Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1894-06-30
A PHANTOM BRIDE.

sided, and the child, with one finger in
her mouth, stood staring stolidly at
him, what were you really up to last
night. before the bobby found your
You were in the Strand, seemingly, at
eight o'clock, and here in Piccadilly at
half-past one. What were you about
meanwhile? Where had you come
from2 Where were you of to? In
short, what wns your little gameYn
II wur wi Margot. She druvs a hor-
gin an, plays tambooreen, an kiects
the ha'pence-when we gifts any."
Mrs. Davids, at this juncture, de-
posed I'm an undertone to the existence
Of the said instrument of warfare,
which, she babe leave TO observe, gave
"A certing colorin' of truth to the
shild's story, (which otherwise, no
doubt, wur moostinglings lies"
Not necessarily, Mrs. Davids," re-
oorted Dick with unwoDted severity.
And now" turning again TO the child,
who's Margot? Your mother, / sup
poser"
"Noa-mi mither's dead. She loan'd
me t Margot fore she died, three year
or more ago.
And where were you going last eve
ningY''
Dunno; n Chrismassin' sumwhere."
And what's become of Margot?"
The child shook her head and paused
q moment indecisively before reply
ing:
Dunno; specs she's off ag'in. She
she stopt, spent like, a bit furder up
tn sthreet. an II jist cut an run. /
i wur that tired" she supplemented
falteringly, as though conscious that
some apology or explanation Of this in
dependent course OF action. on her part
would forthwith be demanded, ''au' l.
/ wanted t luke a mi thrippenny-bit,
an'-an' Margot were doonreet bad t.
me, beside!"
"Well done, little onel'' rejoined Du-
dele. laughing heartily. I'm plain
English then, having determined TO
give the enemy the slip, you deserted
when occasion seryedl"
The child nodded her head, with so
Knowing and confidential an air, that
the three young men laughed again in
chorus, whilst the ho~usekeeper silently
shook her head, and opined In magiste-
rial tones that little gurls as did so
nivyer coined to much good, as miss 'ud
mabbee, do well TO bear in mind!'
You suppose, then. that Margot con-
tinued her journey without You. eh?"
proceeded Dick, resuming ''the cross
examination of the prisoner at the
bar" as Curtis observed 10 Dudelle
soto rOce.
"Yes, sir; | hided."
Here Greta nodded with something
OF a triumphant air.
And If the bobby hadn't stumbled
across you, what should you have done
when you woke this morning. eh?-and
found the sun shining. and no breakfast
readyy All! you'd have forthwith dis
appeared into the nearest bakers prob
ably. and had q Jolly blow out on the
strength OF that threepenny-piece, |
shouldn't wonder. Would YOU have
spent it all? or kept the small change
with an eye To dinner" Dick ques-
toned sapiently.
Il should ha' KEEP IL all-thc thrip-
penny, as it wury' returned Greta with
decision; IAN begun an singed my
way back { ~Iyy-lane, till I'd gottnd
c%opPers."
and Curtis approvlngly. And then,
little one, what when you reached Ivy
'ane?'
But Greta stared silently, and with
sullen disdain, at the ~propounder of
this query for one long moment; then
turned eyes Of mute interrogation
towards Carlisle. plainly indicating that
she challenged the right Of any other TO
cross-eXamine her on crucial points.
Dick could not resist a smile, the
child's meaning was so obvious.
well, why did you want TO get back
10 Ivy-laneI What did you intend TO
do when you arrived there?'
Down Boswell-couTt theer's a 'ouse
wheer we lodg'd; an'-an' ltaliang wi
white mice, an burds i a cage; an he
-he-ax'd me one day If Id go long
wi i'm, an'-an'I would an, allln she
finished abruptly, glancing round def
antly. I'D ha' sing'd fur i'm instid o.
Margot."
"Well, bat if he too had turned out
rect bad to you like Margot, what
then, my strong-minded little wom-
anl''
Thin I'd ha' lost i'm an all!n re-
turned the child calmly, stretching
forth grimy hand, and stroking adj
miringly the cushioned back of Dicks
armchair, in a manner which FIX
cited peremptory rebuke from Mrs.
Davids.
Infinitely amusing rs the three young
men found the general proceedings, yet
Curtis interrupted at this j%uncture. re-
minding Dick that he had ordered a
hanson for a quarter before eleven; so.
IL lie meant 10 start at that hour he'd
better forthwith arrive at some deter
mination respecting the ultimate dis
posal of this precious kid, whom Du-
dele further profanely stigmatised as
"a devilish queer customer"
Take her down with you to Burn
ham," suggested Curtis: 'anlce Christ
mas-box for your mater; she'd be de-
lighted, / feel sure"
"Ah, but you see I'm not going di-
rect" returned Dick smiling. I've no
end of commissions TO execute in town
first. l sha'nt start much before three
o'clock?"
"How are you going?" questioned
Dudelle lazily. rising and walking to the
f;indow as he spoke.
II shall take a hanson from Charing
Cross; it's not more than a three hours
spin by road, straight across Barnes
Common. The nearest station, on the
other hand, is FIJI, five miles from the
vicarage, and when n gets in it's ten
chances 10 one that there's any convey
ance to be got. So | find it simplest TO
cab it down-half-a-sov does the
trick!n
"A nice cold drive though a day like
thisl" opined Curtis. shuddering. IAN
awful flag, l should say, do it as you
may, with the lins and the roads under
snow
"'What time shall you get in" asked
Dudelle.
"Oh, something before six, l hope.
Meanwhile" turning To Mrs. Dayids,
'.what's to be done with this braty"
a va=;ety of suggestions were imme-
diately forthcoming; Dudelle, Curtis
and the h~onsekeener each nronOundinQ