Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1898-05-07
CHAPTER XXIV.


The way in which the girl supported her
disappointment was lofty in the extreme.
She bore her defeat as proudly as some would
have borne a victory. No one could have told
from her face or her manner that She had
suffered a g~rievous defeat. When she allud-
ed to the change in her position, it was with
a certain proud humility that had in it moth
ing approaching meanness OF envy.
1t did not seem that she felt the money
loss; it was not the disappointment about
mere wealth and luxury. 1t was rather an
unbOunded distress that she had been set
aside a. unworthy to represent the race OF
the Dlrrells-that she n real" Darrell, had
been forced to make way for what, in her
own mind, she called q "baby-faced stran-
ger"-that her training and education, OH
which her dear father had pridcd himself,
should be cast in her face as unworthy and
deserving of reproach. lie and his artist
friends had thought her perfection; that
very perfection" on which they had prided
themselves, and for which they had SO prais-
ed and fattered her, was the barrier that had
stood between her and her inheritance.
1t was a painful position, but her manner
of bearing il was exalted. She had not been
a fayorite-the pride, the truth, the indie
pendence of her nature had forbidden that.
She had not sought the liking of strangers,
nor courted their esteem; she had not been
sweet and womanly, weeping with those
who wept, and rejoicing with those who re.
joiced; she had looked around her with a
Scorn for cOnventionalities that had not sat
well upon one 50 yOung-and 10Y she was
to pay the penalty for all this. She knew
that people talked about her-that they said
she was rightly punished, Justly treated
that it was q blessing for the whole county
to have a proper Lady Darrell at Dlrrell
Court. She knew that among all the crowds
who came to the Court there was not one
who sympathized with her, or who cared in
the least for her disappointment. No Darrell
ever showed greater bravery than she did in
her manner Of bearing up under disappoint.
ment. Whatever she felt or thought was
most adroitly concealed. The Spartan boy
was not Drawer: she gave no sign. No hui
initiation seemed to touch her, she carried
herself loftily; nor could any one humiliate
her when she did not humiliate herself.
Even Sir Oswald admired her.
"She is a true Darrell" he said to Miss
Hastings; what a grand spirit the girl has,
TO be surer'
@'N ScuAb wac OWN OIiC StttlC VI SdyCI1.
Lady Darrell seemed determined to enjoy
her position. There Were garden parties at
which she appeared radiant in the most
charming costumes, balls where her elegance
and delicate beauty, her thoroughbred grace,
made her the queen; and of all this gayety
she took the lead. Sir Oswald lavished every
luxury upon her-her wishes were gratified
almost before they were expressed.
Lady Hampton, calling rather earlier than
usual one day, found her in her luxurious
dressing-room, surrounded by such treasures
of silk, velvet, lace, jewels, ornaments of
every description of the most costly and
valuable kind, that her ladyship looked
round in astonishment.
MY dearest Elinor," she said, "what are
you doing? What beautiful confusionr'
Lady Darrell raised her fair face, with a
delicate flush and q half-shy glance.
LOOK, aunt" she said, u am really over
whelmed,n