Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1898-05-14
CHAPTER XIV.
A PULLING QUESTION.

hlsS ildstlgS, allllOugn she nOllced q nun
dred faults in the girl which she would fain
have corrected, had nevertheless q true,
strong, and warm affection for her pupil; she
was not one therefore 10 play into the enc
my's hand; and, when Lady Darrell fixed
her eyes upon her, full of eagerness and
frightened by curiosity, Miss Hastings quiet
ly resolved not to CRAFTY her.
disappointment about what?' she asked.
u do not understand you, Lady Hampton"
About the property explained Lady
Hampton, impatiently. "She made so very
sure OF it. | shall never forget her insolent
confidence. Do tell me, is she not greatly
annoyed and disappointed?'
Not in the way yon mean, Lady Hamp-
ton. She has never spoken of such a thing"
Her ladyship felt piqued; she would have
preferred to hear that Pauline did feel her
loss, and was grieving over il. In that case
she would have been kind to her, would have
~relented; but the reflection that her pride
was still u%nbending annoyed her, and she
mentally resolved to try if she could not
force the girl into some expression of her
feelings. 1t was not an amiable resolve, but
Lady Hampton was not naturally an ami
able woman.
Fortune favored her. That very day, as
plS a. NdNI lS lllt NOlll Nllt StW ldllllut
standing l~iStleSsly by the lake side feeding
the graceful white swans. She went NJ to
her with a malicious smile, only half-vailed
by her pretended friendly greeting.
How do you do, Miss Darrell? You are
looking very melancholy. There is nothing
the matter, l hope?'
For any one TO attempt to humiliate Pauline
was simply a waste Of time: the girls natural
abaraptny ,,n g, ,l;rn,E.,l A. a 49,.
of the kind fell through or told most upon
her assailants. She answered Lady IIamp-
ton with quiet %politeness, her dark eyes hard
ly resting for q moment upon her.
You do not seem to find much occupation
for your leisure hours" continued Lady
Hampton. you are making the round of
the grounds, l suppose? They are very beau
tiful. | am afraid that you must feel keenly
how much my niece has deprived you Of"
1t was not a hdy-like speech; but Lady
Hampton felt irresistibly impelled to make
1.-THE proud, defiant, beautiful face provoked
her. Pauline merely smiled; she had self
control that would have done honor to one
much older and more experienced.
Your niece has deprived me of nothing,
Lady Hampton she returned, with a curl
OF the lip, for which the elder lady could
have shaken her. 81 possess one great adj
vantage Of which no one living can deprive
me-that is, the Darrell blood runs in my
veins"
And, with a bow, she walked away leav-
Ing her ladyShip more angry than she would
have cared to Owl. So Pauline met all her
enemies. Whatever she might suffer, they
should not triumph over her. Even Sir Os-
wald felt himself compelled TO yield to her
an admiration that he had never given be-
fore.
He was walking one evening on the ter.
race. The western sunbeams, lingering on
the grand old building, frightened it into
beauty. Flowers, trees, and shrubs were all
in their fullest loyelineSs. Presently Sir OS.
wald, leaning over the baluStrade of the ter
race, saw Pauline sketching in the grounds
below. lie went to her, and looked over her
shoulder, She was just completing a sketch
of the great western tower OF the Court; and
he was struck with the vivid beauty of the
drawing.
You love Darrell Court, Paulinew he
said, gently.
She raised her face TO his for a minute; the
1eud between them was forgotten. She only
remembered that he was a Darrell, and she
his nearest of kin.
VI do love it, uncle" she said, Gas pilgrims
love their favorite shrine. 1t is the home Of
beauty, of romance, the cradle Of heroes;
every stone is cOnsecrated by a legend. Love
Is a weak word for what | feel"
lie looked at the glowing face, and for n
few moments a doubt assailed him as to
whether he had done right in depriying this
true Darrell of her inheritance.
But, Pauline" he said, slowly, 'you
would never have
She sprang from her seat with a ~quickness
that almost startled him. She had forgotten
all that had happened; but now it all return
ed to her with a bitter pang that could not
be controlled.
FLUSH, Sir Oswald!' she cried, interrupt
Ing him; lit is too late for us to talk about
Darrell Court now. Pray do not misunder-
stand me; | was only expressing my belief"
She bent down to take up her drawing
materials.
81 do not misunderstood you, child" he
said, sadly. you love it because it is the
home Of a race you love and not for its mere
worth in money"
Her dark eyes seemed to flash with fire;
the glorious face had never softened so be-
fore.
"You speak truly" she said; that is ex-
actly what 1 mean"
Then she went away, liking Sir Oswald
better than she had ever liked him in her life
before. He looked after her half sadly.
"a glorious grip he said to himself; "a
true Darrell! hope l have not made a mis-
take"
Lady Darrell made no complaint to her
husband OF Pauline; the girl gave her no
tangible cause OF complaint. She could not
complain TO Sir Oswald that Pauline's eyes
always rested on her with a scornful glance,
half-humorouS, ~half-mocking. She could
not complain of that strange power Miss Oar
rell exercised OF making her always 'feel so
small" She would gladly have made friends
with Miss Darrell; she had no idea of keep
ing up any species of warfare; but Pauline
resisted all her advances. Lady Darrell had
q strange kind of half-fear, which made her
ever anxious to conciliate.
She remarked to herself how firm and
steadfast Pauline was: there was no weak
ness no cowardice in her character; she was
strong, self-reliant; and, discerning that,
Lady Darrell asked herself often. ''What
VIII Pauline's vengeance be?"
The question puzzled her far more than
she would have cared to own. What shane
would her vengeance assume? What could
she do to avoid it? When would it oyertake
her?
Then she would laugh at herself. What
was there to fear In the wlldly-uttered, da-
matte threats of a helpless girl? Could she
take her husband from her? No; it was not
In any human power to do that. Could She
AXE her wealth, title, position, from her?
No; thai was impossible. Could she make
her unhappy? No., again; that did not seem
% be In her power, Lady Darrell would try