Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1894-12-29
CHAPTTR xxx.
NEW 9

NEV = fRpIfSE.
NY life AT Gwendoy y was quiet and TN.
e~yentful enough. / ,und a decent lodging
In the house Of one Marx Drew-the elderly
man who had advise me, IN a friendly way,
% run for II, just when ] was about To tackle
the champion of the mine. il was a white
washed cottage on tie skirts Of the moor,
and sufficiently removed from the noise and
hustle Of the mine itself. ! had a bedroom
! ard q small parlor. SO that when | had got
! around me my small stock OF worldly goods,
including a few books. | vas tolerlbly COM
Portable, and az coDtentcd-well. as content
ed a. one crossed in love can be-.
A fortnight passed away. Short as was
the time. it seemed an age TO ME, hungeTing
as ] was for some news from sDine. / had
received one letter. Written 10y Annie. in
which she told me that no change had take2
place since my departure. hut made no men
ton whatcycrof Madeline Graham or George
RedrutI. To this had replied in as cheer
full a strain rs possible. but shamefacedly
keeping silence on tie subject nearest TO my
heart was full, therefore, OF secret anx-
ley.
As for the chance OF any stray ryinOr
reaching me concerning changes at St Cur
lofts, it was fully rs remotc as II | had been
a dweller on the other side of the earth The
village where | dwelt resembled an island
surrounded by an unnavigable sea, and the
people IN II knew as much or more of KANT
sciiatka rs they knew of st. Gurlott's. From
generation TO generation, they dwC!t apart;
IroglOdytes OF the mine. they knew of moth.
luz beyond IL. Very few among them lad
ever belield the sea, though it, nearest point
of coast was under forty miles distant.
One Sunday, the second after my arrival
/ was astOnished To see a light country car
draw Up at the door, containing John Rudd
and my cousin Annie. Startled, and fear
Ing some bad news, j stepped ont TO greet
them, and learned that they had driven over
from yarmouth, a town some twenty miles
distant, where they had arrived in the car
rier's wagon on the previous night.
assisted Annie down. and saw that she
was very pale ami tremblcd. Then while
John Rudd drove away 10 the beerhouse,
where he was Ia put up the horse, | led my
cousin into the cottage.
Directly We were alone, she burst into
tears.
Something has happened" I cried.
Speak, Annie. don't keep me in suspense!
is anything wrong al nome"
My fear was that some evil had befallen
my poor uncle, but | was Immediately reas-
sured.
''All's well at home, Hugh dear; It's not
that which brought me over. | came TO tell
you that the marriage day Is fixed. They are
10 be welded in St GurlOtt's next Wednes-
day morning"
/ knew Of whom she spoke. though she
mentioned no names, and | wcs both sur
priscd and angry that she should travel 10
me with so sorry q message. She saw the
darkness gathering In my face. and cried
eagerly:
'IIugh, dear, don't be angry! | felt ! must
come and tell %you-for oh! it IS breaking my
heart, as well as yours"
looked ut her IN amaz"ment.
Breaking your hearty | echoed. What
IS It 10 your
ut IS everything 10 me. Master George,
though he is going TO wed Miss Graham, Is
my husband in the sight OF God!'
Then | was rightw ] cried. II was RICH;
from the first. The villain! lie led YOU
from your homer
She bent her head in weeping acQuiescenee.
All my spirit arose once more against her,
" lDA1 Il AfAh sh1lNNA1t AAAN NAANaaN ~
confession came upon me like a thurderbolt.
/ looked at her in horror a., stretching out
her hands p~itifully 10 me. she proceeded.
'Ilugh, dear. | promised that | would one
day tell you everything, and il Is for that
came. l waited on till the last, | thought To
hold my peace. l hoped and prayed that he
would never 90 SO far: but when | heard the
day was fixed, my mind was made up-,o
hold my peace no more. But first l went to
him. and prayed TO him OH my knees. Then,
finding that il was all In vain, ! determined
10 come here"
"You are speaking Of George i,edrath%'
asked, sternly.
"Yes-of the young master"
"You left home In his company? You
were together in London%'
God help me--yes.'
"Why have YOU screened him so long?'
Because l made him q promise. Because
I believed until the very last that he might
make amends. Because hecausc-I did moi
wish TO see him harmed. Oh, Hugh. forgive
me-. don't look at me like that. You prom
ised to be n brother TO me always. Keep
your promise now.'
How could l resist her sad appeal? | was
a churl TO repulse her, even for q moment.
But. casting of the mask OF severity, l kiss
ell her, and placed her In a chair. AS shs
looked up ut me with her pleading tearfu
eyes, I silently cursed the scoundrel wh6
had been the cause OF her trouble; but fol
her, poor girl. l had only sympathy ana love
Then q thought crossed my mind, and | ask
ell eagerly:
"IIaye you spoken of this to any enc else
Does my uncle know"
She shook her head.
mo one knows but yourself" she replied
slow could l speak OF il 10 any one ba
your
80 much the better / returned. xvi
enough has come of all this already, aud
would not for the world that II should reacl
the old mans ears. Ik believes George Red
ruth blameless. God knows what he nigh
do, IL he knew him to be as guilty as 20,
say"
Full OF the new thoughts her confession
had awakened, I walked mp and down tn
room; after a little while / bent over he
again, and took her hand.
"Annie, l must know everything; not par
of the truth, but the whole; then. perhaps,
can help you. But first, about this marriage
You say 1t is row a certain thlng?!'
"Yes, Hugh. That Is why ! came"
\ "You did WELL" answered. NOW, tel
hme the whole story"
Shr~hSyed me, and l listened in deep agi
tation. SirzpfyS clearly, she described to IN
all that had taken pIacs from the daS SIN
had first left her home.
CHAPTER Xxx.
ANNIg's STORY.
II was a long and painful story, delivered
i mt eauoaautivaiy huf hr.Iapl~ a., N aariae