Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1898-06-25
OWES VICTORY
BY BERTHA M. CLAY.

Speak to me, Naner' she cried; IL am
frightenedv'
He drew her nearer to him.
ut Is only fancy, my darling. When one
has anything weighty to say, it seems as
though earth and sky were listening. Look
at me, think of me. and tell me ALL"
she could never remember how she began
her story-how she told him the whole his
tory of her life-of the happy years spent
with her father in the Rue d'Orme, when
she learned to love art and nature, when she
learned to love truth for Its own sake, and
was brought up amidst those kindly, simple
hearted artist friends, with such bitter scorn,
such utter contempt of all conventionalities
of her keen and passionate sorrow when
her father died, and Sir Oswald took her
home to Darrell Court, telling her that her
past life was nj an end forever, and that even
the name she had inherited from her father
must be changed for the name of her race
how after a time she had grown to love her
home with a keen, passionate love, born Of
pride In her race and In her name-of the
fierce battle that ragged always between her
stern, uncompromising truth and the worldly
polish Sir Oswald would have had her ac-
quire.
She concealed nothing from him, telling
him of her faults as well rs her trials. She
gave him the whole history of Aubrey Lang
tons wooing, and her contemptuous rejec-
ton Of his suit.
II was so proud, Vane," she said humbly.
Heavier was sure TO punish me. | surround
ed myself, as il were, with n barrier of pride,
scorn, and contempt, and my pride has been
brought low
She told him of Sir Oswald's anger at her
refusal to marry Aubrey, Of her uncle'S threat
that he would marry and di;inherit. her, of
her scornful diSbclief-there was no incident
forgotten; and then she came to the evening
when Sir Oswald had opened the box To take
out the diamond ring, and had spoken before
them all OF the roll of bank-notes placed
there.
THAT night, Vanc," she said, there was
a strange unrest upon me. could not sleep.
L have had the same sensation when the air
has been overchaTgcd with electricity before
a storm; | seemed TO hear strange noises. nv
heart beat, my face was flushed and hot,
every nerve seemed 10 thrill with pain. !
opened the window, thinking that the cool
night air would drive the fever from my
brain.
."As | sat there in the profound silence, |
heard, as plainly as | hear myself speaking
now, tootstepS-quict, stealthy f~ootStepS-go
past my door.
Let me explain to you that the library,
where my uncle kept his casl-box and his
papers, Is on the ground floor; on the floor
above that there are several gurstS-chambers,
Captain Langton slept in one Of these. My
uncle slept on the third floor. and, in order
to reach his ROOM, was obliged to go through
the corridor where the rooms Of Miss Hast
ingS and myself were.
VI heard those quiet, stcalthy footsteps,
Vane, and my heart for a few moments beat
painfully.
But the Darrells were never towards. l
went to my door aud opened it gently. l
could see to the very end Of the corridor, for
at the end there was a large archcd window,
and a faint gray light coming from it show
Ell me a stcalthy figure creeping silently from
Sir OSwald's room; the gray light showed
me also q glimmer of steel, and | knew, al
most by instinct, that that silent figure car
ried Sir OSwald's keys in its hands.
"ln Il moment l had taken my resolve. /
pushed my door to, but did not close il; |
took of my slippers, lest they should make a
sound, and followed the figure down stairs.
AS | have said before, the Darrclls were new
er towards; no dread came to me; | was in
tent upon one ~thing-the detection Of the
~wrongdOcr.
Not more than q minute passed while /
was taking off my shoes, but when | came to
the foot Of the grand staircase light and fig
ure had both disappeared. | cannot tell
what impulse led me TO the library-perhaps
the remembrance Of Sir OSwald's money be-
ing there came to me. l crossed the hall and
opened the library door.
Though l had never liked Captain Lang
ton, the scene that was revealed to me came
upon me as a shOck-One that | shall never
forget. There was Captain Langton with
my unclc's cash-boX before him and the roll
of bank-notes in his hand. He looked up
when ] entered, and n terrible curse fell from
his lips-a frlghtful curse. His face was
fearful to see. The room lay In the shadow
of dense darkness, save where the light he
carried shone like a faint star. The face it
showed me was one | shall never forget; it
was drawn, haggard, livid, with bloodless
lips and wild, glazing eyes.
'llc laid the bank-notes down, and, going
to the door, closed it softly, turning the key;
and then clutching my arm in a grasp of iron,
he Kissed rather than said:
"'What fiend has brought you hereT
"Hc did not brighten me, Vane; | have
never known fear. But his eyes were full of
murderous hate, and ! had an idea that he
you'd have few scrupleS as to taking my
life.
$50, Captain Aubrey Langton,' | said,
slowly, YOU are a thief! You are robbing
the old friend who has been so good to your
HE dragged Inc to the table on which the
money lay, and then l saw a revolver lying
there, too.
lone word, he Missed, 'one whisper above
your breath, and you shall diep
~ know my face expressed no fear-noth-
ing but Scorn and contemplation his grew
more liyid as he watched me.
at is all your faultr he Missed into my
ear; 1T is your accursed pride that has driven
me to this! Why did you not p,,mise to
marry me when my life lay in your hand,P
81 laughed-the idea of q Darrell married
to this midnight thief!
"I told You | was a desperate man. he
went on. Il pleaded with you, | prayed to
you, | laid my life at your feet, and you
trampled on 1t with scorn. / told you of my
debts, my difficulties, and You laughed at
them. If | could have gone back to London
betrothed to you, every city Insurer would
have been willing to lend me money. / am
driven TO this, for | cannot go back to face
ruin. Tou have driven me to it; you are the
thief, though my hands take the money.
Your thrlce-accursed pride has ruined mel
81 shall go to Sir Oswald | said, and
wake him. You shall not rob himp
Yes he returned, 4 shall. / defy you.
l dare you; you shall tell no one.'
lie took the revolver from the table and
held it to my head; | felt the cold steel touch
my forehead.
Now hesaid, your life is in your own
hands; you must take IN oath not to betray
me-, or | will fire.
~ am not afraid to die; l would rather
die than hide such sin as yours. You can
not frighten me; l shall call for assistance.
NkANnit n Ianrnont : La all Am l-a.-.-