Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1894-10-06
CHAPTER TX.
ASyrE's CONFESSION.

ROOM, l faneied | heard the sound OF SOB
bling. knocked softly, but she made no an
swer; so concluded that | must have been
mistaken, and that she was asleep.
The next morning she attended at break.
fast as usual. She looked a little pale. and
now and again glanced uneasily aud rather
questioningly al me. When | rose to 20, she
put on her bonnet, saying:
II am going a bit OF the way with Hugh.
mother;" and then, somewhat 10 my sur
prise, she came along with me into the road.
When We were fairly away from the houses,
and passing across the moor, she put her
hand ON my arm, and said softly:
Hugh. dear Hugh, | have been out before
this morning. | have seen the young mas
ter"
i suppose my face darkened ominously,
for she hurriedly continued
Hugh, you must not get angry-indeed,
you must not. | did il for the best. l was
afraid, after what happened last night, that
he would dismiss you; and he would have 20
done. but | have interceded, and now all
will be as il was before"
You have interceded for IN r. / said.
''fhen you were wrong, Annie; II he wishes
70 Dismiss me, let him. | have other means
of earning my bread.'
For answer TO this Annie employed q
stronger medium than words-she cried.
Now, tears always disarm me; all | could do
was what | did: soothe my cousin, kiss her
pretty cheek. call myself a brute, and avow
that she was the dearest, sweetest little wo-
man In the world. Under this process, An
ME came round. and smiled sadly up at me
through her tears.
You promise" she said, ITO go on just the
same as usual, ara to take nc notice OF what
occurred last night"
Il will promlse," l said, IF you can show
me the good of it,"
The good OF II will depend upon whether
or not you care anything about me.' she re-
piled. Just think, Hugh, If you two quar-
rel again, and you are dismissed, everybody
will know why it all came %about-and my
mother and father too. All, Hugh, dear
Hugh, for my sakev'
She folded her little hands over my arm,
and iooked up into my face like a supplica-
ting child.
As | looked down into her bright eyes,
now fast filling again with tears, the thought
came into my mind TO do what her mother
and father wished Inc to do. Annie" |
thought OF saying, give me a right To pro-
tect yOu. let me call you wife, and | will
agree to all you say" But something held
me, and the golden moment passed.
"All right, Annie" | said; don't worry
yourself, little woman. / won't DO a thing
that will injure yOlt."
Fox a couple OF days or so the master kept
away. and things went on at the works pref
%. ,r,,.t, tbu a. ,a "a .,r,al. Bt,s nm tl.a f.nr.h
day he strolled down. lie talked a good deal
to Johnson, but never addressed one word to
me. He looked at me, however. aud the
look he gave maze me wonder what strange
Influence Annie possessed when she could
induce him to keep in his employment one
whom he so cordially hated. /, however,
took no notice, since | had given my promise
10 Annie, and NJ onlooker would never have
guessed that anything sinister was going on.
How long this state of things might have
lasted, 1t is impossible TO say, but it was most
Unexpectedly and suddenly changed.
0ne day my aunt, having a little shopping
to do, and eager perhaps for a days outing,
determined TO go 10 Falmouth. She started
of in the morning in John Rudd's wagon,
and left my cousin to keep house.
Now. Ii had seemed TO me that Annie had
looked particularly dull that morning; so, to-
ward afternoon, / determined to take al
hour, and to hurry back to the cottage to set
how she was getting on.
AS l drew near to the cottage door, I wa.
astonished to hear notes.-the one loud ana
angry, the other soft and pleading. When
entered the kitchen my amaZement increased
tenfoid.
An elderly lady-none other. indeed. than
old Mrs. Redruth George Redruth's widowed
mother-was standing in the middle of tic
room, while ny cousin Annie, crying bitter
ly. was actually OF her knees before her!
Mrs. Redruth had two characteristics, her
confirmed ili-health and her iron Will. Her
power In the village was great; but she was
feared, rather than beloved. Indeed, it was
averred by many that every hard deed cOm-
United by either her husband or her son
might have been traced to her influence For
the rest she was a tall, thin woman. with
powerful aquiline features and a face OF
CHASTITY pallor.
Amazed at her presence there, / entered
unceremoniously, but both were so intent
upon themselves that they were actually un-
aware of my approach.
The old woman was speaking.
Your tears don't deceive me-" she said.
al am not a man and a fool. | I'm a mother,
and 1 know when danger threatens my child,
and | say that you are doing your best to EN-
tangle my son. But take care. George Red
ruth shall not be sacrificed; sooner than thai
l will ruin you-do you Heartburn y0u!'
.Oh, my ladyw sobbed Annie; will you
i..sten?'
NO" she returned, Il Will not! Listen
TO uou-when every word YOU utter Inust be
q heI have seen you with my IN. Cease
10 follow him. or / will expose you before
every soul in the village!'
She turned 10 leave the cottage, and came
face to face with Ire. She paused abruptly,
opened her lips, as if about to speak; then
she changed her mind. and without uttering
q word passed ont.
As for myself, | have been too much s-ipe'
ied to say a word, and l stood now, like a
great bear, looking at my cousin, who, sob
bling piteously, had sunk into a chair. Then,
suddenly. while gazing at her thus, II seem
ed To me that i've time had com for me 10
speak. / went up e her, raised her from
the chair, and folded her in my arms.
"Annie," / said, annie, my dear, let there
NC al ttlu ~ iAlr NV " NAit AFAat =" -
tect you from all this trouble that has CONE
upon you lately. Become my wife"
She started, and stared at ne like a fright
ened child.
Your wife, hugt?' she said. "Yonl
wife,,
Yes. Annie, I answered. my wife-tha,
Is, il YOU care for me enough. my dear'
At this, she fell to crying afresh, and clun2
10 me tenderly.
"Ah, Hugh. dear Hugh - She sobbed. You
are the kindest aud best man in all the world
and it Is your Kindness which makes you ash
me this now, for you don't lore me, Hugh
Her words cut me to the heart, for fell
their truth.
reriiaps," 1 saio, II dont roman a
some young fellows might. but shall make
rs good q husband. 1 have always been fond
OF YOU, Annie, ever since that night years
ago, when l first came here and you gave me
a welcome. We have ever been excellen,
friends. haven't we?-ard now tell me IL We
shall be more than friends?'
mo, Hugh; be what you have always been
my own dear BROTHER
lis IL because you think l don't care fol
yea, Annie?"
"Ah, nor she replied. Don't think it |:
iliat. SO much the better for You, dear, thai
you don't love me; for even II it were other
wise, we two could never be man and wife
i looked into her eyes, and l thought |
read their meaning. Annie did not care fol
me. her heart was with another man, and
that man far above ker.
think l see those who read these lincl
smiling at my ignorance or my folly, and
asking, was II possible that all l had seen o.
heard awakened In my mind 10 suspicion oi