Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1897-08-21

Haven't l thought ] went to the RICH
nan for advice. say, Lisle, won't you b
my best mani"
~ arm afraid I'll be halfway to Indii
when the happy event comes of"
'Ohi we are going ahead at n great rate
We-or / should say Hope To fix It FOL
Tuesday fortnight"
"Sharp work, ebi"
Here Mona returned.
81 do not think my grandmother viii
come down just yet, Captain Lisle."
Sorry ! shall not nave the pleasure o.
seeing her. | shall be going to India in
about six weeks, and I have to go to Paris
to see my sister, etc, etc" The talk flow.
ed on in ordinary channels for a few min.
utes, and then Lisle rose to take leave,
'Should ! not see you again as Miss Josce'
lyn," he said, as he pressed her hand,
''you will remember that you have my
warmest good wishes for your happiness.
I shall pay my respects to Mrs. Newburgh
on my return to London; so goodbye"
"And ] wish you all possible success; SO
goodbye" she said slowly.
Waring, in his gratitude, went with hin
downstairs, and bid him an ELUSIVE fare.
well ut the hall door, returning in hi2b
giee to Mona, who was putting some more
coal on the fire.
"Oh, let me do that. Why do you trou-
ble' Isn't the room hot enoughf''
"Grannie will be down soon, and she
never finds IL warm"
"Not just yet, I hope. Somehow or 9TH
er | never seem 10 get a moment alone
with you, Mona. I was glad 20 see the
back Of Lisle, though he is a capital fell
low. ] don't know that | like any fellow
better; but was dying TO tell yon how
happy you made me just now when Icame
In; You really looked as II you were glad to
see me. II thought you were going TO
be fond Of me, even half as fond Of me "a
] am OF you, why, / should be almost off
my head with joy"
You are too good TO me" she returned,
sadly, for his words and tone touched her.
III know" he went on, that you do not
care much for me now, but | begin To hope
you will. Give me your hand; how long
and slender 1t isl You could not do much
with it Mona. Why do you draw it away,
Halloo! your ring has slipped Off! don't
like that. Let me put it on again. Now,
give me a kiss for luck; you have never
given me but one kiss, and | have dreamed
of It ever since-just one more, Mona!''
And Mona-shocked at her own reluct-
ance, ashamed Of her own GOODNESS toward
the man who had given her his whole heart
compelled herself To turn her pale, fair
face to him.
Clasping her hand in both his own, War
ing bent down and pressed his lips linger-
ingly on hers. He scarcely dared 10 en-
hrnaa har Uto frapna trapnh1aA. A;o a,na
were moist.
Say Leslie, l will try to love you,'" he
whispered.
IL will try will indeed, Leslie" she
repeated. 81 have been so uneasy and un-
happy about poor %grannie; and | never
thought OF marrying SO soon; and altogeth-
er / have been shaken and you
must forgive ms IL | seem stupid!'
Stupid! You stupid What an ideal"
Meanwhile Isle walked down the street
in anything but pleasant self-commune.
II certainly troubled myself unnecessar.
fly about my charming young friend. She
has thrown me over easily enough: she
must think me a soft idiot TO have troubled
myself a advising or directing her. Were |
to remain in town, l might teach Mrs
Leslie Warning that | was no foolish strip
ling, To be tossed aside with indifference
and IMMUNITY when fate offered her fairer
fortune! She knows that il cost me q bad
quarter Of an hour to give her up for her
own good. Who al calculate on the
strange variations % feminine natureS"
So argued Lisle, with the degree of logic
usuali in men whose vanity has been wound
ed. He was quite willing that Mona
should be taken out Of his way, but he
should nave liked to see her weeping
broken-hearted at the loss Of his fascinat-
ing self. Yet, although horribly irritated,
he probably never longed more passionate
ly to be in Warnings pl~ace-always provid-
ed the engagement, marriage, what you
will. was not To be permanent.
The period of engagement was by no
means as blissful as Warning anticipated.
Mona, though pleasant and complaisant,
was cold-colder than she knew-and
Waring was sometimes tempted to ask
her IL the sacrifice to which she had con-
scented was too cruel. Then some strain OF
compassion would steal over her heart,
and thrill her voice or soften her eyes, and
the poor boy-for he was but a boy, In
spite OF his years-would be lifted to the
seventh heaven Of ioyous anticipation. He
had the most unbounded faith in Mona,
and he had her assurance that she did not
love anyone. His devotion, then, must
win her. How formidable the rivalry OF
that first unfulflled dream Of love was he
could not know. Would he learn It here
afterf