Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1898-11-12

she resumed, complainingly. II always
treated her like q lady, and required my
servants to do SO, too. Winnie treated me
very i'll, / think"
Possibly" observed the other, in the
same cool measured way; "there is no such
thing as gratitude to be found, you know.
don't see why you should trouble your
self to remember a young person who
was so forgetful of your extraordinary
benefits. She was designing, and forget
full of her humble station. too, you recol-
lect.''
II don't recollect anything of the kind!'
Madam retorted, the cold measured voice,
the bafbed, knocking, polite assurances
seeming to goad her. 81 am well aware
that there is 10 such thing rs gratitude
to be found-your ladyship has no need to
remind me of it; but | don't believe poor
little Winnie was anything worse Than a
foolish, simple-hearted child; and, If l had
advised her in kindness and confidence, l
believe there would have been an end OF
it. She was always a truthful, honorable
little girl"
Madam had wiped away three or four
angry tears while she ~spokc-seven years
before her nerves would not have been so
easily shaken. But neither tears nor an.
ger seemed to rufle the composed face and
smile and voice of the 'ladyship'' she ad.
dressed.
But there was another person in the
case, / UNDERSTOOD she persisted. smil.
ingly, lying back in her chair 10 face Mad.
am, more directly, and tanning herself
slowly; "and there might not AVE been an
end of it in the way you would have
wished, Madam. 1t was much the better
plan to dismiss her-send her packing, as
housekeepers say. She is safely gone now
never to return"
"Madam's eyes shot a quick flash Of in.
~dignation, and her lips parted; but n Sec
ond glance at the calm, naughty face, the
mocking smile playingabout the downcast
eyelids and sharply-cut lips, the indoleut
repoSe of the figure and the play of the
fan, stopped the indignant reproof trem,
bling on her lips. She turned her head
away, and gazed unsteadily at the fire for
a few moments; then she half turned round
and addressed her companion with an at.
tempt at composurc and indifference that
was rather n failure.
did you tell me hat you had heard
from Lord Henry this morning."
YES the lady replied, arching her eve.
brows slightly. in "A tone the perfection OF
indifference; 'and. as you have reminded
me of domestic relations, / had better
look after Lord IIenry's heir though
]Jeanneton decidedly ignores any claims OF
directions of mine with reference to her
spoiled pet"
There vas n subducd gliding rustic rs
the heavy silken folds of n train OF lus-
trous dark blue swept softly over the car.
pet, and the tall, imperially-mouldcd fig,
ure of the wearcr passed on through the
doorway, and Madam was left alone.
Eyes, gone-gOne, never 10 return she
muttered, half aloud, shaking her head;
and the brilliant freight shone on a very
lined and sad old face.
Despite the silvery curls, the careful
head-dress, the silks and laces and dia.
mond rings-yes, even the dainty kid, TO
setted. gold-buCklcd shoes us of yore-
Madam Vivian looked an old, weary, sor-
rowful, lonely woman, as she sat there in
the luxurious green drawing room, in the
restless glow and blaze of the freight
and the steady, clear luminousness of hel
f~avorite waX-lights, listening to the steady
roll and crash Of the waves out by the
Black Reef of Trcgarthen Head, rs she
had lone these many, manY years alone.
Continued Next Week.