Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1895-08-03


MountjOy's c~ontemptuous compo3ure. was
forcing Its way outward; he set his wife al
defiance.
Then don't let him look at me az IL he
thought ] was in a state Of intoxication!'
cried the urioa doctor. There's the
man, miss, who tried to make me tipsy,"
he went on. actually addressing himself
TO Iris. Thanks To IN habits of sobriety,
he has been caught In his own trap. He's
Intoxicated. Ha. friend Mountjoy. have
you got the right explanation ut lastf
There's the door. sir"
Mrs. Vimpany felt that this outrage was
beyond endurance. III something was not
done to atone for il. Miss Henley would
he capable-her face, at that moment, an
swered for her-of leaving the house with
Mr.. Mountjoy. Mrs. Vimpany seized her
husband Indignantly by the arm.
"Yon brute, you have spoilt everything
she said to him. Apologies directly 10
Mr. Mountioy. You won'tl'
II WON'T
Experience had taught his wife how TO
break him TO her will. do You remem-
Der my diamond pin.' she whispered.
He looked startled Perhaps he thought
she had lost the pin.
where il its" he asked eagerly.
Gone to London to be valued. Beg
Mr.. Mountjoy's pardon, or ! will put the
money in the bauk-and not one shilling
OF IL do you GET
Ia the mean while, Iris had justified
Mrs. Nimpany's apprehensions. Her in
dignation noticed nothing but the insult
offered 10 Hugh. She WAS too seriously
agttated TO be able To speak TO him. Still
admirably calm, his one anxiety was 10
compose her.
Don't be afraid" he said: lit Is impos.
sible that ! can degrade myself by quar-
relling with Mr.. Vimpany. | only wait
here to know what you propose to do. You
ha 70 Mr. Nfnlpuny IN think al y
II have nobody TO think OF but you,"
Iris replied. But for ME, you would
never AVE been in the house. After the
insult that has been offered to you-ol.
Hugh, | feel il. too,-.ct IA return To Lon
don together. have only to tell RhOda
we are going way, aud to make my pre-
parations for travelling. Selu for me from
tn iun. and | will be ready in time forthe
next ira A."
Mrs. Vimpanv approached Mountjoy.
leading her hu sband.
Sorry | have offended You" the doctor
said. Beg your pardon. It's only a joke.
No ~oifense. | hope?"
His seryility was less endurable han his
insolence. Telling him that he need say
no more, MountjO5 bowed To Mrs. Ntmp-
any aud left the room. She returned his
bow mechanically in silence. Mr.. Vimp-
any followed Hugh ont. thinking OF the
diamond pin and eager TO open the house
door rs another act OF submission which
might satisfy his wife.
Even a clever womau will occasionally
make mistakes. especially when her tenn
per happens TO have been reused. Mrs.
Nimpany found herself in a false position
due eutirel to her own imprudeuce.
She had been guilty of thres serious or
rors. In the first place. she had taken it
for granted that Mr.. Nimpany's restora-
tive mixture would completely revive the
sober state Of his brains. In the second
place, she had trusted him with her venge-
ance on the man Who had found his way
to her secrets through her husbands in
temperance. In the third place, she had
rashly assumed hat the doctor, in carry
ing out her instructions for insulting
Mountjoy, wonld keep within the limits
which she had prescribed to him, when
she hit GU the audaclous idea of attribut-
ing his disgraceful conduct TO the tempta-
ton offered by his hosts eX tui pie. As q
consequence of these acts of lmprudence.
she had exposed herself to a misfortune
that she honestly dreaded-the loss Of the
place which she had carefully maintained
in Miss Henley's estimation. la the con-
Trajectory confusion OF feelings, SO often
found in women, this deceitful aud dan
gerous creature had been conquered-lit-
tie by little, as she had herself described
it-by hat charm of sweetness and sim
plicity' in Iris, OF which her own depraved
nature presented no trace. She now spoke
| Win ltSlldllOu. tlllfoSl WIN NiillilltN, III
addressing the woman whom she had s o
c~leveriy deceived, ut the time when they
first met.
Mus / give up all, Miss Henley, that /
most values She asked.
II hardly understand you, Mrs. Vimp-
any"
II will try 10 make il palmer. Do you
really mean to leave me this EVENING""
II do"
Ma / own that | am grieveI to hear
it, Your departure will deprive me Of
some happy hours, ia your company"
Your husbands conduct leaves me no
alternative" Iris smiled.
Pray do not humiliate me by speaking
OF my husband! only want to know il
there is a harder trial OF my fortitude still
to come. Must ! lose the privilege OF be-
ing your frieud?"
II hope | am not capable of such ipjas
tice AS that" Iris declared. lit would be
hard indeed to lay the blame OF Mr.. Vimp-
any's shameful behavior on you. | doa't
forget that you made him offer AN ap ,logy.
Some women. married to inch u man as
that. might have been afraid OF him. No.
no: you have been n good friend to me
and l mean To remember IT,"
Mrs. Vimpany's gratitude was too sin-
cerely felt To be expressed with her GUS
tomary readiness. She only said what the
stupidest woman in existence could have
said: Thank you"
In the silence that followed the rapid
movement of carriage-wheels became aud
ible in the street. The sound stopped at
the door of the doctors house.
CHAPTER x.-THE MoCKEEY OF DECEIT.
Had Mountjoy arrived 10 take Iris away,