Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1898-05-21
CHAPTER XVIII.
7 For

w. ANNNf'
There was a slight, only a very slight diff
ference of opinion between Lady Darrell
and her aunt after the reading OF the will.
Lady Hampton would fsin have given up the
Elms, and have gone to live at Darrell Court.
"Sir 0swald's will is a very just one" she
said, Admirable in every respect; but l should
never dream, were / in your place, Elinor, of
keeping that proud girl here. Let her go. /
will come and live with you. shall make n
better chaperon than that poor, faded Miss
Hastings
But Lady Darrell was eager TO taste the
sweets Of power, and she knew how COM
pletely her aunt would take every vestige OF
ii from her.
She declared her intention to adhere most
strictly to the terms of the will.
And, aunt" she continued, with firmness
quite new to her, lit would be so much bet.
ter, ! think, for you to keep at the Elms.
People might make strange remarks if you
came here to live with me-"
Lady Hampton was shrewd enough to see
that she must abide by her niecc's decision.
The Captain was to remain only two days
at Darrell Court, and Lady Darrell was anx-
ious TO spend some little time with him.
~ ike the Captain, aunt" she said; she
amuses me-"
Lady Hampton remembered how she had
spoken of him before, and it wa not her in
tention that her beautiful niece should fling
away herself and her magnificent fortune on
Aubrey Langton.
"She Is sure to marry again" thought the
lady; land, lowered as she Is, she ought to
marry a duke, at least
She represented TO her that it was hardly
nti,,,atfn fnr bar On NNilpu, On NYnn,,n onl hnI,
loss being so recent, to entertain a handsome
young officer.
II do not see that the fact Of his being
handsome makes any difference, aunt" said
Lady Darrell; "still, if you think j must re-
main shut up in my room while the captain
is here, of course, | will remain so, though
it seems very hard"
appearances are everything" observed
Lady Hampton, sagely; 'and you cannot be
too careful at first"
Does he seem to pay Pauline any atten-
tom" asked the young widow, eagerly.
IL have never heard them exchange more
than q few w~ords-indeed the circumstance
has puzzled me, Elinor. ! have seen him
look at her as though he wOrshiped her and
as though he hated her. As for Miss Oar
rel, she seems to treat him with contemptu-
Gus indifference"
81 used to think he liked her,' said Lady
Darrell, musingly.
"He liked the future heiress of Darrell
Court rejoined Lady Hampton. "All his
love has gone with her prospects, you may
rely upon it."
Lady Darrell, brought up in a school that
would sacrifice even life itself for the sake
II aA. 49,. r..
her enforced retirement. She remained in
her rooms until the young officer had left
the Court.
Lady Hampton was not the only one who
felt puzzled at Pauline's behavior to the cap
tain, Miss Hastings, who understood her
pupil perhaps better than any one, was puz-
zled. There was somewhat Of q calm, unut-
terable contempt in her manner Of treating
him. He could not provoke her; III matter
what he said, she would not be provoked in
to retort. She never appeared to remember
his existence; no one could have been more
completely ignored; and Captain Langton
himself was but too cognizant of the fact. If
he could have but piqued or aroused her,
have stung her into some exhibition Of feel
ing, he would have been content; but no
statue could have been colder, no queen
prOuder. If any little attention was required
at her hands she paid it, but there was no
denying the fact that it was rendered in such
a manner that the omission would have been
preferable.
On the evening of his departure Lady
Hampton went down to wish him farewell;
she conveyed to him Lady Darrells regret
at not being able TO do the same.
Il am very sorry" said the captain;
though, Of course, under the circumstances,
| could hardly hope for the pleasure of see
ing Lady Darrell. Perhaps you will tell her
that in the autumn, with her permission, |
shall hope TO revisit the Court"
Lady Hampton said to herself that she
should take no such message The dearest
wish of her heart was that the gallant cap
tain should never be seen there again. But
she made some gracious reply, and then ask
ed, suddenly:
"Have you seen Miss Darrell? Have you
said good-by to her?'
Aubrey Langton looked slightly confused.
IL have not seen her to-day" he replied.
Lady Hampton smiled very graciously.
IL will send for her" she said; and when.
In answer to her summons, a servant enter
ed, she asked that Miss Darrell might be re-
quested to favor her with her presence in the
library. 1t did not escape her keen obserya-
ton that Captain Langton would rather
have avoided the interview.
Pauline entered with the naughty grace
SO natural to her; her proud eyes never once
glanced at the captain; he was no more TO
her than the very furniture in the room.
"You wished to see me, Lady Hampton"
she said, curtly.
"ies-that is, Captain Langton wishes to
say gOod-by to you; he is leaving Darrell
Court this morning"
There was the least possible curl of the
short upper lip. Lady Hampton happened
to catch the glance bestowed upon Pauline
by their visitor. For q moment it startled
her-it revealed at once such hopeless pas
sionate love and such strong passionate hate.
Pauline made no reply; the queenly young
figure was drawn up to its full height, the
thoughtful face was full Of scorn. The cap
tain concealed his embarrassment as he best
could, and went up to her with outstretched
hands.
"Good-by, Miss Darrell" he said: 'thjs
has been a very sad time for you, and | deep
ly ~sympathize with you. l hope to see you
again in the autumn, looking better-more
like yourself"
Lady Hampton was wont TO declare that
the scene wa one of the finest she had ever