Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1898-01-15
NONA'S CHOICE.
By MRS.

hilliiASly hiSbiNSotu. Il ltdlSu Il lulRuI III
tome measure"
mo, mol" he interrupted. Il see what
Fou mean. 1t is the thought of a kind
leart; but you are in no way responsible.
, ought TO have been mar enough to do
light for rights sake. No o. is to blame
)ut myself. ! let that passion for gaming,
which | confessed to you once" he sighed,
quickly, quite overmaster me; in fact, it
vas a bad bit of my life just before that
lay / met you in Kensington High Street,
walking with young Macalister. Then l
lad a severe attack of fever. / was all but
zone. II ] had been of any value to any.
me, / should have died, no doubt. After
hat / came to my right mind, and determ-
ned to do what | could with the remains
If my fortune. In so doing ] lost more.
Then | fell IN with my present partner,
and threw in m lot with his. The life is
healthy and rather suits me. shall stick
70 it, and, perhaps, make something OF 1t.
Do you know, it quite cheers mt up to feel
friends and all right with you, at any rate
'or the few hours ] shall remain; and even
after, though probably, we may never
meet again, you'll give me a kind thought,
and a good wish sometimes"
IL always thought kindly Of you," said
Mona, gently, while she felt the tears In
ler eyes. "You deserve so much from me!
Yes, it is very nice to be good friends; and
you must tell me all about your life in the
Hilds."
81 beg your pardon!' cried Kenneth,
bursting into the room; "but | could not
get away before. Come, we have lost too
Much time already"
.IIkTan1l $500. oa,.sn 49,, ....l ,.,s1
asked Warning. "If she can walk so far.
It is a fine morning. What do you say,
Miss Craig"
Il should like to come very much," said
Mona, frankly. She felt delightedly at
home and at ease once more. II must asa
Uncle Sandy If he can spare me; and l ear
turn back when have gone far enough, so
rs not to impede your progress"
She went swiftly away to seek her uncle.
Warning walked to the window, and stood
with folded arms in deepest thought, quite
oblivious that Kenneth was talking to him.
But Mona soon returned to announce
that she had permission TO absent herself,
and in Il few minutes the trio were climb
.ng the hillside to gain the upper road by
4 short cut.
1t was a very delightful expedition.
Warning said the scenery surpassed all he
had ever seen before for beauty, though he
might have met with grander views. They
found endless subjects for conversation,
and when Mona proposed to leave them,
both gentlemen decided that they would
return with her, as it would be impolite
not TO return in time for dinner.
Mona was surprised at her own light
neartedness, at the delightful sense Of har-
mony which soothed her spirit after her
short confidential talk with Warning. How
generous he was in generating her from
all blame! How glad she was to be on
frank, friendly terms with him! 1t was
evident he had quite got over his old fancy
for her, so they could enjoy each others
society with perfect safety for the little
time he was with them. Alasl that it was
so short. Well, let tomorrow take heed
of itself, she would enjoy to-day.
And it went ~quickly-too quickly. War.
Ing was shown everything about the place
by Uncle Sandy himself, who generally
bestowed n degree of attention and favor
on his guest such as Mona had never seen
bestowed on any other visitor. Then, in
lht evening" u bSIllltu ICNGI llltu
Of her son~gs-cXcusing his frequent de-
mands on the score of his speedy departure
to a land where the ditties of n cowboy, or
the crack of his whip, were all the music
he would hear.
Then came the inevitable hour Of part
ing.
Waring had still some business to settle
in Glasgow respecting the small sum he
had inherited, and after a few days there
he had to visit London, finally embarking
at Liverpool.
Mona could hardly steady her voice to
bid him good bye. 1t seemed too cruel
that he should be expatriated merely for O
iittle-not n little-imprudence; and, say
what he might, Mona could not but per-
ceive that had she married him, he would
never have committed the faults and follies
which had changed his life.
Warning himself was quite calm and
cheerful. lie promised Uncle Sandy &c
write occasionally. He begged Kenneth
to come and pay him a visit whenever il
could be managed; and he looked for an
instant, kindly and gravely, into Mona'S
eyes, holding her hand in a painfully tight
grasp; then he mounted the phaeton in
which Kenneth was already seated, ant
they drove off.
moo they are AVA" said Uncle Sandy
as he hobbled toward the library, followed
by his niece, well have yesterdays pape
till the new ane comes. Tread varra little. ,
Mona made no reply; she would have
given anything for half an hours private
thought, and the relief of tears, but thi!
need must be concealed at any cost.
"Eh," continued her uncle, falling int
his chair, ''yon's an uncommon fine young
man. You see now the Scotch bluid telli
in him. lie was awfu' fulish an led ava!
Cor a bit, but he has come a. right, like
brave chiel: and he has his mothers eyes
"Then the late Mrs. Warning must hav,
had very fine eyes" said Mona, rousinl
herself to speak cheerfully.
SAY, she had that-she had that. From
a. young Leslie Ct Gamma bide his ither
name) from a. he tells me, Pm thinking
hell do weel DOT yonder. It's a rough life,
but it's honest and healthfu', and he'll get
MAR COED cot OF than he'd find among q
pack o. proud, upsetting fule-bodies in
London" Then with n groan, "Eh, but
my limbs are bad the day. Moo, my dearie,
JNDS az AK SiIy uillClci All ulIcI Ildli
there's something ABBOTT the colonies l want
to hear"
So Mona put away the strange, passion
ate regret which had overwhelmed her,
and read steadily for more than an hour,
by which time she was completely herself.
Then Uncle Sav1y wished for a walk, and
took her arm, pottering about till nearly
dinner time, and still Kenneth did not re-
turn.
u wonder what keeps the lad" said
Mr.. Craig. "He isn't often so long on the
road; an begin to want my denner.'
1--WE need not wait for him."
Nav, but it wants mair than half an
hour yet o the time. I'll taxi a cup o.
milk VII adrapo D whisky intilt, just to stop
the craving"
This refreshment administered, the old
man took up the paper himself, and began