Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1898-04-09
LOVES VICTORY
BY BERTHA M. CLAY.

was something wistful in their expression.
"Oh, aunt" she said, IL like the captain so
much betterv'
Lady Hampton did not lose her good hui
mor-Elinor was not the first refractory girl
she had brought to her senses.
"Never mind about liking the captain. my
dear; that Is only natural. He is not in love
with you. l can see through the whole bust.
ness. Ii Darrell Court goes to Miss Darrell,
he will marry her. He can marry no girl
without money, because he is, / know, over
head and ears in debt. Major Penryn was
speaking of him to-day. The only way to
prevent his marriage with Miss Darrell is for
you to take Sir Oswald yourself."
Elinor's face flushed.
Lady Hampton certainly understood the
art of evoking the worst feelings. Jealousy,
envy, and dislike stirred family in the gentle
heart Of her niece.
Il hope you will do your very best to win
Sir Oswald's affections" continued Lady
Hampton, 'for / should not like to see Oar
rell Court fall into the hands Of that proud
girl"
Nor should l." assented Miss Rocheford.
The evening Of the ball arrived at last, and
Lady Hampton stood like a fairy godmother
in ElinOr's dressing-room, experimenting
the toilet that was TO work such wonders.
Lady Hampton herself looked very imposing
in her handsome dress of black velvet and
point lace, with diamond ornaments. Eli
nor's dress was q triumph Of art. Her fresh,
fair, gentle loneliness shone to perfection,
aided by her elaborate costume of white silk
and white lace, trimmed with green and sill
yer leaves. The ornaments were all of sill
ver-both fringe and leaves; the ~head-dress
was a green wreath with silver flowers.
Nothing could have been more elegant and
effective. There was a gentle flush on the
fair face and a light in the blue eyes.
THAT will do, Elinor." said Lady Hamp.
ton, complacently. "Your dress is perfec-
ton. i have no fear now-you will have no
rival"
Perhaps Lady Hampton had never dislik-
ed Pauline Darrell more than on that night,
for the magnificent beauty of the girl had
never been so apparent. Sir Oswald had
given his niece carte blanche in respect to
preparation for the ball, but she had not at
first taken sufficient interest in the matter to
send to London, as he wished, for q dress.
Later on she had gone to the large wardrobe,
where the treasures accumulated by the
Ladies Darrell lay. Such shining treasures
of satin, velvet, silk, cashmere, and such
liOl VI Nllid vi llblllNlllS NNlVl llClC.
She selected a superb cOStume-a magnifi-
cent amber brocade, embroidered with white
flowers, gorgeous, beautiful, artistic. 1t was
a dress that had been made for some former
Lady Darrell.
How well it became her! The amber set
of her dark beauty as a golden frame does a
rich picture. The dress required but little
alteration; it was cut square, showing the
,,yhsta gt,Nn1,. .n,aF ,,aalr nal Ia .tan,vN
hung after the Grecian fashion, leaving the
round white arms bare. The light shining
upon the dress changed with every move.
ment; it was as though the girl was enyelop.
ed in sunbeams. Every lady present envied
that dress, and pronounced it to be gorgeous
beyond comparison.
Paullne's rich curls of dark hair were stud
ded with diamond stars, and n diamond
necklace clasped her white throat-this was
Sir Oswald's present. Her artistic taste had
found yet further scope; for she had en-
HANGED the beauty of her dress by the addi-
ton OF white daphnes shrouded in green
leaves.
Sir Oswald looked at her In admiration
her magnificent beauty, her queenly figure,
her royal grace and ease of movement, her
splendid &C stume, all impressed him. From
every fold Of her shining dress came q rich,
sweet, subtle perfume; her usually pale face
had on it an unwOnted flush of delicate rose
leaf color.
IF she would but be like that sweet Eli
mort" thought Sir Oswald, 81 could not wish
for a more beautiful mistress for Darrell
Court"
She stood by his side while he received his
guests, and her digniied ease delighted him.
Had she been some Eastern qucen,' he
thought, cher eccentricities would have hurt
no one. AS it is" and Sir Oswald con.
cluded his sentence by a grave shake Of the
head.
The captain, pleased with Miss Roche
ford's graceful loneliness, had been amusing
himself by paying her some very choice com
pliments, and she was delighted with them
IF Sir Oswald were only like himr she
thought; and Aubrey Langton, meeting the
tlmid, gentle glance, said to himself that he
must be careful-he had no wish to win the
girls heart-he should be quite at a loss to
know what to do with it.
When he saw Pauline his courage almost
failed him.
"How am l to ask that magnificent girl to
marry me?" he said.
Sir Oswald had expressed a wish that Au-
brey and Pauline would open the ball: il
would give people an idea of what he wish
ed, he thought, and prevent other gentlemen
from turning her head by paying her any
marked attention. Yet he knew how diff
cult 1t would be for any one to win Pauline's
regard. She made no objection when he ex-
pressed his wish to her, but she did not look
particularly pleased.
Captain Langton understood the art of
dancing better perhaps than the art of war;
he was perfect in it-even Pauline avowed
1t. With him dancing was the very poetry
OF motion. The flowers, the lights, the sweet,
soft music, the ~fragance, the silvery sound of
laughter, the fair faces and shining Jewels
OF the ladies, all stirred and warmed Pau
lines imagination; they brought bright and
vivid fancies to her, and touched the poetical
beauty-loving soul. A glow came over her
face, a light into her proud, dark eyes, her
lips were wreathed In smiles-no one had
ever seen Pauline so beautiful before.
you enjoy this, do you not?' said Aubrey
Langton as he watched her beautiful face.
II Shall do So" she replied, ''very much
indeed" and at what those words implied
the captains courage fell to zero.
lie saw how many admiring eyes followed
her; he knew that all the gentlemen in the
room were envying him in his position with
Miss Darrell. lie knew that, pretty as some
OF the girls were, Pauline outshone them as
the sun outshines the stars; and he knew
that she was queen of the fete-queen of the
ball.
This is the first time you have met many
OF the county people, is it not?' he asked.
She looked round indifferently.
Yes, 1t Is the first time" she replied.
DO you admire any of the men? / know
how different your taste is from that of most
girls. Is there any one here who has pleased
your'
She laughed.
II cannot scll," she answered; you forgeI
this is the first dance. l have had no oppor-
tunity OF Judging"