Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1898-10-15

be my late TO see my hitherto highly-es-
teemed relative, who gravcly reprOved my
delinquencies when | was young, and
gravely admOnishcd mo rs to the way in
which / should 60 when | grew old, brand
ell as n gay s~ea-rOver by the highly respect
able and scandal-loving inhabitants of the
parish of st. Awen!'
you need not talk such utter nonsense
if you must jest" said Stephen Treden-
nick, shortly.
There was not another man on earth
who would have dared to address that
silken-robed, beautiful young woman in
such a manner; but Stephen Tredennick
always spoke rs he felt to his coasin Mil
dred, and Mildred liked him as she liked
none other on earth-save one. That one
she loycd-and Mildred T~rcdennick's love
was a feeling very different from liking.
ut is not utter nonsense by any means,
but particularly good sense, rs you may
find out" Mildred returned, iestingly
still, but with a certain weight of meaning
in her tones.
and ! thought you cared more for me-"
Captain Tredennick remarked, quietly
and reprOaChfully, ethan to allow vulgar
gossip, in your hearing, to tamper with my
name-nOt 70 mention the poor innocent
little girl's-in that absurd and improbable
manner"
you tempered with it yourself before
| ever heard the girls name mentioned, or
entered the clustered seclusion of Rose
worthy, " retorted Mildred, sharply. one
could wager with far greater certainty on
the event of n bright, mild, sunshiny
spring morning than on Miss Tredennjck's
mood for half IN hour together.
The mcerschaum was roughly pushed
aside now.
standing out larkly in ~relief-"I, MildredH
How, pray?N~E
Through that fur Jacket, l believe"
Mildred responded, briefly.
Her cousin looked both excited and SER
iOusly disturbed and angry. She was a
little afraid of provoking him much fur
ther; but the temptation TO tease was ire.
sistible with the tyrannical young lady
besides, after all, what could this poor lit
tie Winnie Caerlyon be to him?
THAT fur jacket, concerning which ]
have heard such sensational accounts
why did you give it to her, Stephen"
"The-fur-jacket," stephen Trcdennick
repeated, in the slow utterance of mingled
establishment and Internationally did
! give it TO her? Because / chose to do so,
and had the money in my pocket, 1 sup
pose"
very likely" Mildred replied. She was
enjoying herself eXcessively-reciting in
full to the very person most concerned the
real cause which her aunt would have alb
s~Olutely ignored and dcnied-of Madam's
decision TO rid herself Of her poor little
companion. Madam Vivian would not on
any account have allowed Stephen Tired
ennick to discover that she had had the
slightest apprehension with regard to poor
Winnie Caerlyon's dangerous attractive
ness. Mildred had, of course, discovered
this, along with others of her astute aunt's
secret purposes and desires: as a bold, true,
single-hearted nature will often discover
the craftiest policy of a World -hampered
brain at a single effort-she had q score on
her own account likewise to pay off, and
dutifully delighted in the thought of Mad
ANS discontinue. Very likely" she re-
peated, laughing, but / have heard of
fatal gifts before now, Captain Treden-
nick. Dejanira's poisoned garment may
have been pretty enough-doubtless as
pretty as that beautiful sealskin jacket l
have heard so much of-but you know
what Dejanira's gift did for poor Her.
cules."
Between TIE terrible allusion to "pois-
oned garments" the sarcastic blame i'm
piled in his cousins manner, and the at
tack upon his neurological m
Stephen Tredennick felt quite ovc,-
whelmed.
why, Mildred, what harm was itP Did
Twas it wrong'" he stammered. Il
thought l might give a young lady-a girl
of her age-a presents little gift for a
keepsake. II is not unusual, / thinks Was
IL wrongi What harm was it, Miller I