Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1897-03-06
.Apo,ber had night Catber,ney,

Another bad night, Catheriney'
The personal attractions that distinguished
Mrs. Linley were not derived from the short.
lived beauty which depends ON youth and
health. Pale as she was, her face preserved
It's fine outline; her features had not lest theii
grace and symmetry Of form. Presenting
the appearance of a woman who had suffer
ed acutely. she would have been more han
ever Gin the eyes of some mem q woman Ia
be admired and loved.
II seldom sleep well now" she answered,
patiently.
"fou don't give yourself a chance" Mrs.
PreSty demonstrated. Here's a fine morn
ing-come out for q sail on the lake. To.
morrow there's II concert IN the town--let's
take tickets. There's a want of what l call
elastic power in your mind. Catherine-the
very quality for which your father was so re-
markable; the very quality which Mr.. Presty
used to say made him envy Mr.. 0rmond.
Look at your dress! Where's the common
sense, at your age, of wearing nothing but
blackP Nobody's dead who belongs to us,
and yet you GO your best TO look as If you
were in mourning"
II have no heart, mamma, TO wear colors.'
Mrs. Presty considered this reply to be UNI
worthy Of notice. She went on with her
knitting, and only laid ii down when the
servant brought in the letters which had ar
rived by the mornings post. They were but
two in number, and both were for Mrs. Lin.
ley. In the absence of any correspondence
OF her own, Mrs. Presty took possession OF
her daughters letters.
"One addressed in the lawyers handwrit.
ing" she announced; land one from Randall.
lNht,l .l.1l \ ..,,,, FAr ..4., 4l.n.OF
"Randal's letter, II you please
Mrs. presty handed it across the table.
ANY news IL a relief from the dullness OF
this place" she said. If there are no secrets,
Catherine, read Ii out"
There were no secrets on the trst page.
Randall announced his arrival in London,
from the continent, and his intention of stay.
ing there for Il while. He had met with q
friend formerly an officer holding high rank
in the navy whom he wa glad TO see again
"a rich man, who used his wealth admirably
in the interests of the poor and helpless fel.
low-creatures. A home established Oh a
new plan, was just now engaging all his at.
tention: he was devOting himself SO unremlt.
tingly to the founding of this institution that
his doctor predicted injury TO his health AT
M distant date. If ii was possible to per.
suade him to take a holiday Randall might
return TO the continent rs the travelling com.
paniGn of his friend.
This must be the man whom he first met
at the club" Mrs. Presty remarked. "Well,
Catherine, | suppose there is some more of
il. What's the matter? Bad newsY'
Something that | wish Randall had not
written. Read ii yourself-and don't talk Of
il afterward."
Mrs. PreSty read:
IL know nothing whatever of my unfortu-
nate brother, If YOU think this a too-indul.
gent way of abiding 10 a man who has so
shamefully wrongcd you, let my conviction
that he is already beginning TO suffer the
penalty of his crime plead my excuse. Her
berts nature is, in some respects, better
known to me than it is TO you. | am per
snaded that your hold on his respect and his
devotion is s~haken-nOt lost. lie has been
miSled 10y one OF those passing ~tancies, dis.
astrous and even criminal in their results, 10
which men are liable when they are led by
no better influence than the influence of their
senses. 1t Is not, and never will be, in the
nature of women to understand this. | fear
| may offend you in what ] am now writing,
but | must speak what | believe 10 be the
truth at any sacrifice. Bitter repentance-it
he is not already feeling it's i'm store for
Herbert when he finds himself tied to a per
son who cannot bear comparison with you. i
say this, plying the poor girl most sincerely,
when think of her youth and her wretched
past life. How it will end ] cannot presume
TO say. can only acknowledge that do
not look to the future with the absolute de-
spalr which YOU naturally felt when ! last
saw YOU
Mrs. Presty laid the letter down, privately
resolving to write To Randall and tell him TO
keep his convictions for the future to hislselt.
A glance at her daughters face warned her,
if she said anything, to choose a new sub
ject.
The second letter still remained unnoticed.
Shall we see what the lawyer says?' she
suggested-and opened the envelope. The
lawyer had nothing TO say. He simply in
closed a letter received at his Office.
Mrs. Presty had long passed the age at
which emotion expresses itself outwardly
by a change of color. She turned pale, never
~tllclesS, when she looked at the second letter.
The address was in Herbert Linley's hand
writing.