Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1897-01-30
Tle Evil Genius.
A STORY.
IY wILKiE

W tht kOFtiDtoS hui hDt pupil NCit
worthy OF the sympathy so frankly offered
to them. Still strangely confused, Sydney
made commonplace apologies, end askel
leave TO go out and walk in the PARK. Hear
ing this, Kitty declared that where her gov
erness went she would 90, too. Mrs. Lin!ey
smoothed her daughters pretty auburn hair,
and said, playfully: II think | ought to be
jealous" To her surprise Sydney looked up
as IL the words had been addressed to her
self. You mustn't be fonder, my dear, of
your goyerness," Mrs. Liniey went on, than
you are OF your MOTHER She kissed the
child, and, rising to go, discovered that sgd
ney had moved to another part of the room.
She was standing at the piano, with q page
of music in her hand. The page was upside
d0wn--and she had placed herself In a posi-
ton which concealed her face. Slow as Mrs.
Linley was 10 doubt any person (more cs-
pecially a person who interested her she lett
the room with a vague fear Of something
wrong, and with a conviction that she would
do well 10 consult her husband.
Hearing the door close, Sydney looked
round. She and Kitty were alone again;
and Kitty was putting away her books, with
out showing any pleasure at the prospect OF
q holiday.
Sydney took the child fondly in her arms.
"Would YOU be yery sorry" she asked, "if 1
was obliged TO 70 away, some day, and leave
your Kitty TUNED pale with terror at the
dreadful prospect which those words pre-
sented. There! therel l am only joking"
Sydney said, shocked at the effect which her
attempt 10 suggest the impending separation
had produced. you shall come with me-,
darling; we will walk In the park together"
Kitty's face frightened directly. She pro-
posed extending their walk TO the paddock
and feeding the COWS. Sydney readily rom
sented. Any amusement was welcome to
her which diverted the child's attention from
herself.
They had been nearly an hour in the park.
and were returning to the house through a
clump Of trees, when Sydney's companion.
running on before her, cried: Heres papa :"
Her tirst impulse was to draw back behind a
tree in the hope OF escaping notice. Iinley
sent Kitty away 10 gather a nosegay of
daisies, and joined Sydney under the trees.
II have been looking FOR you everywhere"
he said. MY wife"
Sydney interrupted him. discovered AL
ready" she exclaimed.
There Is nothing that need alarm YOU
he replied. Catherine is too good and too
true herself to suspect others easily. Sine sees
a change In you that She doesn't understand
she a-ks IL i have noticed it-and that is
all. But her mother has the cunning OF the
devil. There is a serious reason for control
ling yourself"
He spoke ~ earnestly that he startled her.
Are you angry with meT' she asked.
Angry! Does The man live who could
be angry with you"
.It Ynfslt IA haitian for inih Of .s n ,-a,,
'Ccre angry with me. ] have tried to con-
tol myself; [ will try again. Oh, II you
only knew what I suffer when Mrs. Linley
Is kind to me-
He persisted In tryiEs 10 rouse her 10 a
senSe OF the danger that threatened them
while the visitors remained in the house. In
a few days, Sydney, there will be no more
need for the deceit that Is now forced on us.
Til that time comes, remember-Mrs. Presty
suspects us
Kitty ran back to them with her hands full
OF daisies before they could say more.
"1hcie is your u0segay, papa No. l don't
want you to thank mel want TO know what
present y0a ale e0ins 10 give me-" Her
fathers mind was preocctpled; nc looked at
her absentIy. The clild's sense OF her W.
Importance Was wounded; she appealed 10
ner governcss. Would you believe it?' she
asked. Papa has forgotten that next Tues
day is my birthday
VERY well, Kitty, l must pay the penalty
OF forgetting. What present would YOU like
TO have%.
II want a dolls perambulator."
ia! Ia my time We were satisfied with q
doll"
They nj. three looked round. Another per-
son had suddenly joined In the talk. There
was no mistaklng the persons voice. Mrs.
Presty appeared among the trees, taking a
walk In the park. Had she heard what Lin
ley and the goyeInpss had said 10 each other
while Kitty was gathering daisies?
Quite a domestic %scene!" the sly old lady
remarked. Papa, looking like a saint In a
picture, with flowers in his hand; papa's
spotlt child always wanting something and
always getting il; and papa's govelness, so
sweetly fresh and pretty that should GER
tainly fall in love with her II had the adj
vantage of being a man. You have no doubt
remarked, Iierbert-think | hear the bell;
shall We go to lunch?-you have no doubt, l
say, remarked what curionsiy opposite styles
Catherine and Miss Westerield ~present-so
charming, and yet such complete contrasts.
1 wonder whetiic. they occasionally envy
each others good looks? Does my daughter
ever regret that she Is not Mss Westerield?
And do you, my dear, sometimes wish you
were MrS. Llniey?'
While we are about it, let me put a third
question: liu!ey i~nterposed. Are you
even aware Of it yourself. Mrs. Presty, when
you are talking nonsense?'
lie YVES angry, aud he showed 1t in that
feeble repl-. Sydney felt the implied insult
offered TO her In another way. j. reused her
To The exercise OF S~clf-control as nothing had
reused her yet. She ignored Mrs. Presty's
irony with u composurc worthy OF Mrs.
Presty herself. Where "a the woman" she
said, "who would not wish TO be as beautl.
ful rs Mrs. .4iniey-and as goody'
Thank you, M dear, for & compliment to
my daughter-a sincere compliment, no
doubt. 1t comes in very neatly and nicely"
Mrs. Presty acknowledged, after my SON
in-law's little outbreak Of .emrer. My poor
Herbert, when will you understand that l
mean no ham? | ain AZ essentially humor-
ons persor,-mv wonderful spirits are always
carving me away. - assure you, Miss
Westerfield, / don't kGoS what worry IL.
NV troubles-deaths in the family, and that
sort of things-seem to slip of me IN a most
remarkable manner. Poor Nc 0rmoad used
TO attribute 1t to my excellent appetite. Or,
no; l think he said my excellent digestion.
MY second husband would never hear of such
an explanation as that. His high ideal Of
ome shrank from allusiOn to stOmaclls.
lie used 20 speak so nicely Quoting some
poetJ Of the sunshine of my breast. Vague,
perhaps" said Mrs. Presty, modestly look
ing down at the ample prospect Of a personal
nature which presented itself below her
throat, but so fiattering to ones feelings.
There's the luncheon bell again, ] declare!
Ill run on before and tell them you are
coming. Some people might say they wish
cd TO he punctual. l am truth itself, and l
own ] don't like being helped to the under
side of the fish. Au rey0Ir! Do you remenl-
Der, Miss Westeriield, when / asked you To
repeat 'au revOlr' as a specimen OF your
French? | didn't think much OF your accent.
Oh! dear me, / didn't think much Of your
accent"
Kitty looked after her fluent grandmother
with eyes that stared respectfully In ingorant
admiration. She pulled her fathers c~oattaiI.
and addressed herself gravely TO his private
ear. ''Oh, papa, what noble words grand
mamma hasv'
XI.
On the evening Of Monday in the new
week the last of the visitors had left Mount
Moryen. Mrs. linicy dropped into q chair