Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1898-09-03
CHAPTER VII

"Well, Miss Winnie, you have concluded
to put in an appearance at last; l am sure
| had grown perfectly satisfied in my
mind that, for some important reasons
of your own, your absence was to be per-
petual."
Madam Vivian was smiling, but she
was not pleased; nor did she look so,
though she sat in her favorite seat and at
titude, her dainty feet cleaning IN the
velvet footstool, her black, glittering fan
in her hand tiutterlng softly, and her
handsome head resting against the dark,
green velvet cushions of her chair.
IL couldn't come before, indeed. ~ plead
ed the little protegce, humbly and earn.
estly; ''you know, dear Madam, / wrote
ald sent you word that mamma was not
willing, and that baby was very i'll, and
Tommy had such n bad sore throat"
"Oh, dear me; yes, | knOw-dreadfulr
said Madam, i%rritably. evidently applying
the adjective in impatient disgust, rather
th:n in pity for the sufferings OF the baby
and Tommy. you told me so before.
What u nuisance to have such a pack OF
children in a small house, aud always one
or two OF them ILL.,"
The tears rose TO Winnie's eyes, but not
tears of sclf-pity. She had an unhappy
home she knew, but she thought that if
that hateful Thomas Pascoe were only out
of ner sight for ever, and mamma did not
scold her 80 often, and poor little Louie
would grow strong and well, and she had
money enough to buy a few nice warm
clothes, she would be quite happy-for the
small salary which Madam insisted on
paying for her services went into Mrs.
Caerlyon's pocket, untouched, TO the eX-
tent of a single shilling, by the poor little
recipient. They wanted it SO hadly-Sarah
Matilda, Caroline, Tommy, larry, and the
rest-how could she attempt to buy fine
things for herself when they wanted ne
c~eSsaries?
Mrs. Caerlyon, however, with c4larac-
teristic plain dealing, placed the matter
before Winnie's conscience in the terSa
pithy sentencc-"Every penny Of it don't
more than pay for your keen, Winifred."
So, in order not TO rob the family OF the
portion of her keep" Winifred handed
her salary to her step-mother monthly, rs
she received it, only pleading to have Mt
least one neat dress, in order not to dis
please Madam. Poor Winnie mendcl,
uINA u AlSNl, dilu boilCtl, anu Ntllltl llit
thinnest, shabbiest clothes Of any of the
family for her own apparel when out Of
the precincts Of ~Roseworthy. Still, save
and take care of it as Winnie would, that
one best dress of lark meriuo was getting
faded, and looked hin and poor, and an
noyed Madam's eyes.
81 cannot think, Winfield she said,
sharply, afte. a heightened survey Of the
meek-looking figure, pale face, md down
cast head, crowned with its feminine glory
Of shining hair-and it seemed tonight
richer, more abundant and becomingly
arranged than Madam had ever seen 1t,
why Mrs. Caerlyon does not allow you 10
spend the pocket money 1 give you on
yourself. You have had nothing bu:
that merino since last autumn twelve
month; and your jacket IS qnite worn out. "
at is, Madam" asscntel Winnie, col
oring painfully; "but | I'm going to get IL
new one"
''Of what kinG?" asked Madam, with
the ~never-lacking interest to a feminine
mind which such a subject possessed.
"Get n nice respectable one, Winnie.
child; ii quite annoys me to see You look
ing SO poorly clad. There! there! don't
look SO distressed, it is not your fault, l
know.
mo, Madam, but-but | know | LOOK
shabby" she said, with quiverlng lips,
the painful bushes burning in her thin
cheeks.
He had noticed her being shabby and
thiply clad, she had seen his eyes resting
on the frayed cloth edges, the thread-b bare
cuffs and collar of her one we'll worn cloth
jacket, that bitterly cold wild MErch
morning. She had noted the quick com
passionate glance ut each involuntary
shiver and tightenningp Of her faded wrap
ping shawl-he, her idol, her d~emi-god,
her great, tall, strong, powerful, gracious,
beautiful, demi-god without a name; for
how could che dare to say that she loved,
admired, reverenced, ~worshipped Stephen
Tredennickp
Impossible! Winnie's heart nearly stood
still at the bare mental iuxtaposition Of
her l~ove-shabby, ill-clad Winnie Caerl-
yon, to whom Madam Vivian paid twenty
pounds a year for reading to her and wait
inf on her, to tho occasional exclusion and
no small jealousy of her regular atten-
dant, Miss Trewhella her love for Tired