Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1894-08-18

whereupOn counsel for the prosecution
saw III TO vary the form of interroga-
ton.
Tell me. Greta. when did you leave
london! Why did you run away frorn
Piccadilly?''
Then, after a momentary hesitation,
Greta drew her ragged sleeve across her
face. .gulped down an obstinate lump in
her throat, and looking up with fearless
eyes. answered steadily:
Cos II 'ad nOa mind to-t'go long
o'th' peeler' II wur all long o. that as
II guy Margot tn slip, whin she wur
doom. tell't yer so, an'-an' ! niver
meant Z bide i yer 'ouse, waitin' on
i'm; an so II jist skedaddled
But you offered no protest-made
posas?"
The child shook her head dcagedly,
having recourse in this emergency to
the mastlcation of the knuckle Of her
right fore-finger.
Ma she opined after a long
pause ""cos else yerid ha' madden me
watch al"
Dick with difficulty restrained a ris-
ing inclination to laugh; he found the
cuteness Of the prisoner at the bar in
fnitely amusing.
but how came you to Burnham Of
all good places? ! thought you spoke
Of making your way back down the
Strand to Ivy-lane to the lodging-house
and the Italian white-mice man.
Whence this sudden change of pro-
grammey"
Hal that wur afoor. yeer see!"
"Afoor WHAT"
"Afoor I'd knowed you-afoor yer'd
been good t. metz
But what difference did that make?"
enquired Dick, considerably mysti-
fed.
"Weel. yer said "a 'ow 700 was COM
in L Burnham. an so-an' So" She
hesitated, looking Gp shyly into the
young mans face.
"Ye-es!" he assented vaguely; land
So
$50 l thought as I'd jist COON along
an all. I'D ma mind TO loosen sight
OF YER" and as this confession passed
her childish lips, Greta hung her head
with a coy and shamefaced air which
might have done credit To a Belgravian
belle.
''Greta, you can't mean that" ex-
claimed Dick, infinitely touched; was
1t really, therefore, you set nj for
Burnham? And how on earth did you
arrive thereg"
Yer tell't t. other gents" began
Greta eagerly, treasured by Dicks
kindly tone. las 'Ow yer'd "a mind t.
drive across t common, an Margot an
me, we know'd tn Burnham road wull.
So II start'd off at once, afore vera
good four hours; an know'd a deal o.
short cuts, as tn cabbies an theer oss-
es can't go; so I'd gotten over til COM
mon, an on Z tn crossroads, long afoor
700 coom'd along, an setten'd me
down t. rest"
But how did you get anything to
eaty' questioned Dick, aghast. Il
wonder you did not perish of cold!"
I'D a sight o. siller tn gents guy me;
/ chang'd some as / o along. Not
tn thrippenny-bit,' she added eagerly.
Il gotten i'm safe enow!'
"Well. and then you rested at the
cross-roads-but after that?'
"Afther that, seem that as yer wur
over long j. coomin'. whin tn storm
on. l was frighted like, an shell
tereda bit; an thin-an' thin"
"Ye-es," prompted Dick, land then
-Y''
Thin | setten'd off t meetin' tn cab
by. an found yer over-toorn'd!"
The child's eyes grew wide and round
at the mere recollection OF chat nights
disaster. as she spoke.
"Welll"-Dick's voice was almost inn
patient now with a keen anxiety TO ar
rive at the truth, which he scarce knew
now to conceal-''why did you not
speak to me? What did you do?'
"Sp'ak { yer, that yer might ha'
handed me over t'th' peelerY Ma. not
Greta, III promise yer. | jist setten'd
off and ruined | knaw Burnham well),
meanin' t send soomone Z helpen yer,
but L CHANGED { meeten tn carriers
cart, so | jist send 'em on an all; an
follered, too" she added, nodding her
small head sagely, st see as 'ow they
coom'd."
And later. Greta, what made you
peer in between the .vicarage shutters;
and why did you make off when | ran
out at the door,"
Il Again the child hung her
head sbyly, n faint color even SEEM
ing to steal moTentarily into her wan
cheek. I'D jist a mind { see as yer
wur coomfur'bl an so l spied throo
winder. But I'd no fancy t be cotch'd
an landed over T. TIL bobby, an so 1
cut an run"
"And where did you sleep Christmas
Ever"
Behind tn cart-'ouse at tn Pig and
Whistle. 1t wur SHELTERED like-ine an
WARM
"And in the morning Christmas
Day?n :.
II list skulk'd ABBOTT a bit. round by
tn parsons 'ouse. an" Again a
momentary hesitation; then Greta con-
tinued boldly, though To- with averted
face; II foller'd yer over heer. I'd ma
mind t. leave yer, yer'd been that good
t. me. An then / heer'd tell o. tn
skatin' o tn lake. an l jist cript in
amang tn bushes t watch tn fun. An
whin 700 cut up tn creek, l cript long
side 'mong tn trees-Id leifer watch
VOC than tn rest o. folks-an' whin yer
smashn'd throo, l cut ahead. SEEM tn
light i the cottage winder, an tellt
'um as yer'd chanc'd t getten in. An
that's ALL" concluded Greta abruptly,
glancing up askance into Dicks
face.
And so you were the mea a second
time, little Greta, ~of-saving a rather
worthless life," said the young man
slowly, soliloquising surely rather than
addressing the child, still on her knee:
before him.
AYE. what ave / been an DOOM
she asked deprecatingly, a sudden feal
dawning in her eyes as she gazed w
open-mOuthed. Yer wur very good t
me %afoor." ;,
You've returned a loaf for a crumb,
child" Dick answered. vaguely follow
ing out aloud the tenor of his owl
thoughts. "Verily it seemeth, even IL
these degenerate DAYS, Cast thy breat
upon the waters and it shall find thee
vastly improved in quality, too-'be
fore many days."
"Yer-yer mo- anger'd wi me, eh?'
questioned Greta timidly, breaking tn,
pause which had ensued. and stretch
ing her small hand forth until it restet
beSaechingly on the young mans knee
sSay yer no fash'd wi me?"
Angry with you for having savet
my life, Greta? Nay, hardly, answered
Dick. rs he laid his own warm hand up
on the girls, and clasped that small
haif-froxen member tightly. why
but for you, little one, it is more thar
probable I should be sleeping now som
feet deep beneath a coverlet of frozef
snow, not far from the Burnham cross
roads, In which cas- you-Holloa!'
and with this last ejaculation Dici
started hastily to his feet, for the dool
vas suddenly thrown open, and from
the lighted hall beyond, Sir Jasper'
tall spare figure doomed darkly, advanc
ing into tho shadow Of the dim 6re-li
library.
"Why, boy, in darkness still? RIM
for Charles and lights: you have surely