Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1895-03-30

Wune ahh j. w uO WIN tnih! ASKS
Dora ~nervOusly.
Read it. 1t is addressed to yourself.
You will see that I have copied Adj
rian's handwriting as closely as psssi-
BILE, and have put his initials A. d. at
the end. And yet"-with a diabolical
smile-"it is no forgery either, as A. ID.
are my initials also"
Opening the note with trembling fin
gers, Dora reads aloud as follows:
Gan yoG-will you meet me tomorrow at
four o'clock In the lime. walk? / have been
cold TO you perhaps, but have | not had
cause? You think my slight attentions 10
another besokeDs q decrease In my love for
you, but In this, dearest, you are mistaken.
| dare not declare myself. for the reasons
you already know. anc for the same reasons
am bound To keep " 4 =eeming friendliness
with some i w0ul| gladly break with alto
gether. But 1 all happy only with you, and
happy toe in the thought that our hearts
beat as one.
yours forever, A. d."
Dora, having finished reading the let
ter, glances at him %uneasily.
"And-what is the meaning of this
letter? What is it written forY What
am 1 to do with it?" she stammers,
beating the precious missive against
the palm of her hand, AS though in
loathing of it.
You will show j. 20 her. You will
speak OF 1t as a love-letter written to
you by Adrian. You will consult her
as to whether it be wise or prudent to
accede to his proposal u meet you
alone i'm the lime-walk. You will. in
fact, put ont all your powers of decep-
ton, which"-with a sneering smile
"are great, and so compel her to believe
the letter is from him to you"
But" falters Dora.
There shall be no but in the mat
ter. You have entered into this affair
with me, and you shall pursue it to the
end. III you fail me, / shall betray
your share in it-more than your share
and paint you in such colors as will
shut the doors of society from you.
You understand now, do your
$50 on" says Dora, with colorless
lips.
~Ah, / have touched the right chord
at last. have /? Society, your idol, O
dare not brave! Well, to continue, You
will also tell her, in your own sweet in
nocent way"-with another sneer that
makes her culver with fear and rage
ito account for Adrian's decided and
almost lOverlike attentions to her in
the room we visited, that you had had
a lovers quarrel with him some time
before. earlier in the day; that, in his
fit of pique, he had sought TO be re-
venged upon you, and soothe his
sighted feelings by feigning a sudden
interest in her. You follow mey'
"Yes" replies the submissive Dora.
Alas, how sincerely she now wishes she
had never entered into this hateful in
trigge!
Then when you have carefully sown
these lies in her heart, and seen her
proud face darken and culver with
pain beneath your words"-Oh, how his
W evil face glows with unholy salts
faction as he sees the picture he has
just drawn stand out clear before his
eyes!-"you will affect to be driven by
conjunction into granting Sir Adrian's
supposed request, you will don your
hat and cloak, and go down to the lime
walk TO encounter-me. If l am any
Judge of character, that girl, s haugh-
ty to all the world, will lower her pride
for her crushed lovers sake, and will
follow you. to madden herself with
your meeting with the man she loves.
To her, | shall on this occasion repre-
sent Sir Adrian. Are you listeningy'
She Is notwithstanding with all her
might To the master mind that has her
in thrall.
you will remember not to start
when you meet me-" he continues,
issuing his commands with insolent
assumption of authority over the dam
ty Dora, who up to this, has been ac-
customed to rule it over others in
her particular sphere, and who now
chafes and writhes beneath the sense
of slavery that is depressing her. "Ycu
will meet me calmly, oblivious of the
fact that / shall be clad in my cousins
light o%vercoat, the n of which Miss
was graciously pleased to
say she approved yesterday morning"
His eyes light again with a revenge
fire as he calls to mind the slight
praise Florence has bestowed IN a very
casual fashion on his Goa Every
smile, every kindly word addressed by
this girl to his cousin, is treasured up
by him and dwelt upon in secret, to the
terrible strengthening of the purpose
he has in view.
But If you should be seen-be
marked" hesitates Dora family.
"Pshaw-am l n to lay my plans so
clumsily as to court discovery on even
the minutest point?" he interrupts i'm
patiently. when you meet me you
will-but enough of this; l shall be
there to meet you in the lime-walk,
and after that you will take your cue
from me-"
That is all you have to say?" asks
Dora, anxious to quit his hated pres
ence.
For the present-yes. Follow my
consequences. Any blunder in the per-
fnrpnapn0 Of fhio rrnnnaDnAn Il Ohnn
lay to your charge"
You threaten, sir" she exclaims
angrily, though she TEMPLES.
let il be your care to see that /
do not carry out my threats" he re-
tOrts, with an insolent shrug.
The next day, directly after lunch
con, as Florence is sitting in her own
room, touching up al unfinished water
color sketch of part Of the ground
round the castle-which have, alas,
grown only too dear to her.-Dora en-
tiers her room. 1t Is an embarrassed
and significantly smiling Dora that
trips up to her, and says with pretty
hesitation In her tone
Dearest Florence, l want your adj
vice about something
Miner" exclaims Florence, laying
down her brush, and looking, as she
feels, astonished. As a rule, the gentle
Dora does not seek for wisdom from
her friends.
"Yes, dear, IL you can spare me the
time. Just five minutes will do, and
then you can return to your charming
Oh"-glancing at it-"how ex-
like it is-so perfect; what a sun
set, and what frs! One could imagine
ones self in the Fairies Glen by just
looking at it."
at is not the Fairies Glen at all; it
Is that bit down by Coughs farm" says
Florence coldly. OF late she has not
been 20 blind to Dora's artificialness as
she used to be.
@Ah, 50 it ISL agrees Dora airily, not
In the least diScomposed at her mis-
take. @And 50 like it too. You are o
dearest, you are really, and
might make your fortune, only that
you have n made already for you,
fortunate girl"
You want my advice" suggests
Florence quietly.
"Ah, true; and about something inn
tool" She throws into her |
whole air so much coquetry mingled |
with assumed bashfulness that Flor |
ence knows by instinct that the some
hing" has Sir Adrian for its theme. |
and she grows pale and miserable ac-]
cordingly.
LET me hear it then" she urges.
back with q weary sigh.