Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1898-12-24
WIN HE'S TRlU MPH
BIZ THE AUTHOR OF FAIRY GOLD"

NaO" IL dnltnlUR ~ yne
matter. This dreadful storm has awoks
you also, I perceive" said Winnie, kindly
vor."
"Ah, Ctel, n'est-cc pas terrible, mann.
seues' the woman cried, clasping her
nands. Il nave been praying Que lc bon
Deu cut ptte. lie u.,y., lao .ss
what you call full of the terreur; and we
were praying a notre Setgne that the
tempest might soon finish"
Pray on, then" said Winnie, gently.
Heaven always hears believing prayers.
But the child-he would be better asleep,
I think; or shall l take him to his mother
for a little while"
"Le petit dnge" looked decidedly unprc-
pared for rest or repose, as he kicked and
wriggled himself from beneath the bed
clothes, looking as IL he had made up his
mind to endure this sort Of thing no long
er.
docs milddt have the wish for the
child, mam'sellei" the nurse inquired, in
doubtful establishment, trying to restrain
her "bebe," her petit dnge," from fling
ing himself head foremost on the floor.
"Oh, / think she would; he would cheer
her up" said simple Winnie, who thought
that the presence of a little child must be
a panacea foc every distress of a mothers
breast.
Had mam'selle not better make the in.
quiry Of mtlddi7" persisted the nurse.
'Mtddt does not Of usual permit lc cher
petit to remain in her boudoir."
VERY WELL" said Winnie, leaving "the
little angel stamping and bowling at not
being permitted to follow her.
1.-THE child!" cried Lady Mountrevor,
raising her head in displeased surprise.
"Why on earth should l trouble myself
with a cross, screaming child, Miss Caer.
lyong i presume that this nurse and my
own maid are sufficient attendants for the
young gentleman without me-"
"Oh, ] asked only because I thought he
might cheer you and distract nervous
b%rooding feelings" said Winnie, feeling
again that stunned sensation of pity and
surprise at the lack of maternal tender
ness that seemed so unnatural to her.
"You have unfortunately mistaken me
for a very domestic character, | fear, Miss
Caerlyon," her ladyship observed, coldly.
~ suppose you are astonished because !
do not delight in devoting myself to the
amateur nursing of Lord MounSrevor's
heirp Are you nott" she persisted, as
Winnie, shocked and distressed, remained
silent.
II thought that q mother always liked
TO have her child with her." she said, at
length.
"Well, then, in that case | am different
from all other mothers" Lady Mountre.
vor retorted, recklessly. II never wished
TO have a child never wished to see him
when he was born-l never cared for him
he never cared for me-never Willingly
should the child2 He'll hate me when he
grows up, and wish me dead for the sake
Of my jointure income"
Lady Mountrevor, you cannot mean
what you say!'
II do mean it," she cried, p~assionately
"Let me speak, or / shall 60 mad tonight!
Let me speak; / can trust you'll am sure
lean. Stephen said that you were to be
trusted-poor, dear Stephen! / must get
relief from all these maddening thoughts.
/ think / am delirious. Give me that
draught, Winnie; there are such memories
surging through my brain-such fancies-
such wild ~fancies! Winnie Caerlyon, may
i trust you!' she asked, catching eagerly
at her hand. Can ! trust you to hear
and see and be silent--for Stephen Tired
ennick's sake, If not for mine--to be silent
hereafter and always-never to say that
you once saw her ladyship, Mildred
Mountrevor, transformed into a mad wo
MANI" she said, with a harsh, bitter laugh
IF / were base enough not to be silen'
for your w sake now and for ever, Lady
Mountrevor," answered Winnie, quietly
''there would be little use in requesting
my discretion for Captain Tredennick's
sake. / have unfortunately been the
aaacS . arousing painful Renaissance.
n uncomfortable feelings more thar
once during the past evening"" she pur
sued, gently and soothingly, to the woman
whom, as she believed, Stephen Treden
nick had loved best on earth-"let me tr,
to Danish them"
"Banlsn themy How you talkI All
Winnie, you cannot Danish themv' Lad,
Mildred moaned drearily. "You could not
unless you could give me the past owe,
a~gain-unless you could raise the dead and
give them 10 me once mOre!"
"The deadY' repeated Winnie, sadly.
1.-THE dead" Lady Mountrevor returned
and Winnie saw the proud head bowed
In neutrality-suspicious. she was the only one
who had so seen it since Mildred's child
hood, the dead looking at me from the
white faces OF those roses over there, the
dead presence surrounding me in their
perfume, and the burial of the dead whom
l loved and lost sounding in my ears in
the mufied tramp Of that Dead March, y
1T is 80 stranger Winnie Caerlyon
whispered, and a cold, magnetic thrill OF
some impending terror or surprise chilled
her blood, while her voice was almost
drowned In the noises of the storm.
mo, it is not strange" Lady Mildred
said; lit is not strange at all. Death is
abroad tonight, Winnie, and the spirits OF
our dead may be nearer to us than we Inn
agine. You spoke of it, too"
"Of WHAT" asked Winnie, trembling
little, rs she drew nearer to Lady Mil
dred's side.
"Of someone you had lost--of a lonely
grave in a foreign land. The white roses
reminded you as well as me-"
"Ah, yes" said Winnie, willing to
change the dreary current of the unhappy
young lady's thoughts by some slight var
iation in the conversation; "but then II
was not one whom / had known and loved
or who cared for me. 1t was a strangers
grave, dear lady Mildred-a young Eng
hsh stranger, who was buried in an ole
cemetery in Winston, where 1 lived.
could not help going to his funeral, for
was an English stranger, too. / felt as Il
I had lost a friend, though I had never
seen him, poor young fellow; and l put OF
mourning, and went and laid a few spray
of white roses on his coffin. / can nevel
look at them now-never smell their per
fume-without thinking of the poor younl
soldiers funeral IN that lovely summer
morning, and seeing the white flowers
around the name plate as they laid hin
down in his lonely grave. Poor yount
Albert Gardineri''
"Whatp" The word broke in q shril
hoarse cry from Lady Mountrevor's whit,
parched lips.
A1hArf Ear1tpar-o ~ avalon 4.