Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1895-03-02
CHAPTi!R ~.


II is the evening of the theatricals.
and in one OF the larger drawing-room-
AT the castle. where the stage has been
erected. and also in another room be-
hind connected with il by folding
doors. everybody OF note in the county
is already assembled. Fans are hutter-
ing-So are many hearts behind the
scenes-and "A low buzz of ~conVersa-
ton Is being carried OH among the com
pany.
Then the curtain rises; the fans stop
rustling. the conversation ceases. and
all faces turn curiously To the small but
perfect stage that the London work.
men have erected.
Every one Is very anxious 10 see what
bis Oh her neighbor is going To do when
brought before a critical audience. No
body, of course. hopes openly for a
breakdown, but secretly there are IL
few who would be glad TO SET such-and-
such Il ones pride lowered.
No mlschance. however, ccurs The
insipid Tony speaks his lines perfectly,
Ii he fails 10 grasp the idea that a little
acting thrown in would be an improve
ment: a very charming cousin Con is
made out of Miss Vi.iicrs: a rather
stilted but strictly correct old lady out
of Lady Gertrude Vining. Bat Flor
ence Delmaine. as Kate I~Iardcastle,
leaves nothing to be desired, and many
are the complimentary speeches uttered
from time TO time by the audience.
Arthur DynecOurt too had not over
praised his wi powers. Ii Is palpable
TO every one that he has often tr0d the
boards. and the pathos he throws into
his performance astonishes the alI-
dience. Is il only acting in the final
scene when he makes love TO Miss
Hardcastle, or is there sonie real senti-
ment in it!
The question arises in many breasts.
They note how his color changes as he
takes her hand, how his voice trembles;
they notice too how she grows cold, in
spite of her desire to carry out her part
To the end, as he grows warmer, and
how ~instinctiyely she shrinks from his
touch. Then it is all over, and the cur-
tain falls amidst loud applause. Flor
ence comes before the curtain in re-
Spouse 10 frequent calls. gracefully,
half reluctantly. with a soft warm blush
upon her cheeks and a light in her eyes
that renders her remarkable loveliness
only more apparent. Sir Adrian.
watching her with a heart faint and
cold with grief and disappointment, ac-
knowledges sadly To himself that never
has he seen her look so beautiful. She
advances and bows to the audience.
and only loses her self-possession a
very little when a bouquet directed ut
her feet by an enthusiastic Young man
alights upon her shoulder instead.
Arthur Dynecourt, who has accom-
panied her to the footlights, and who
joins In her triumph. picks up the bou-
quet and presents il to her.
As he does so the audience again be-
comes aware that she receives il from
him in u spirit that suggests detesta-
ton OF the n that hands it,, and that
her smile withers as she does so, and
her great eyes lose their happy light of
n moment before.
Sir Adrian ices all this too, but per-
suades himself that she Is now acting
another part-the part shown him by
Jealousy: he can not see the purity and
truth reflected in hers; he misconstrues
the panied expression that Of late has
saddened her face.
For the last few days, ever since her
momentous interview with Arthur
Dynccourt In the gallery. she has been
timid and reserved with Sir Adrian,
and has underworld to avoid his socie-
ty. She Is oppressed with the thought
that he has read her secret love for him
and seeks, by IN assumed GOODNESS Of
demeanor and a studied avoidance of
him, TO induce him to believe himself
mistaken,
But Sir Adrian Is only rendered more
miserable ny this avoidance. In the
thought that probably Mrs. Talbot has
told Florence Ut his discovery If her
attachment to Arthur. and that she