Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1897-07-31

curve; her lace was deadly white: her keen
dark eyes We're dim and frightened: the
hands winch lay on the table were yellow
and Mona's heart thrilled with
pity at the sight of such a wreck.
"Oh, grannie!-dear grannier' was all
she could say, coming quickly to her, ana
gathering up the cold, withered hands into
her own, RS she kissed her cheek.
The old lady clasped her almost convul-
siyely.
81 thought you would never Gomez she
whispered brokenly. "Do you know that
everything is gone-everythingy We can
not stay here. This is the last money |
can cali my own"-and she freed one hand
TO clutch the gold Inc notes. II don't
seem able to understand the figures or
anythingl You will not leave me, Mona'
Hooper is so cross that'-gathering force
by n supreme effort, and speaking with
something of her natural d~ecision-"I
should In any case dismiss her; for ME all
is over. lam too old 10 struggle any long.
er. have fought a brave fight, but Fate
is against me. Mona, my child, can you
forgive me for losing the little fortune |
intended for you? Somebody told me 1
ought to draw out Of that company-I for.
get who-l forget all the names; but ]
thought | might wait a little longer-the
interest was 80 Highland | have beggarcd
youl Can you forgive me?"
Forgive your cried Mona, sinking on
her knees, and clasplng her arms round
her trembling grandmother. what have
/ to forgiven Rather let me pray your for
~giveness for my want of obedience and
submissivenessl Where should | be but
for your | 1--WE You everything! Send
away Hooper, will be your maid, your
nurse, your servant-anything that can
help or comfort youI"
Foolish, hasty childu' murmured Mrs.
Newburgh, laying her hand tenderly on
the young head pressed against her. 81
believe you love me a little"
81 do love You, dearl will do whatever
you wish; and do not be SO cast down
something will be arranged for us. We
can 20 away and live in the country, then
we shall not want expensive dresses and"
You little know!--yOu little knowp'
murmured Mrs. Newburgh, "Thank God,
/ have few debts! 1 think l .havc paid
every one--intending to 20 abroad for some
months. This has been an expensive year,
and there was no time for you to make a
kppN dlllhlNSs Nv lllllt-lO lllllt.
But, %grannie, dear, you do not know
what prince in disguise | may captivate,'
said Mona, rising and drawing n chair be.
side her. 'Pcnniless girls marry often"
She would have said anything u cheer
her.
"Ah! but no jewel looks well If il is not
well set. Men may not want money with
their brides, but they are almost always
repulsed by mean surroundings. ! see nc
hope anywhere. Monochrome! Everything
fades from me; yet l am not imbecile."
"No, mol dearest granniel This confus.
ion is only from physical weakness. Dc
not try yourself any more. ] will write to
Mr.. O~akley-to YOU solicitor-to come
here tomorrow; he will put things in or.
der, and tell me what we ought TO do. Let
me lock up all these papers and the money
and give you some dinner or tea or some.
thing. Thinking will do us no good. 10
night | will tell you all about Lady Mary
and my visit, then / will sit by you till you
are asleep. Hooper shall put the chair.
bed beside yours. / shall sleep here to
night"
ut would be best" murmured Mrs.
Newburgh, gladly resigning herself to her
granddaughter's guidance. II do not
want much; but for you-ah, Monal it is
hard! You must pay Hooper and send her
away, II Wehner too; we want no men,
servants now"
The explanations of Mrs. N~ewburgh's
trusty solicitor were indeed a revelation
to Mona. The mysteries of the stock mar
ket were unfolded to her wondering gaze.
II she learned that besides the consider
able sum absolutely paid on the purchase
OF shares, there was a terrible liability ii
the shape Of "calls'' to the full value o
~thes>shares; and rs a banking business
was connected with the gold mine associa
ton, Mrs. Newburgh's whole property wa,
subject To the demands of depositors, anC
that she could not call n fartiing her own
Thelouse in Green street having beer
bouglN by her, Mr.. Oakley advised Mrs
Newburgh remaining in it till obliged &c
turn ont, IA she was rent free. He wa.
most useful In = ying and dismissing thu
servants. The German mqjor-domO, whC
had been for many years with Mrs. New
burgh, begged to be allowed TO remain til
his mistress left-without wages; it was
he said, a bad season 10 find smother en-
gagcmcnt and he Thought he could be
useful to the ladies, even while lookinl
out for a situation, and so he proved him
self.
Willie these changes were going on
Mona was profoundly anxious about he
grandmother. At times she was keen
eager, fully alive TO what was going on
then n cloud would gather over her poo
brain, and things seemed to slip from her
She could not bear Mona out of her sight
and was reluctant to let any other rela
tives approach her. When urged by Oak
ley TO acquaint her nephew, Lord Sunder
line, with the state of her affairs, she asked
sharply what good that would do?
lie has little enough for himself, ant
never forgave me for adopting Mona"
"But, my dear madame, ome steps mus
be taken TO provide for the future
81 wish Nature would provide for me,
returned Mrs. Newburgh, with n dee
sigh; II am a helpless incumbrance now.
81 am sure no one else thinks So" sal,
the solicitor, soothingly. as there no
some balance at your bankers that yol
might place in-say Sir Robert Everard'
hand, just to secure some ready money!"
81 will see; ! will look into my account
but for the present / am too tired to dis
cuss anything further"
y y
The fourth day after her return home
Mona was ms usual In attendance on he
grandmother, and making out a list {
such necessarles as they might take wit
them, when two letters arrived by the sec
ond delivery. One was from Sir Robel
Everard-a distant cousin of Mrs. New
burgh's-and offered her n cottage whic
used to be occupied by one of the curate
of the parish, suggesting that she Nigh
remove some Of her furniture there befor
the final crash came, and adding muc'
kindly counsel. The other was in a biz
firm but unknown hand. Mona turned {
the signature-it was "I.eslie Waring.
She had almost forgotten him in the pair
full excitement of the last few days, thong
the bitter remembrance Of Isles adyiC
never left her. Every night when she Ia
read or softly talked her grandmother I
sleep, when all was still and dark, sh
lived over again the fiery ordeal of thu
conversation in the train, and looked
shuddcrinG, az the drcary, lonely futurt
through which she must do battle alone
To whom could she turn, on whom coul
she lean, when the man who seemed I
hang on her words-whose eyes spoke th
warmest devotion, shrunk from her ut IN
first mutterlngs OF the Storm But rs {