Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1898-02-19
VICTORY
BY BERTH NJ. CLAY.
CHAPTER I.
A GIRL wIfH A CHARACTER.

ure. Notwithstanding this prediction, the
agency prospered, and among Its patrons
We're many of the nobility.
One iine morning In May a carriage stop
ped before Madame Sellni's door, and from
II descended a handsome, aristocratic gentle
man, evidently OF the old school. There was
some little commotion in the interior of the
building, and then a foot-page appeared, to
whom Sir Oswald Darrell-for that was the
gentleman's name-gave his card.
u am here by appointment" he said, ITO
see Madame Selini."
He was ushcred into a handsomely furnish
ed room, where, In q few minutes, he was
Joined by Madame Selini herself-a quick,
bright Frenchwoman, whose dark eyes seem
ed to embrace everything in their compre-
hensive glanse. Sir Oswald bowed with
stately courtesy and quaint, old-fashioned
grace.
Have you been so fortunate, madame, as
to find that which | am in search ofY" he in
qulred.
~ think you will be pleased, Sir Oswald
nay, l am sure you will" answered the lady.
~ have q lady waiting to see you now, who
Will prove, should say, a treasure"
Sir Oswald bowed, and madame contin-
ued:
miss Hastings--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 refnementp'
II am quite sure Of IT," replied madame.
miss Hastings is thirty years Of age. She
Is highly accomplished, and her II are
exceedingly lady-llke. She is q person of
great refinement; moreover, she has had
great experience with young girls. l do not
think, Sir Oswald, that you could do better"
us the lady here? Can l see her?'
Madame Selini rang, and desired the little
page to ask Miss Hastings to come to her.
In q few minutes all elegant, well-dressed
lady entered the room. She advanced with
a quiet grace and dignity that seemed nat
ural to her; there was not the slightest trace
OF awkwardnesS or mdtudts honte in her
manner.
Madame Selini introduced her TO Sir Os-
valid Darrell.
l. WIZ iVdNG YOU, BIC Sdlu, 10 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, clear-cut 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 l want, Miss Hastings?'
Yes" was the quiet reply; "your niece
has been ne~glected-you want some one to
take the entire superintendent of her."
Neglected. exclaimed Sir Oswald. my
dear madame, that is a mild word, which
does not express the dreadful reality. I wish
to disguise nothing from you, / assure ysu-
she literally hOrl1fes me-"
Miss Hastings smiled.
Neglected. he repeated-'the girl Is q
savage-a splendid ~sEtage-nothing more
nor less"
HAS she not received any kind of train
ing, then, Sir OswaldY'
Training! My dear madame, can you
imagine what a wild vine is--a vine that has
never been cultivated or pruLed, but allowed
TO grow wild in all its natural beauty and
strength, to cling where it would, to trail on
the ground and to Irvine round forest treesi
Such a vine " a fit type of my niece"
Miss Hastings looked slightly bewildered,
Here was a very different pupil from the ele'
CANT, graceful daughters Of Lady Castledine
~ shoald, perhaps" continued Sir Os.
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 some 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 one of the
Oldest families in England-ancient, honor
able, and l must confess, proud-very proud.
My father, the late Sir Hildebert Darrell,
was, l 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. l was educated
abroad. 1t was one Of my fathers fancies
that / should see many lands, that l 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 / returned"
Again q great rush of color came over the
pale aristocratic face.
II must apologize, Miss Hastings, fol
troubling you with these details, but unless
you understand them you will not under.
Stand INV niaoa oanpDt tall 80, bzx, "a
happened, but it did so happen that while
l was away my sister disgraced herself; she
left home with a French artist, whom Sil
Hildebert had engaged to renovate some
choice and costly pictures at Darrell Court
How 1t 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, to leave the paternal root.
my fathers wrath was terrible; he pur
sued Julian L'Estrange with u~nrelentine
fury. / believe the man would have been 8
successful artist but for my father, who haC
vowed 10 ruin him, and who never rested un
til he had done so-until he had reduced hin
to direst poverty--and then my sister appeal
ed for help, and my father refused to gran
it. He would not allow her name to be men
toned among us; her portrait was DESTROYED
everything belonging to her was sent away
from Darrell Court.
when ! re~turned-in an interview that
shall never forget-my father threatened me
not only with disinheritance, but with hi
curse, II / made any attempt to hold the leas'
communication with my sister. l do no
know that l Should have obeyed him If
could have found her, but / did not ever
know what part of the world she was in
She died, poor girl, and / have no doubt thai
her death was greatly fastened by privation.
My father told me of her death, also tina
she had left one daughter; he did more-h hi
wrote to Julian L'Estrange, and offered t.
adopt his daughter on the one condition tha-