Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1898-03-19
came peeping In.


II am jealous of those flowers" said the
captain; twill you look at me instead of
themY'
She raised her beautiful eyes, and looked
at him so calmly, with so much conscious
superiority in her manner, that the captain
felt smaller" than ever.
"You are talking nonsense to me-" she
said, loftily; land as | do not like nonsense,
will you tell me what you have to say?"
The voice was calm and cold, the tones
measured and slightly contemptuous; it was
very difficult under such circumstances to be
an eloquent wooer, but the recollection of
Darrell Court and its large rent-roll came to
him and restored his fast expiring courage.
IL want to ask a favor of YOU" he said;
and the pleading expression that he manag.
ed to throw into his face was really credit
able to him. Il want to ask you IL you will
be q little kinder to me. l admire you so
much that | should be the happiest man in
all the world il you would but give ne ever
so little of your friendship"
She seemed to consider his words-to pom
der them; and from her silence he took hope.
II am quite unworthy, l know; but, If YOU
knew how all my life long | have desired the
friendship Of a good and noble woman, you
would be kinder to me-you would indeedp'
do you think, then, that / am good and
noble?' she asked.
~ am sure OF it; your face"
III wish" she interrupted, that Sir 0s-
wald were of your opinion. You have lived
in what people call the world all your life,
Captain Langton, i suppose?"
Yes" he replied wondering what would
follow.
You have been in society all that time yet
! am the first good and noble woman you
have met! You are hardly complimentary
to the sex, after ALL"
The captain was slightly taken aback.
III did not say those exact words, Miss OAR
rell."
'But you implied them. Tell me why you
wish for my friendship more than any other.
Miss Hastings is ten thousand times more
estimable than / am-why not make her your
friend?"
IL admire you'll like you. l could say
more, but | dare not. You are hard upon
me, Miss Darrell"
81 have no wish to be hard" she returned.
''Who am l that ! should be hard upon any
onee But, you see, | ain unfortunately what
people call very plain-spoken-very truth
full"
80 much the better" said Captain Lang
ton.
rs it? Sir Oswald says not. If he does
not make me his heiress, it will be because |
have such an abrupt manner OF speaking; he
often tells me so."
''Truth in q beautiful woman" began the
captain, Sentimentally; but Miss Darrell
again interrupted him-she had little patience
with his platitudes.
You say you wish for my friendship be-
cause you like me. Now, here is the diff
culty-I cannot give it to you, because l do
not like you"
"You do not like meY' cried the captain,
hardly able to believe the evidence of his
wi senses. "YOu cannot mean it! You
are the first person who ever said such a
thing!'
"Perhaps | am not the first who ever
thought il; but then, ms | tell you, | I'm very
apt to say what | think"
"Will you tell me why you do not like
me?' asked the captain, quietly. He began
to see that nothing could be gained in any
other fashion.
Her beautiful face was raised quite calmly
to his, her dark eyes were as proudly serene
as ever, she was utterly unconscious that she
was saying anything extraordinary.
II will tell you with pleasure" she replied.
'You seem to me wanting in truth and earn
e~stness; you think people are TO be pleased
by flattery. You flatter Sir Oswald, you fiat
ter Miss Hastings, you fatter me. Being
agreeable Is all very well, but an honest man
does not need to flatter-does not think OF il,
in fact. Then, you are either needless or
cruel-I do not know which. Why should
you kill that beautiful flower that Heaven
made to enjoy the sunshine, just for one idle
moments wanton sport?'
Captain L%angton's face grew perfectly
white with anger.
Upon my word of honor, he said, II new
er heard anything like this!"
Miss Darrell turned caTelessly away
You see," she said, friendship between
us would be rather difficult. But / will not
judge too hastily; / will wait a few days,
and then decide"
She had quilted the room before Captain
Langton had sufficiently recovered from his
dismay to answer.