Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1895-06-22

XI.
1t was a fine sunshiny day: Mrs. Lew.
sons spirits began TO improve. II have
always held the belief" the worthy old
woman confessed, "that bright weather
brings good luck-of course, provided the
Cheer up, miss"
The messeug ger returned with good news.
Mr.. Arthur had been as merry as usual.
He had made fun Of another letter of good
advice. re ceiyed without a signature.
But Mrs. Lewson must have her way"
he said. "My love to the old dear-Ill
start two hours later and be back to din
ner at five
Where did Mr.. Arthur give you that
messagey" Iris inquired.
AT the stables, miss, while | was put
ting up the horse. The men about were
all on the broad grin when they heard Mr..
Arthur's message"
Still in a morbid state of mind, Iris sill
emily regretted hat the message had not
been written, instead OF being delivered
by word of mouth. Here, again, she
like the wild lord had been afraid of lis
teners.
The hours wore slowly on until it was
past four o'clock. Iris could endure the
suspense 10 longer. Its a lovely after
noon" she said to Mrs. Lewson. Let us
take a walk along the road. and meet Ar.
thul. ~ NhA' PAopcHNt ~ hotoShCtPVf
readily agreed.
1t was nearly five o'clock when they
reached a place at which "a by-road branch.
ell off, through q wood, from the high.
way which they had hitherto followed.
Mrs. Lewson found "A seat on a felled tree.
1--WE had better not go any further" she
said.
Iris asked il there was any reason Cor
this.
There was an excellent reason. A few
yards further on the high road had been
diverted from the straight line Gin the in
terest of a large agricultural village) and
was then directed again into its former
course. The by.road through the wood
served rs q short cut for horsemen and
pedestrians from one divergent point to
the other. II was next to 2 certainty that
Arthur would return by the short cut.
But IL accident or caprice led to his prefer.
ring the highway 10 was clearly necessary
to wait for him within view of both the
roads.
Too restless to submit to a state Of pas
sive expectation, Iris proposed to follow
the bridle-path through the wood for a
little way, and to return IL she failed to
see anything of Arthur. "You are tired"
she said kindly to her companion, pray
don't move"
Mrs. Lewson looked needlessly uneasy.
'You might lose yourself, miss. Mind
you keep To the path"
Iris followed the pleasant windings OF
ire woodland track. In the hope of meet
ing Arthur she considerably extended the
length of her wax. The white line OF the
high road, as 1t passed the farther end
of the wood. showed itself through the
trees. She turned at once to rejoin Mrs.
Lewson.
On her way back she made q discovery.
A ruin which she had not previously no
ticed showed itself among the trees on her
lett hand.
Her curiosity was excited: she strayed
aside to examine IL more closely. The
crumbling walls, as she approached them,
looked like the remains OF an ordinary
|dwellin-honse. Age Is essential to the pic.
{ uresque effect of decay; a modern ruin IL
an unnatural aud depressing object--and
here the horrid thing was.
AS she turned to retrace her steps to the
road. a man walked n of the inner space
inclosed by all that vas left OF the dis
mantled house. A cry Of alarm escaped
her. Was she the victim OF destiny, or
the sport OF chancey There was the wild
again; the master OF her heart-perhaps
the master Of her fate!
Any other man would have been amazed
o see her, aud would have asked how Ii
nd happened that the English LADY pre-.
,ented herself TO him In an Irish wood.
This man enjoyed the delight OF seciug her,
,nd accepted it US . blessing that was not
rom Heaven he said. MAY Heaven be
)raised!'
He approached her: his arms closed round
her. She struggled to free herself from
his embrace. At that moment they both
heard the craekle at breaking underwood
among the trees behind them. Lord Harry
looked round. This v adauss~~"'7's"A"