The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1895-10-25
AN HONORABLE PRECEDENT.
By B. =. MARRIOTT-wATsoN.

But don't you think" said I to Miss
hewitt, that the end justiies the
means9" She shook her head. sob.
no." u said; that's Jesuitical.' ssWell
now, here's an example" l suggested.
You are anxious to sell the contents
OF this stall, aren't your" ooh. YES"
responded Miss Hewitt. 'And O
would be delighted if someone were to
come and buy it all upo 1t would be
OF such use to the charity Certain
ly,' said Miss Hewitt, promptly. And
would vex Miss Chudleigh over the
way?" added. Miss Hewitt looked at
me with suspicion, but Pm sure / was
very demure. "Oh, it would be nice, of
course, t be successful" she assented.
1T would mean fifty pounds" MAY
l trouble you for another ice,' said
!, .feeling that | was bound to do some
thing after that. Thank you-straw-
berry. Well, as l was saying, if you
could find a means of getting rid of all
this, and thereby beneiting the
charity by so much, you would feel dis
posed to take it, even ii it wasn't
quite-well-quite, you know st
wouldn't do anything dishonest put
in Miss Hewitt quickly. "oh, l wasn't
talking Of anything dishonest" l pro
tested. II was only thinking that
there might be other means, not dis
honest, you know, but just a little
well, not quite conventional, you
know
"What sort of means?" asked Miss
Hewitt c%uriously. "Why now" 1 said,
you have sold very little all the day,
haven't you?' Miss Hewitt bit her
lips. and a disconsolate look came into
her face. while I've been here" l
said, 'you have only disposed of two
pairs of stockings, one wooden com
forter for the hot weather, and a sort
ola kind of didn't quite see, but I
thought it loo ked like a. 81 know I
haven't sold much" broke in Miss
Hewitt hastily, and wi tn a slight ac-
cessl.on of color. you have only
bought a few ices" l looked medita-
tive. $50 1 have," I said, feeling that
another call was made upon me. 81
wonder if 1 might-no; perhaps better
not. l suppose you haven't such a
thing as a baby's perambulator, Miss
HEWITT" Miss Hewitt was not amused;
she had only an eye to a bargain.
mo-" she said eagerly, "Im afraid 1
haven't; but I've got a very nicely
dressed cradle, and some rattles and
-" "Ah," said I, shaking my head,
"I'm afraid it's not old enough for
those things" She sighed, and
glanced across the way, where Miss
Chudleigh was engaged in q roaring
trade. II think l might have one
more ice," l said very bravely. 1t
was not SO very hard, after all; the
heat was very great, and they soon
melted.
care you sure you ought to?'' she
asked, doubtfully. miss Hewitt .
said l, you are much too scrupulous.
That is the reason Of your failure.
And yet you would have sold me a
cradle n rattles with perfect equa-
nimity, knowing that [ am a bachelor.
The inconsistency of your sex is a puz-
zle," l remarked, shaking my head.
ooh, but l didn't think about that"
said she, with a blush. II only thought
you wanted" Come Them l said,
what would you do to get rid Of all
your articles of commerce." Miss
Hewitt's eyes opened. "Oh, if I could
only do that!" she exclaimed. well,
how far would you be prepared to go
for it?" said l, insinuatingly. She
paused. "Td-rd give up the ball to-
night" she exclaimed, impulsively. I
shook my~head. II have no mean Of
gauging the value of that renuncia-
tion," l said, thoughtfully; "but posi-
bly, it is greater than the one 1 know
which would enable you TO sell your
STALL" ooh, do you know a way?" she
cried, breathlessly. "Why, certainly"
said |, still reaectively. "Mr. Randall,
tell me-" she pleaded, clasping her
hands and putting her elbows on the
stall. She looked eagerly into my
face. 1 really had no notion until that
moment, but somehow her action put
it into my head. Have you ever heard
of the beautiful duchess of Devon
shire, Miss He WITH" I asked.
Miss Hewitt leaned, staring at me
for a moment, and then a look of in
telligence came into her eyes, her
color started and she moved away. II
don't think you should make that
kinds of ~jests," she remarked, disdain-
fully. cts not a jest" I answered. re-
assuringly. "Then, you're all the hor-
rider" she returned, feigning to be
busy with her commerce. But" 1
said, in p~erplexity, II don't see-I only
asked you if you remembered the
duchess of Devonshire-the one what's
his name painted, you know" Miss
He witt was much embarrassed; her