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

tllNl Ell VII.
Reluctantly. y.t with q certain
amount of curiosity to know what it is
he NAV wish to say TO her, Dora wends
her way to the gallery to keep her APP
pointment with Arthur. Pacing to and
fro beneath the searching eyes of the
gaunt cavaliers and naughty danes
that CLEAN down upon him from their
canyases upon the walls, Dynecourt
impatiently awaits her coming"
"Ah. you are late!" he exclaims as she
approaches. There Is a tone of author
ity about him that dismays her.
Not very, | think" she responds
pleasantly, deeming conciliatory meas
ures the best. why did you not come
to the library? We all missed you so
much at teal"
NO doubt" he replies sarcastically.
IL well fancy the disappointment
my absence caused; the blank looks
and regretful speeches that marked my
detection. Pshaw-let you and me at
least be honest to each other! Did
Florence, think YOU, shed tears because
of my non-coming?'
This mood of his is SO strange to her
that, in spite of the natural false
smoothness that belongs to her, it rem
ders her dumb.
Look here" he goes on savagely. Il
have seen enough to-day up in that ac-
cursed room ~above-that haunted
~chamber-to show me u game is not
yet won."
Our game-what gamer" asks Dora,
with a foolish attempt at misconcep-
ton.
He laughs aloud-a wild, unpleasant,
scornful laugh, that makes her cheek
tttrt, t.aln Ifa pntrfh Gha tolls havcAlf
is dcmoniacal.
"You would get out of it now, would
your" he says. 1T is too late, l tell
you. You have gone some way with
me, you must 80 the rest. i want your
help, and you want mine. Will you
draw back now, when the prize is half
won, when a little more labor will place
Ii within your graspy"
Slut there must be no violence" she
gasps; mo attempt at"
What is it you would sayY" he inter-
rupts sternly. Collect yourself; you
surely do not know what you are hint
ing at. Violence! what do you mean
by thatY"
Il hardly know" she returns, tremb-
ling. 1T was your look. your tone, ]
think, that frightened me-"
Put your nerves In your pocket for
the future" he exclaims coarsely: they
are no wanted where l am. Now TO
business. You want to marry Sir Adj
rian, as | understand, whether his de-
sire lies in the same direction or notg"
At this plain speaking the dainty
little lady winces openly.
MY own opinion Is that his desire
does not run In your direction" con-
tinues Arthur remorselessly. I'VE both
know where his heart would gladly find
Its home, where he would seek q bride
to place here in this grand old castle,
but / will Illustrate that hope If l die
for it,"
He grinds his teeth as he says this,
and looks with fierce defiant eyes at the
long rows of his ancestors that line the
walls.
"She would gladly see her proud fair
face > looking down upon me from
amidst this g0odly company" he goes
on, apo~strophizing the absent Florence.
But that shall never be. l have sworn
1t; unless--I am her Observation-Disclosures
j am her husband!p
More slowly, thoughtfully he
repeats his last phrase, until Dora, af-
frighted by the sudden change that has
dis1gured his face, speaks to him to
distract attention.
"You have brought me here to-" she
ventures timidly.
'sAy, to tell you what Is on my mind.
l have said you want to marry Adrian;
/ mean to marry Florence Delmaine.
To-day | disliked certain symptoms I
saw, that led me to believe that my
own Vaccinations have not beeii so
successful as l coald have wished. Be-
fore going In for stronger measures,
there Is n more card that l will play.
] have written YOU q note. Here II q.