Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1897-07-31
r. and tear of time well,
pted her age without a
/. .Chful appearance. did not

'urve, hef lace was deadly white: her keen
lark eyes were dim and frightened; the
innds which lay on the table were yellow
Ind tremulous. Mona's heart thrilled with
,ity at the sight of such a wreck.
on, granniei-dear grannie." was all
'he could say, coming quickly to her, and
gathering up the cold, withered hands into
Ter own, rs she kissed her cheek.
The Old lady clasped her almost convul-
Il Thought you would never come" she
whispered brokenly. "Do You know that
everything is gone--everything' We can
stay here. This Is the last money
can call my own"-and she freed one hand
10 clutch the gold and notes. II don't
seem bile to understand the figures or
anythingl You will not leave me, Mona'
Hooper is so cross that"-gatherinu force
by a supreme effort, and speaking with
something of her natural decision-"I
Ia any case dismiss her; for me all
is over. am too old 10 struggle any long.
er. ' fought a brave fight, but Fate
Is gains me. Mona, my child, can you
forgive me for losing the little fortune I
intended for You? Somebody told me I
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 beggared
you! Can you forgive me?''
Forgive your cried Mona, sinking on
her knees, and clasplng her arms round
her trembling grandmother. VIVA have
i to forgiven Rather let me pray your for
gtveness for my want OF obedience and
submissiyenessl Where should [ be but
for your / owe you everythingl SenC
away Hooper, will be your maid. YOU
nurse, your servant-anything that car
help or comfort youi"
Foolish, hasty child.' murmured Mrs
Newburgh, laying her hand tenderly on
the young head pressed against her. 81
believe you love me a little"
IL do love you, dear! will do whatever
you wish; and do not be SO cast DOWN
something will be arranged for us. We
can go away and live in the country, then
we shall not want expensive dresses and-''
You little knowl--you little known
murmured Mrs. Newburgh, Thank God.
] have few debts! / think have paid
every one-intending TO 90 abroad for some
months. This has been an expensive year,
and there was no time for you 10 make a
good alliance. No time-no time"
But, grannie, dear, you do not know
what prince in disguise l may c~aptivate,'
said Mona, rising and drawing a chair be-
side her. "Penniless girls marry often
She would have said anything TO cheer
her.
"Ah! but no Jewel looks well il il is not
well set. Men may not want money with
tIasr lrtl.. kt,t ,Jau ~ .1p..at alura,a
by mean surroundings. / see nc
hope anywhere. Monochrome! Everything
from me; yet am not imbecile."
mo, moi dearest grannie! This confus-
is only from physical weakness. DC
try yourself any more. ! will write &c
Mr.. Oakley-to your solicitor-to come
here Tomorrow; lie will put things In or.
der, and tell me what we ought TO do. Let
lock up all these papers and the money,
and give you some dinner or tea or ONE
thing. Thinking will do us no good. To
/ 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
1T would be best" murmured Mrs,
gladly ~resigning herself to hei
granddaughter's guidance. II do not
want much; but for you-ah, Monai it is
You must pay Hooper and send her
and Wehner too; we want no men,
now"
The explanations Of Mrs. Newburgh's
solicitor were indeed a revelation
10 Mona. The mysteries of the stock mar
ket were unfolded to her wondering gaze;
and she learned that besides the consider.
able sum absolutely paid on the purchase
of shares, there was q terrible liability In
the shape of "calls" to the full value Of
t~hessshares; and a. a banking business
was connected with the gold mine associa-
ton, Mrs. NewbUrgh's whole property was
subject 70 the demands of depositors, and
that she could not call a farthing her own.
The house in Green street having been
bough, by her, Mr.. Oakley advised Mrs.
Newburgh remaining in it till obliged To
turn ont. "a she was rent free. He was
most useful in + ying and dismissing the
servants. The German Tsjor-domo, who
had been for many years With Mrs. New
burgh. begged to be allowed TO remain till
his mistress left-without wages; it was,
ne said. a bad season TO find another en-
gagement and he thought he could be
useful 10 the ladies, even while looking
out for a situation, and so he proved him
self.
While these changes were going on,
Mona was profoundly anxious about her
grandmother. At times she was keen,
eager, fully alive to what was going on,
then a cloud would gather over her poor
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 10 ~acquaint her nephew, Lord Sunder
line, with the state of her affairs, she asked
sharply what good hat would dol,
ale has little enough for himself, and
never forgave me for adopting Mona"
"But. my dear madame, some steps mus;
be taken to provide for the future"
al wish Nature would provide for me-"
returned Mrs. Newburgh, with a deeI
sigh; II am a helpless membranes now
~ am sure no one else thinks so,' said
the solicitor, soothingly. us there not
some balance at your bankers that you
might place in-say Sir Robert Everard's
hand, just to secure some ready money!"
III will see; / will look into my accounts
but for the present | am too tired to dis
cuss anything further"
y
The fourth day after her return home,
Mona was as usual in attendance on her
grandmother, and making u a list oil
such necessaries as they might take with
them, when two letters arrived by the Sec
ond delivery. One was from Sir Roberi
Everard-a distant cousin of Mrs. New
burgh's-and offered her a cottage which
used to be occupied by one of the curates
Of the parish, suggesting that she might
remove some of her furniture there before
the final crash came, and adding much
kindly counsel. The other was in a big.
firm but unknown hand. Mona turned TO
the signature-it was leslie Waring.'
She had almost forgotten him in the pain
full excitement of the last few days, though
the bitter remembrance OF Isles advice
never left her. Every night when she had
read or softly talked her grandmother to
sleep, when all was still and dark, she
lived over again the fiery ordeal Of that
conversation in the train. and looked.
shuddering, at the dreary, lonely future.
through which she must do battle alone.
To whom could she turn, on whom could
she lean, when the nan who seemed to
hang on her words-whose eyes spoke the
warmest devotion, shrunk from her at the
first mutterings OF the Storm Bat as to