Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1897-05-15
CHAPTER XII.

On the next day but one Randall arranged
his departure for Sydenham, so as to arrive
at the hotel an hour before the time appoint
ed for the dinner. His prospects for success
In pleading for a favorable reception of his
brothers message were so uncertain that he
refrained-in fear of raising hopes which he
might not be able to justlfy-from taking
Herbert into his confidence. No one knew
Oh what errand he was bent when he left
the house. As he took his place i'm the car
rage the newspaper boy appeared at the
window as usual. The new number of a
popular weekly journal had that day been
published. Randall bought il.
After reading one or two OF the political
articles he arrived ut the columns specially
devoted to Questionable Intelligence" Car
Ing nothing for that sort of new he was
turning over the pages In search OF the lit
erary and dramatic articles, when a name
not unfamiliar to him caught his eye. lie
read the paragraph in which it appeared.
1.-THE charming widow, Mrs. Ormond, Is,
we hear, among the distinguished guests
staying at Bucks hotel. 1t is whispered that
the lady Is TO be shortly united to a retired
naval officer Of arctic fame-now better
known, perhaps, as one of our leading phi
lanthropists."
The allusion to Bennydeck was too plain
to be mistaken. Randall looked again at the
nrst words I'm the paragraph. ''rhe charm
Ing widow" Was it possible that this last
word referred to Catherine! To suppose her
capable of assuming to be a widow, and-if
the child asked questions-of telling Kitty
that her father was dead, was, in Randals
estimation, TO wrong her cruelty. With his
W suspicious steadily ~contradicting him,
he arrived at the hotel obstinately believing
that ''the charming widow" would prove to
be a stranger.
A first disappointment was In store foc him
when he entered the house. Mrs. Ormond
and her little girl were out driving with q
friend, and were expected to return In good
time for dinner. Mrs. Presty was at home;
she was reported to be in the garden Of the
hotel.
Randall found her comfortably established
In a summer house, with her knitting in her
hands and a newspaper on her lap. She adj
vanced to meet him, all smiles and anna
bility. How nice of you to come so soOn,"
she began. Her keen penetration discover
ed something in his face which checked the
gayety of her welcome. you don't mean
to say that you are going to spoil our pleas
ant little dinner by bringing bad news" she
added, looking at him suspiciously.
ut depends IN you to decide that" Ran
dial replied.
"How very complimentary 10 a poor, use
less old woman! Don't be mysterious, my
dear. / don't belong to the generation which
raises storms in teacups and calls skirmishe'
with savages battles. Out with itv'
Randall handed his paper to her, open at
the right place. There is my news" he
said.
Mrs. Presty looked at the paragraph and
handed htT newspaper to Randall.
II am indeed sorry to spoil your dramatic
effect" she said. but you ought to have
known that we are only half an hour behind
you at Sydenham in the matter of news. The
report Is premature, my good friend. But II
these newspaper people waited to find out
whether a report was true or false, how much
gossip would society get In its favorite news
papers? Besides, il 1t ISN'T true now, It will
be true next week. The author only says
it's whispered How delicate of him
What a perfect gentlemanp'
Am l really to understand, Mrs. Presty,
that Catherine"
you are to understand that Catherine il
a widow. say II with pride, a widow OF
my making~