Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1897-06-26
LII.

Catherine hesitated. Mrs. Presty on one
side and Kitty on the other led her between
them into the house.
CHAPTER LII.
Capt. Bennydeck met Catherine and her
child al the open door of the room. Mrs.
Presty, stopping a few PAGES behind them,
waited In the passage, eager TO see what the
captains face might tell her. Ii told her
nothing.
But Catherine saw a change in him. There
was something in his ann unnaturally
passive and subdued. Ii suggested the idea
of a man whose mind had been forced into
an effort at self-control which had exhausted
its power, and had allowed the signs OF de-
p~ressisn ana fatigue To find their way to the
surface. The captain was quiet, the captain
was kind; neither by word nor look did he
warn Catherine that the continuity Of their
intimacy was in danger of being broken
and yet her spirits sank when they met at
the open door.
He led her to a chair, and said she had
come to him at a time when he especially
wished to speak with her. Kitty asked il
she might remain with them. lie put his
hand caressingly on her head. mo, my dear
hot now"
The child eyed him for a moment, con.
scious OF something which she had never no
ticed in him before, and puzzled by the dis
coyery. She walked back, cowed and silent.
to the door. He followed her and spoke to
Mrs. Presty. Take your %grandchild into
the garden; we will join you there in a little
while. Good-by for the present, Kitty
Kitty said good-by Observation-Disclosures a dull
child repeating a lesson. Her grandmother
led her away in silence.
Bennydeck closed the door and seated him
self by Catherine. IL thank you for your let.
ter he said. IF such a thing is possible, 1t
has given me a higher opinion OF you than
any opinion that l have held yet"
She looked at him with a feeling of sur,
prise so sudden and So overwhelming that she
was at a loss how TO reply. The last words
which she expected to hear from him when
he alluded to her confession were the words
that had just passed his lips.
You have owned TO faults that you have
committed and receptions that you have
sanctioned" he went on-"wlth nothing to
gain n everything TO lose by telling the
truth. Who but n good woman would have
done that
There was a deeper feeling In him that he
had yentured TO express. Ii betrayed itself
By a momentary trembling in his voice.
Catherine drew a little closer to him.
You don't know how you surprise me,
how YOU relieve me" she said, warmly-and
pressed his hand. In the eagerness OF her
gratitude, in the gladness that had revived
her sinking heart she failed to feel that the
pressure was not returned.
What have | said TO surprise your he
asked. What anxiety have | relieved,
without knowing ity'
Il was afraid you would despise me-"
why should 1 despise your
''Have l not gained your good opinion UNI
der false pretenses? Have | not allowed you
to admire me and love Inc without telling
you that there was anything in my past life
which l had reason to regret? Even now j
can hardly realize that you excuse and for.
give me; you who have read the confession
and my worst faults; you who know the
shocking inconsistencies of my character
Say at once" he answered, that l know
you to be a mortal creature. Is there any
human character, even the noblest, that is
always consistently goodg'
zone reads OF them sometimes she sug,
gested, I'm books"
Yes" he said. I'm the worst books you
could possibly read-the only really immpTal
books written in our time"
why are they immoral?'
$50 this plain reason, that they deliber.
ately peryert the truth. Claptrap, you in.
nocent creature, 10 catch foolish readers
When do these consistently good people ap-
pear In the life around US. the life that we
all see? Never! Are the best mortals that
ever lived above the reach OF temptation TO
do i'll, and are they always too good to yield
to il? How does the Lords prayer instruct
humanity? Ii commands us all, without ex-
ception, 10 pray that we may not be led into
temptation. You have been led into temp
tation. In other words. you are a human
being. All that q human being could do
you have done-you have repented and con-
fessed. Don't l know how you have suffer
ed, and how you have been tried! Why,
what a mean pharisee | should be IL pre-
sgr.ed 10 despise you'll"
She looked at him proudly and gratefully
she lifted her arm as il to thank him by an
embrace, and suddenly let 1t drop again at
her side.
"Am l tormenting myself without cause?'
she said. Or is there something that looks
like sorrow showing itself to me in your
face?'
.'You see the bitterest sorrow" be an
swered, '.thNt l have felt I'm all my sad life.,'
as 1t sorrow for me?" she went on, trying
to speak calmly.
mo. Sorrow for myself"
HAS 1t come to yon through me? Is 1t my
fault?'
ut is more your misfortune than your
fault"
e. stsrhax. %, "a faal for rna9t
II can and do"
He has not yet set her at ease.
II am afraid your sympathy stops some
where she said. where does ii stopT"
For the first time he shrank from directly
answering her. II begin TO wish ! had fol-
lowed your example" he owned. at might
have been better for both Of us II / had an
swered your letter in writing"
Tell me plainly" she cried, losing all
fear of him In her anxiety to know what
was in his mind-"tell me plainly, Is there
something you can't forgiveyr
There IS something I can't forget"
",vhat Is II? Oh, what Is IL! When my
mother told poor little Kitty that her father
was dead are you even more sorry than l I'm
that 1 allowed 1t? Arc you even more
ashamed OF M than I am OF myself?"
mo. / regret that you allowed 1t; but I
understand how you were led into that er-
ror. Your husbands intidelity had shaken
his hold on your respect for him and your
sympathy with him, and had so left you
without -FOUR natural safeguard against Mra
Presty's~ s0phistical reasoning and bad exam
pie. But for that wrong-doing there IL .
remedy left Enlightcn your child ~ you
have enlightened me; and then-I have NO