Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1894-03-31
A DOUBLE TREACHERY.
AsArr.p II = \


flowers. filed the girls heart with Joy. Do
not asked were they went. Dora never
knew. She could only have told you that
no sun ever shone so brightly, no birds
ever sang 80 sweetly, as those she heard
that day. When she was much younger
she had had an occasional day OF country
pleasure; but, as she grew older, ever-in-
creasing pain aggravated by motion, the
necessity OF economising every moment as
well as every penny, held her by invisible
bonds to the parish inhabited by her
parents. Distant roofs. and the red bricks
Of the Speeds manufactory, bounded her
horizon; but the girl was not discontented.
Therefore. for some time she had seen no
flowers, save those that grew in pots on
her window sill no trees save the acacias
in the Speeds garden.
What Joy swelled her heart as che
looked on the beautiful turf bejewelled
with tiny flowers! She clasped her hands
in child-like ecstasy. Frank kept near
her, ready to aid her Mt every turn; and
this wonderful day passed like a heavenly
vision. The great blue sky seemed to
float above the green branches; the mar
row glades with perhaps a CLEAN Of the
horizon in the distance, locked as il they
led TO fairyfand.
Towards evening, when the sun was
setting, and she sa4 the long lines OF
.remulous lights on the river, and far
away thick fog-like mass Of roofs and
steeples, and was told that there lay Lon
don, she cast one look at the lovely scene
about her. and laid away in her memory
the hawthorn-scented landscape, as if new
er, never should she see it again.
The flowers that the young girl brought
back with her perfumed her room for
days. The cowslips and violets. the pink
and white may, were mingled with q
crowd Of smaller flowers, of which the
very names were unknown to her.
In looking Mt them, how many times
did little Dora live over again each oc-
currence of that memorable day. The
violets reminded her Of the bed of moss
where she had found them. and where,
kneeling by Franks side, she had gather
ed them. As she thought she worked,
and CLEAN of sunshine coming through
the window touched the breasts Of the
humming- birds ON the table and trans
formed their tiny feathers TO glittering
jewels. Spring and youth, hope and love,
glori1ed this poor little attic high up in
the air.
Frank was now equally happy. Dora,
by degrees had won his heart completely.
Even the remembrance Of Sylvia, he
fancied. had disappeared. He had never
gone to Richmond again. "Come home
with me- his brother would say; "Syl-
via insists upon your dining with US to-
day"
But Frank pretended 10 be full of busi-
ness, and Florence easily accepted this
excuse.
Every time Frank left his brothers Of
fee, he was intercepted by old Job with
his pen behind his ear. He kept the young
man informed of all that went on.
"George," he said, "came regular 10 his
Office, and went back to 0aklands every
night. No more bills had been presented
to him for payment"
"You see" said the cashier triumphant
ly, II was quite right in sending for you
TO come home; but, ali the same, feel as
il we were all upon the brink Of preci-
pice."
"Havc no fear" answered the engineer
II am on the lookout"
"lou will be here for some time longer,
hopei" asked tho old man anxiously.
mot for long. But have matter OF
the highest importance TO arrange before
60"
This matter was Franks marriage to
Dora. He had spoken of il to no one. not
even 10 her. but the little girl had no
doubts. evidently. for she was happy and
gay as lark.
They were alone one Sunday afternoon.
Mrs. Chip De Lacy had just gone out.
carefully dressed, proud and happy to
show herself on her husbands arm. Frank
had look Of suppressed excitement, and
from the very way in which he drew his
chair near her sofa, Dora understood that
he was about To say something of import
ance. Their conversation by indifferent
phrases; then came long silence. At
this moment a gentle tap at the door was
heard.
"Come in" said Dora impatiently; and
Sylvia appeared. beautifully dressed,
smiling and gracious. She had just run
in for moment to see her little Dora.
The presence of her brother-in law
seemed to astonish her greatly; hut, amid
her coaxing words TO her friend, he had
neither eyes nor ears for him. After a
time. however. she asked to see the
window on the staircase, and the room
where the brother had lived. at pleased
her." she said, half sadly, Ito recall those
days Of her youth
"Do you remember, Frank, when the
princess came to call on you, wearing on
her little head diadem of feathers I"
Frank did not reply; he was too dis
iurbed. Something told him that this
woman had come there for him alone !
that she wished TO fascinate and intoxi-
cate him /; and he felt, with an emotion OF
mingled rage and despair, that he should
fall into the net thus spread. Dora sus-
pected nothing; Sylvia's air was so gentle
and friendly; besides, they Were brother
and sister.
Nevertheless, the lame girl had vague
presentiment of coming sorrow when Syl-
via turned upon the threshold, and said
carelessly to her brother-in -in-law:
by the way, Frank, William desired
me to bring you back to dinner; the car
riage is at the door, and we can pick him
up Oh our way"
Then, with a smile, she added:
"You will spare him TO us, Dora, won't
your We will send him back safe and
sound"
And he went with her. without once
looking back. swept away by his passion
as by furious sea, and neither that day
nor the next did poor little Dora hear the
words which had been upon her lovers
lips.
IL love you--I love you more than ever.
and for ever. Why should we struggle
longer3 We were destined for each other,
and must fulfil our destiny. Come! To-
morrow night at ten o'clock, at the Char
ing Cross Station, shall wait for you.
FRANK"
For whole month Sylvia had expected
..is letter: for o month she had sought ia
induce her brother-in-law to place on pa
per the written expression of his passion.
It was not easy to pervert this young
heart, naturally So frank and honest.
When she believed him nearly subjugated.
his sense Of right conquered, and he was
ready to fly from her for ever. Therefore,
when this letter was handed to her one
morning, she was very triumphant. Ma
dame lola was there; she had come laden
with complaints from George.
.Ah. the poor felloww said the senti-
mental Parisian; "if you could but SEQ
how unhappy he is"
And while she spoke she united her
music. where she had hidden his letter.
only too delighted TO have any part in this
love-affair, where tyrant Of q husband
was To be outwitted and punished.
Strangely enough, while Madame Zola had
40 objection to carrying love-letters to
and fro, she had never either written or
received one herself.
When Sylvia showed Franks letter to
madame, the latter said:
"And what did you replyr