Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1894-01-13
and hate you until I began to think I had

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succeededv'
"But you have not--you have notp she
cried joyfully, glaneing at his face and
reading In his eyes the old tenderness.
Once more her face rested upon his
breast, her hands upon his shoulders; but
still his arms did not enclose her. lie felt
that his happiness might vanish at a word.
"How can 1 trust you, Florencep he
said. "You have played with me so reck.
lessly. How do 1 know that you are not
here in some sudden caprice, to indulge
your fancy for a last goodbye? Per.
haps you are married even," he added
quickly.
..If you think that--if you can always
think SO badly Of me- Yes, / am mar
ried" she broke of in real anger. 81
have come here In sudden caprice to in.
dulge my fancy In q last goodbye" And
her head was raised, her hands left his
shoulders.
But the words proved eflicacious. He
caught her in his arms and held her fast
al begin TO breathe again, Florence, now
that see you once more defiant. l per.
ceive the truth--the reality seems more
possible" lie turned her face forciblyl
towards his own. "Look straight into my
eyes and confess ALL"
.Ycs, / WILL" she answered brayely. "I
love you, Philip, with all my heart--I al.
ways have, and shall until die. And,
IL you send me from you now, will creep
back again, or / will die. will not live,"
she declared firmly.
His lips sought hers, his arms held heI
fast. She knew she was forgiven.
Was ever happiness like hersY she
thought. The only reflection marring her
bliss was the knowledge that she had cast
il from her for no long, that she had lived
In a poisoned atmosphere when there had
been an earthly paradise awaiting her.
$50 after all you have rejected the Princei
TO marry very ordinary mortali Are you
not already beginning to repent, Florenceii
But who can tell? Princes are sometimes
powerful. May he not come back, and
carry you of by force" Z
"If you permit IL, will 60"
"No, my darling, will not, you havsl
placed yourself in my hands now. You
are no longer Free"
And how she loved her serfdom. She
bent down aud pressed her lips to his,
hands. :.
"Philip be generousw
"Can / bei" he asked. "what is It,
child?"
euing TO me IN thought. Otherwise you
will spoil all my present happiness"
"Are you quite free from 1t, Florencei
There is 10 tie to call you back. The
Countess of Raven has no power TO come
down upon us and carry you or"
.Poor aunt Margaret! She says she hag
washed her hands Of me--.that she can new
er get over the disgrace, and will never
see me again."
"And will my love compensate you for
thats'
"What do you thiuky" she asked.
any darling with a little patience on
my part, little perseverance, think that
IL WILL"
"will wonders on earth never ceasef"
Mr.. Darlington thought when he entered
as he imagined, his empty house that even-
ing, and found his son, who should havel
been across the Channel at least, and hisl
niece Florence, who ought to have been
Lady Vernon, seated together, and evil
IDENTIFY very happy. Noting the old bright-l
ness in his boys face he was very thank
full. ,
"Fstber YOU must begin your holiday
tomorrow insist" Philip said. "W-l
must both take Florence down TO East
bourne to join my mother and the girls"
And Mr.. Darlington did not demur.
The autumn passed and Christmas came,
again; and in spite of Etheps declarationl
that cold weather rendered brides so hope,
lessly ugly, there were two at Fulham who,
passed the ordeal with tolerable success,
Ethel said that she should escape well, be-l
cause no one would look at her while Flor.
ence was near--a sentiment that her BROTH
er fully shared. Whether John Hastings
thought SO no one asked but Ethel seemed
content.
Mrs. Philip Carrington's pride had so fall,
len--or risen---that she insisted on living
Cos time in iapa,se m paaresGteEai steagGsssso Gs,ri
Street.
cit will be so nice 10 think that Philip,
will never be away from me- " she told
them all.
And her anticipation proved correct
The Countess Of Ravens resentment
against her niece did not subside for some
years; and it was Florence's only grief in
her sunny married life, in all other re-
spects uuclouded--for Lady Raven had
been good to her in many ways. But when
Florence's little son arrived-not her first
born--und she was duly informed, age
doubtless had softened her heart or her
pride, for her ladyship came sometimesi
and tried to forgive ner niece for her ssfol.
ly." Florence was living then in charm
ing villa at Fulhani. ,
And he might have had coronet wait.
Ing for him, my DEAR" her ladyship told
her, while she watched the child cooling
and laughing on his young mothers knee. ,
"Tbank Heaven he has not, aunti II
should have hated him, do believe"
swell, my dear, it may all be for the
best; II was your fate, suppose. Your
husband is certainly one of the handsomesti
and incest men have ever known. Oddly
enough my mind misgaye Inc the first mo.
ment saw him. l wonder now how youl
resisted him SO long"
SO thought, so wondered every one when
Philip Darlington was near. Even the
Countess Of Raven had to confess as much
.HoE END.
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