Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1898-02-19

' uth ~ iNul ndiNAIlE VI = AOu IiOnt WHO
VIII prove, should say, q treasure"
Sir Oswald bowed, and madame contin-
ued:
Miss Hasiings-Miss Agnes Hastings
has been for the last six years finishing gov
erness at Lady Castledine's, and her two
pupils make their debut this year; so that
there is no longer any occasion for her ser.
vices"
And you think she would be fitted, mad
anne, TO occupy the position for which 1 re-
quire a lady OF talent and refnement?'
II am quite sure OF it, replied madame.
miss Hastings Is thirty years of age. She
is highly accomplished, and her manAers are
exceedingly lady-like. She is a person OF
great refinement; moreover, she has had
great experience with young girls. | do not
think, Sir Oswald. that you could do better"
as the lady here? Can | see her?'
Madame Selini rang, and desired the little
page 10 ask Miss Hastings to come TO her.
IN few minutes an elegant, well-dressed
lady entered the room. She advanced with
q quie. grace and dignity that seemed nat
IRA. to her; there was not the slightest trace
OF awkwardness or mdup6ts h0nte in her
manner.
Madame Selini introduced her TO Sir o.
valid Darrell.
Il will leave you" she said, ''to discuss
your private arrangements
Madame quilted the room with gliding,
subtle grace. and then Sir Oswald, in his
courtly fashion, placed a chair for Miss Hast
ings. He looked at the pale, clearcut face
for a few minutes In silence, as though he
were at a loss what TO say, and then he COM
menced suddenly:
II suppose Madame Selini has told you
what | want, Miss Hasting.?"
Yes" was the quiet reply; "your niece
has been negiected-you want some one 70
take the entire superintendent OF her"
Neglected. exclaimed Sir Oswald. MY
dear madame, that is mild word, which
does not express the dreadful reality. I wish
to disguise nothing from you, ! assure ysu-
she literally hor1tes me-"
Miss Hastings smiled.
"Aegiec,sar - he r-epe~t~d-.ths siri 4. .
savsge-a splendid ~sETage-nothing more
nor less"
Has she not received any kind Of train
ing, then, Sir 0swald?'
Training! Ny dear madame, can you
imagine what a wild vine is--a vine that has
never been cultivated or pruI.ed, but allowed
TO grow wild in all its natural beauty and
strength, TO cling where it would, 10 trail on
the ground and TO twine round forest trees?
Such a vine b a nit type Of my niece
Miss Hastings looked slightly bewildered.
Here was a very different pupil from the ele-
CANT graceful daughters Of Lady Castledine.
n shoald, perhaps" continued Sir o.
wald, explain to you the peculiar position
that my niece, Miss Pauline Darrell, has oc-
cupied."
His grand old face flushed, and his stately
head was bowed, as though ONE of the
memories that swept over him were not free
from shame; and then, with a little gesture
of his white hand, on which shone a large
diamond ring, he said:
'There is no need for me TO tell you, Miss
Hastings, that the Darrells are n OF the
Oldest families in England-ancient, honor
able, and i must confess, p~Ioud-very proud
Ny father, the late Sir Hildebert Darrell,
was, i should say, one OF the proudest and
most reserved OF men. He had but two
children, myself and a daughter twelve years
younger-my sister Felicia. / was educated
abroad. 1t was one OF my fathers fancies
that ! should see many lands, that ! should
study men and women before settling down
to my right position In the world; so that /
knew but little OF my sister Felicia. She was
a child when l left home-the tragedy OF her
life had happened before l returned"
Again q great rush of color came over the
pale aristocratie face.
Il must apologize, Miss Hastings, for
xrnn with ithaca Aatata hnt nnlaaa
you understand them you will not under
stand my niece. l cannot tell you how IL
happened, but 1t did so happen that while
I Was away my sister disyraced herself: she
left home with a French artist, whom Sir
Hildebert had engaged TO r~enovate some
choice and costly pictures at Darrell Court
How it came about l cannot say-perhaps
there were excuses for her. She may have
found home very dull-my father was harsh
and cold, and her mother was dead. 1t may
be that when the young artist told her Of
warm love in sunny lands she was tempted,
poor child, 10 leave the patemal root
MY fathers wrath was terrible; he pur-
sued Julian L'Estrange with unreienting
fury. | believe the ma would have been q
successful artist but for my father, who had
vowed 10 ruin him, and who never rested UNI
I'll he had done so-until he had reduced him
TO direst poverty-and then my sister appeal
ed for help, and my father refused to grant
II. lie would not allow her name to be men
toned among US; her portrait was destroyed;
everything belonging 70 her was vent away
from Darrell Court.
when i returned-in an interview that I
shall never forget-my father threatened me
not only with disinheritance, but with his
curse, II l made any attempt TO hold the least
communication with my sister. 1 do not
know that l Should nave obeyed him II l
could have found her, but 1 did not even
know what part of the world she was in.
She died, poor girl, and l have no doubt that
her death was greatly fastened by privation.
My father told me of her death, also that
she had left one daughter; he did more-he
wrote to Julian L'Estrange, and offered to
adopt his daughter ON the one condition that
he would consent never to see her OF hold
the least communication with her.
The reply was, as you may imagine, .
hrm refusal and a fierce drpunciation. In
the same letter came a note, written In 3
large. childish hand: +
81 love my papa. and ] do not love you. ]
will not come 10 live with yQp. You are Z
cruel man, and you helped 10 kill my dear
mamma.
at was q Characteristic little note, and was
signed Pauline L,Esuange." Ny fathers
snger on receiving IL was very great. con-