his wife stopped him.
"Iet me go first
| George demuTred.
"Very well,' said Annie. do as you
please. but if you knew the frightful scene
! Of last night--if you had seen his conduct
! 10 his WIFE" Aud here Annie, with
feminine malice, stopped. and with fem
! mime curiosity examined her husbands s
] face.
George was uDmoved.
my life belongs TO this man.
1T belongs to me also, aud do not wish
you TO meet him yet. There has been
scandal enough under my fathers roof
Remember that the work people thor
oughly understand what has been going
on. and all the authority of the managers
and foremen was required to-day TO get
them quietly to their work"
"But / shall look as if were in hiding"
"And what Of fhatl How strange men
are! They do not shrink from deceiving
a wife on friend: but the thought that
some one may:call,them cowardly touches
them TO the quick. Listen, Sylvia is gone,
gone for ever; and if You go ont of this
house. shall consider that you have gone
to join her"
"yery WE'LL" said George; Il will do as
you wish"
Annie went down to the Office.
Seeing Florence walking up and down
the room, his arms folded, and his face as
quiet as ever, no one would have imag-
ined that he had had any part in the oc-
currences Of the previous night.
When Mrs. Speed entered. Florence
shook his head.
"Ahw he said wearily, Il expected you,
but il is not with you that / must talk
We have weathered the gale; but we have
still many important arrangements 10
make"
AWAIT little, my friend.'
"Why, Mrs. Georgel There is not q
minute TO lose All! understand; you
fear some manifestations of anger from
me. No; remember what said-the hon.
or Of the firm must be vindicated before
my own
"You have indeed behaved nobly."
"Ah, Mrs. Speed. if you knew the whole!
He is a hero" said poor Job, who. though
he dared not speak again TO his old friend.
wished to show him something Of the re-
gret and shame that filed his own heart.
Annie continued; "Good as you are, you
cannot be certain Of your powers of self
control. Perhaps in the presence Of the
man who has"
Florence took her trembling hands.
"Dear Mrs. George" he said tenderly,
do not speak Of the evil that man has
done to me. l hate him quite as much for
the misery he has inflicted upon you.--
But, at present, think Of him only as a
partner in certain mercantile transactions,
whose opinion and authority must have
before / take certain steps where haste is
imperatively required. Let him meet me
here, then nj once"
II believe you," said Annie, and turned
away to seek her husband.
The first few moments of this interview
were terrible. George was pale and agi-
tated. He would sooner have faced vol
ley of musketry than this man. Florence
did not look at him, but continued to pace
the room while he spoke.
.Our house has gone through a frightful
crisis. The catastrophe has been averted
for the time being. l have been too much
engrossed by that invention; fortunately,
it is happily completed. and am free,
and can devote myself to the supervision
Of our interests. But you must do the
same. The workmen follow their em-
ployers' example, and this morning. for
the first time for year. they have gone
punctually TO their duties. You must reg
ulate all this. Our patterns are old. i
must make new designs. have great
confidence in my invention, and with its
aid hope to set things straight. should
have told you before its complete success,
but wished to surprise yon. Bnt don't
think either Of nS could be easily sur
prised now. George
Annie trembled. for the satirical tone
was so cutting that she feared an explo-
sion, but he continued quietly.
"In six months promise you that the
invention will yield magnificent results
But these six months will require all our
energy and care We must rctrench
at every turn, and shrink from economy.
We have five designers; we must dismiss
three. l will undertake to do the work Of
those three. In conclusion, wish to say
that after this month dissolve our part
nership, and win receive only my old sa-
larry"
Speed wished to speak. but look from
his wife restrained him.
II am your partner no longer, George.
You must make no oljection-that point is
settled l shall resume my old position
until the firm is free from every eInbar-
rassment. What l shall do then depends
ON circumstances. One word more, George.
You must occupy yourself exclusively
with your business. The hand and eye Oh
the master must be felt everywhere. and
If you fulfill your duty, am certain that
one among our numerous misfortunes Is
not irreparable.
During the silence that followed, noise
Of wheels was heard, and two huge vans
drew up in front Of the house.
II must leave you for a moment said
Florencej .'thosc are the vans from the
auction-room; they nave come for my fur
nitnre."
@What2s cried Mr.. Speed; .you are
going 10 sell the furniture tool"
ssCcrtainly, 10 the very last stick"
at Is impossible" said George; Il will
not permit it!"
Florence turned upon him like light