Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1897-01-16
VIZ.

III
The dinner party had come to an end; the
nelghbols had taken their departure; and the
aides at Mount Morven had retired for the
night.
On the way to her room Mrs. Presty knock
co at her daughters door. II want to speak
10 you, Catherine. Are you in bedy'
NO, mamma. Come in
hobed IN Il dressing-gOwn of delicately
mingled white and blue, and luNuriously ac-
conlmodated on the sOfteSt pillows that could
De placed in an armchair, Mrs. Linley was
hleuitaillg on the events of the evening.
lhlS has been the most successful party we
nave ever given,' she said TO her mother.
AND dld you notice how charmingly pretty
Miss Westcrlield looked in her new dresS?'
II 5 about that girl | want 70 speak to
YOU, Mrs. PreSty answered, severely. 81
had a higher opinion of her when she first
came here than | have now"
Mrs. linley pointed 10 an open door com.
nndllcating with a second and smaller bed.
chamber. Not quite 50 loud she answer.
ed, 'or YOU may wake Kitty. What has
Miss Westertield done TO forfeit your good
opinion?'
Discreet Mrs. Presty asked leave TO return
=" Wv ''pJ'Nl at ~ ihlNlt opportunity.
II will merely allude now" she said, ITO
q change for the worse in Your g0yerness,
which you might have noticed when she left
the drawing-roOm this evening. She had .
word or W with Herbert at the door, and
She left him looking rs black as thunder"
Mrs. Linley laid herself back ON her pill
lows and burst out laughing. "Black as
thunder? Poor little Sydney, what Il ride
rIous description of her! l beg your pardon,
mamma; don't be offended"
ION the contrary, my dear, | am agreeably
surprised. Your poor fathcr-a man of re-
markable Judgment on most Subjects-never
thought much of yodr intelligence. lie APP
pears 10 have been wrong you have evident
ly inherited some of my sense of humOr.
However, that is not what | wanted 10 say;
j am the bearer of good news. When we
find II necessary to get rid of Miss Wcstcr-
tield-'
Mrs. Linley's Indignation expressed Itself
by a look which, for the moment at least, re-
duced her mother To silence. Always equal
10 the occasion, however, Mrs. PreSty's face
assumed an expression Of innocent amaze
ment which would have produced n round of
applause on the stage. "What have | said
TO make you angryy' she inquired. surely,
my dear, you and your husband are very eX-
traordinary people"
"DO You mean to tell me, mamma, that
you have said TO Herbert what you said Just
now To me-"
Certainly. | mentioned it 10 Herbert IN
the course of the evening. He was excessive
ly rude. lie said: Tell Mrs. MacEdwin TO
mind her W businesS-and set her the eX-
ample YOURSELF
Mrs. Linley returned her mothers look Of
amazement without her mothers eye for dra-
matte effect "What has Mrs. MacEdwin TO
DO With itr' she asked.
If you will only let me speak, Catherine,
! shall be happy TO explain myself. You
saw Mrs. MacEdwin talking To me at the
party. That good lady's head-a feeble
head as all her friends admit-has been com-
pletely turned by Miss Westcrlield. The
first duty of a goyerneso' UhiS foolish woman
said to me) is 10 win the affections Of her
pupils. Ny g0yerncSS has entirely failed TO
make the children like her. A dreadful tenn
per; | have given her notice TO leave my SER
vice. Look at that sweet girl and your little
granddaughter! | declare | could cry when
| see how they understand each other and
love each other | quote our charming
friends nonsense verbatim (as we used to
say when we were in parliament in Mr.. Or
mond's time), for the sake of what il led TO.
II, by amy lucky chance, Miss WeSterlield
happens to be diSengaged in the future Mrs.
MacEdwin'S house is open TO her-at her
own time and at her wi terms. / promised
to speak TO you on the subject, and | per-
form my promise. Think over it; | strongly
advise you 10 think over it,"
Even Mrs. Linley's good nature declined
10 submit to this. ~ shall certainly not
think over what cannOt possibly happen"
SHE said. Goodnight, mamma"
"GoOd-night, Catherine. Your temper
doesn't seem to improve rs YOU get older.
Perhaps the excitement of h eparty has been
too much for your nerves. Try to get some
sleep before Herbert comes up from the
s~moking-room and disturbs YOU"
Mrs. Linlcy refused even to let this pass
unanswered. Herbert is too conSidcrate 10
disturb me when his friends keep him up
late She said. ION those occasions, as YOU
may sec for yourself, he has a bed in his
drcSSing-r0Om."
Mrs. Presty PASSED through the dressing
room on her way out. "A very comfortable
looking bed" she remarked, in a tone in
tended TO reach her daughters ears. II won
der Herbert ever leaves IT,"
The way to her own bed. Chambcr led her
by the door OF Sydney's room. She sudden
~ stopped; the door was not shut. This was
IN Itself q suspicious circumstance. Young
or old, ladies are not in the habit of sleeping
with their bedroom doors aj1r. A strict
sense of duty led Mrs. Presty To listen out
side. No sound like the breathing Of a per-
son asleep was TO be heard. \ strict sense
Of duty conducted Mrs. Presty next into the
room and even encouraged her to approach
the bed on tip-toe. The bed was empty; the
clothes had not been disturbed since it had
been made in the morning!
The old lady stepped out into the corridor
in state Of excitement which greatly I'M
proved her personal appearance. She look.
ed almost young again aS she mentally re-
! viewed the list of vices and crimes which a
gOycrnesS might commit who had retired be-
fore II O'Clock and who was not IN her bed
room at II. On further reflection It appear
I'd TO be barely possible that Miss Wester.
field might be preparing her pupils exercise
! for the next day. Mrs. prcsty descended u
the sclool-roOm Oh the fist floor.
No. Here again there was nothing to see
Dat an empty room.
Where was Miss Wc&;ciicldf
Was il within The limits of probability that
she had been bold enough TO join the party
in the smoking-room? The bare idea was
absurd.
In another minnie, nevertheless, Mrs. PTesty
was al the door listening The mems voices
were loud; they were talking politics. She
peered through the k~cy-hole; the smokers
had, beyond all doubt, been left to them
selves. If the house had not been full o
guests Mrs. Presty would now have RAISED
an alarm. As things were the fear OF a pos
sible scandal, which the family might have
reason TO regret. forced her TO act with eau
ton. Medltating in the retirement OF he
own room, she arrived ut q wise and war!
decision. Opening her door by few inches
she placed a chair behind the opening, III
position which commanded a view OF sgd
ney's room. Wherever the gOyernesS nigh
be, her return to Der bed-chamber before tn,
servants were astir in the morning was
chance to be counted On. The night-lamp II
the corridor was we'll a.light; and a ycner
able person, animated by a sense Of duty
was a person naturally superior to the scduc
tons OF sleep. Before taking the final Pre-
caution OF eXtinguishing her candle Mrs
Presty touched up her comp eXion aid resO
lutely turned her back on her niGltcap
This Is a case in which | must keep up m.