Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1898-02-12
Ter. and said. with a ouicx sigh


on herself.
"Will you think me weak, selfish, worth
less, IL ! cannot leave you without saying
how dearly / love youl To think how near
I came to calling you my wife; and now we
are but strangers to each other. Don't
you see how bitterly hard it WASP Oh! you
were right to break with me, IL you could
not love me. 1t would nave been misery
to us both II you could not have loved me.
But it was all utter despair at the time. To
think that you preferred poverty and the
desertion OF your relatives to me. and all !
could have given you then"
"Ah, Mr.. Waringl" cried Mona, covering
her face with her hands, scan you forgive
me?"
II do not reproach you," he returned.
81 was not worthy Of you, or I should not
have gone to the bad as l did, because !
was disappointed. But when / came back
to life from that terrible fever, | felt an
other man. / felt / had q duty to myself
that forbade this unmanly abandonment,
and ! have been stronger ever since. l
was even getting over the painful longing
for you. And now we have met, and | am
worse than ever! And you, you seem
sweeter than ever! feel as If I could not
leave you'll"
He pushed the chair from him, and came
TO stand beside her, his eyes full of love
and sorrow, his plain face beautifled by the
spirit that animated him.
The fire Of heaven seemed to Mona to
have descended on her heart, and filed il
with Joy u~nspeakable. She let her hands
drop, and, quivering from head to foot, she
almost whispered
"Then do not leave me-"
"Ah, Mona!" said Waring, drawing close
to her, do not tempt me to a renewal of
suffering! am too desperately in earnest
to be played with; and ! dare not hope that
you, who rejected mt when l could have
given you a life Of ease, would SHARE my
wild, uncouth home with me now. Sweet.
est. how DIE l hope!'
He drew her gently into his arms.
Take me with you" said Mona, raising
her eyes to his, and letting him read in
them more than words could say.
my darlingl it is more than 1 can be-
lieve! Mona, in our short engagement l
do not believe you ever gave mt q kiss. II
you will give yourself to me now put your
arms round my neck and kiss me Of your
owl free will"
There was an instant's hesitation, and
then her arms stole gently to his neck, and
her lips were pressed to the brown cheek
he bent to them, but for a second, before
his lips were on hers, clinging to them soft.
ly, ~passionately, as il he drew his souls
life from hat sweet mouth.
mo, not yet! I cannot let you 90 yet!
Tell me, when did you learn to love me?"
81 cannot tell, Leslie. / have never
been indifferent to you sincc-since l re.
fused to marry you; and when l saw you,
I soon began to think should like to atone
to you"
Then it 10 only pity, perhaps?" -
II do not know what IL is" said Mona,
with a sigh, as she rested her head against
his shoulder; II only know that you must
not leave me-"
And all this time of delicious torturev'
cried Waring, when / ruled myself with
a rod OF iron lest / should show you the
love that was burning my heart out, you
imposed upon me with iciness of mere
friendship. No man could have dreamed
that there was any warmth under such an
exterior"
How did you come to speak to me at
last'" asked Mona, with a smile.
1t was an inspiration, " said Warning. 81
do not know how many kisses you 1--WE MI
for the miserable moments l have had
here"
N more now, dear Leslie" she said,
In a low voice, her cheek growing pale,
her frame trembling, rs he drew her to
him.
mot oneY" he whispered, and he releas.
ed her, while his heart beat with the glori-
II consciousness that she loved as pas.
sionately as ]. did himself. 81 am afraid,
Mona" he resumed, after a delicious sill.
ence, that your uncle will not like to let
you come into the wilds with me. But the
place is not really bad; it has been cleared
for a considerable time, and"
Poor Uncle Sandy" she interrupted.
81 think he would be willing to give you
the best he had; and ] am by no means
sure he considers me that"
Needs must. He will miss you dread.
fully"
Then will be the opportunity to suggest
Mary as my successor"
Exactly. Shall / ask Kenneth to join
me in making n double demand? You are
the ruling spirit here"
That would be too much. But, pray,
speak to my uncle to-day. lie deserves tc
be told at once"
y
Dinner was got through somehow.
Both Kenneth and Mary instinctIvely felt
that something or other had taken place,
the former had a shrewd idea what.
About a couple of hours after the family
meal, a knock was heard ut the door of
Mona's room, where she had %intrenched
herself till the awful explanation with her
uncle had been accomplished.
Your uncle wants to speak to you,
Mona" said Waring.
ooh, Lesliel How is heP"
1.-The glass is at fair weather. Come
along"
Uncle Sandy was looking pale, and was
sitting unusually upright in his armchair
in the library when Mona, with down-cast
eyes, and the air Of a culprit, came in,
closely followed by Warning.
"Aweel," he said, in a solemn and some
what tremulous tone, II have been hearing
what the grandson o. my auld master has
to say. Moo, Mona, M BARN, are you
willing to TAX this mon to be your welded
~husband2"
II am, uncle" she said, softly and clear
ly.
IF ye are, name has a right to withstan'
you. l would be weel content IL We had
not to gaze sac far AVA; and I'll feel your
loss sair, but We maun follow the husband
you've chosen"
Dear uncle" said Mona, the tears hang.
ing on her long lashes, sit will grieve me,
too, to leave you; you have been a father
to me, and ! thank you"
She knelt beside him and kissed his thin
hand.
"An' a father I'll be to We, my lambie.
Mrs. Leslie, my niece, shall have ten
thoosan' pounds to her tocher; and it's
glad I'll be that some of my hard earnin's
go to the son of the hoose by which | earn
ed It. But I'll be a lonely mon when W
leave me-"