Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1897-06-19
A STORY.
BY wILKiE
CHATTER xLvrII.

c!ety of Hot.entots. The only other explain
alton Of your behavior is that | have been 81
unfortunate as Ia offend YOU. But 1t seem:
improbable am not your wife"
Thank God for thatr'
Thank God. as you say. But | should
really be glad Gas a mere matter OF curiosity.
10 know what your extraordinary conduc'
means. You present yourself In this roOn
unlimited, you find a lady here, and you be
have rs II you had come into a shop anC
wanted to ask the price of something. lie
me give you a lesson ia good manner Oh
serve; i receive you with a bow, and 1 say
How do you do, Mr.. Linley.' Do you un
derstand Ine?'
81 don't understand you'll want to SEE
Ca~therireP'
"Who is Catherineg'
You know as well as I do-your daugh.
ter"
my daughter, sir, is q stranger to you
We will speak of her, II you please, by Tn.
name-the illustrious name-which she In
herited at her birth. You wish TO see Mrs
OUnondg'
Call her what you like. / have a word t.
say to her, and | mean TO say it,"
mo, Mr.. Linley, you won't say H."
" a. & NhthN AttdA NlitlG II Slits
"My daughter is not we'll"
We'll or i'll, 1 sha'n't keep her long"
my daughter has retired to her ROOM"
"Where is her roOmP"
Mrs. Presty moved TO the fireplace, and
laid her hand on tile bell.
Are you aware that this house is a hotelg'
she asked.
1T doesn't matter to me what il is"
'Oh, yes, 1t does. A hotel keeps walters
a hotel, when II is as large as this, has q
policeman In attendance. Must / ring?'
The choice between giving way and being
| disgracefully dismissed from the hotel was
placed plainly before him. Herbert's life
had been the life of a gentleman; he knew
that he had forgotten himself; it was impos
sible that he could hesitate.
II won't trouble you 10 ring" he said,
"and | will be- your pardon for having al
lowed my temper to get the better OF me. Al
the same time its to be- remembered, | think
in my favor, that | nave had some provoca
tom
81 don't agree with YOU" Mrs. Pres.y an
swered. She was deaf to any appeal fol
mercy from Herbert Linley. AS to provo
cation" she added, returning TO her chan
without asking him 10 be seated, when you
apply that word to yourself, you insult my
daughter and me. You provoked? On,
heavensl'
You wouldn't say that" he urged, speak.
ing with marked restraint OF tone and man
ner, IF you knew what | have had to en-
dure-"
Mrs. Presty suddenly looked toward the
door. "Wait a minute" she said, Il think
hear somebody coming in"
In the silence that followed, fOotstep.
were audible outside-nOt approaching the
door. however, but retiring from il. Mrs
Presty had apparently been mistaken
Eyes" she:said, reslgned4y, permitting the
person who had intruded on her to proceed.
He really had something to say for him
self, and he said It with sufficient modera
ton. That he had been guilty OF serious
offenses be made no attempt 10 deny; but b,
pleaded that he had not escaped without
justly suffering for what he had done. liz
had been entirely in the wrong when ht
threatened 10 take his child away from hel
mother by force of law; but had he not beer
punished when his wife obtained her di
vOrce, and separated him from his little
daughter as well as from herself? (No; Mrs
Presty failed 10 see it; if anybody had sui
fered BY the divorce, the victim was her in
jured% daughter.) Still patient, Herbert die
not deny the injury; he only submitted ones
more thai he had suffered his punishment
Whether his life with sydney WeStertield
hail or had not been a happy one, he mus
decline 10 say; he would only declare that II
had come 10 an end. She had left him.. Yes
she had left him forever. He had no wisl
to persuade her TO return TO their guilty life
they were both penitent, they were both
ashamed of il. But she had gone away
without the provision which he was bound
in honor to offer TO her; she was friendless
she might be In a condition of poverty toe
dreadful TO be contemplated-and that wa,
indeed a bitter reflection 10 the man who hac
misled her. (Mrs. Presty decided on stop
ping him there. She had heard more thai
enough of Sydney a~lready.)
Il see nothing to be- gained" she said, "by
dwelling on the past; and | should be glac
10 know why you have come to this place 10
night"
II have come for two reasons. One o.
them Is to see Kitty"
'Quite out of the question"
Don't tell me that, Mrs. Presty! I'm ont
of the w~retchedest men living, and / ask fol-
the consolation of seeing my child. Kitty
hasn't forgotten me yet, | know. Hel
mother can't be so cruel as TO refuse. Shs
shall fix her own time and send me away
when she likes; I'll submit To anything
| Will you ask Catherine 10 let Inc see Kitty.
Ii was impossible 10 consent to this-and
equally impossible to mention the reason fol
] refusing. Unwillingly, TO do her justice
Mrs. Presty passed over without reply the
Just request, the touching request that hac
been addressed to her.
You have two reasons for coming here
she reminded him. What is your othel
reasony"
He declined to be ignored I'm that wsy,
"Wil you ask Catherine to let me see Kitty
he repeated.
II can't do it."
He got up from his chair. His face pre-
scented the same expression which Mrs
Presty had seen on II when he first entered
the room.
when j came In here" he said, II told
| you / wished to speak to Catherine. II
doesn't matter. l have got the information
! w~anted-and got 1t from YOU"
~ don't understand YOU"
THE newspapers were not mistaken, Mrs
Presty, when they called Catherinea widow,
I know now why my brother. who never de
celved me before, has deceived me about
this. understand the part that your daugh'
ter has been playing-and ! am as certain as
IL 1 had hoard II, OF tho devilish lie that ope
OF ~you-perhaps both OF you-must have
told 10 my poor child. No. no; l had better
not sce Catherine. Many a man has killed
his wife and has not had such good reason
FOR doing 1t as / have. You are quite right
70 keep me away from her"
He stopped; he, too. looked suddenly
toward the door. Il hear her." he cried
.She's coming inr'
The footsteps outside were audible once
more. This time they were approaching
they We're close TO the door. Herbert drew
back from It. Looking round to see that be
was out Of the way. Mra Presty rushed for
ward-tore open the door In terror Of wha,
might bappen-and admitted Capt Benny
deck.
CHAPTER XIX.
The captains attention was first attracte
| by the visitor whom be found In the roon
He bowed TO the stranger. but the first H.
preston produced on him did not appear /
BE- Of the favorable kind, when he turn,
- 49, AAM