Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1898-08-06

er mortified, and feeling less like Winnie's
grandfather than the sailor in the pres
ence of another sailors daughter, which
he had considered himself the evening be-
fore-and a sailors daughter who had re-
pulsed his proffered kindness very decid-
eddy.
"a strange, distant, shy little thing" he
said. mentally. And then he looked again
at the small, earnest features, the anxious,
lined brow, the gentle, pleading look in
the dark, deep-set eyes, the little, frail
womanly figure looking so lonely and for
lorn on that desolate road. the thin fiut-
tering garments sprinkled by the salt
spray and mist from the laundering bill
lows crashing against the face of the cliffs
and the tender, passionate pity that Is
ever in the warm, strong heart OF a true
man for feminine defencelcssness and
bodily weakness rose within him throb-
bing TO his very lips.
ooh, no, sir" she said, hurriedly, iH an
wer to his half-proyoked query; you are
exceedingly kind-but | could not think of
troubling you; and, besides"
Besides what?' asked he, laughing. II
am not such a gay young spark that you
should object TO my escort, Miss Winnie;
and / am delighted to have some company
along this bare bit Of road. ] took 1t into
my head, as soon as ] woke this morning,
to go and look over that old place of mine
ut Tregartheu; so Off | started. / hope !
shall find the old couple awake and stir
ring"
1.-THE Truscottsl" questioned Winnie.
ooh, yes, you will, Captain Tredennick,
for there is Tolgooth.mine bell ringing for
six O'CLOCK, and they are always up at six,
/ know"
You know them, then-a worthy old
pair they arsp' said Captain Tredennick,
turning abruptly off the main road.
"Come down M~ennacarthen Lane, then,
Misa Caerlyon; it will not take you aquar,
ter Of a mile out Of your road, and va
will stop at Tregarthen a few minutes. |
am getting hungry, II You are not, and
mean to ask old mother Truscott for a cup
Of tea"
But Winnie hesitated, colored, and
looked distressed again.
Come along" said he, gaily; Offering
his pilot-cloth-covered arm for her accept,
ance a second time. Plainly Captain
T~redennick's Jolly sailor" existence on
board the Chittoor-educated gentleman
though he was-had rendered him pleas
antly forgetful or regardless of nice con
y~entionalities. UNLESS you are in n ter,
rib!e hurry to get home, or are afraid that
am going to eat YOU" he added, banter
ingly.
His words seemed to strike some un,
pleasant chord IN the girls mind; she die
not accept his arm, but she quilted The
high-road and turned down the lane tC
Tregarthen beside him.
~ am never afraid except when | think
/ am doing wrong" she returned, firmly
and quietly; land / only want to be home
In time to get breakfast ready, sir"
THAT is very good Of you TO be 50 help
full to your mother" remarked Captain
I~redcnnick, ~approvingly, falling into thu
fatherly style again as he and Winnie
walked slowly along the rough muddl
lane. But no ray of glad flial pleasure
and gratitude sparkled in the girls grave
face.
at is my duty OF course, to do all that
can to help them when help is required
she said, seriously. Aud there is a great
deal to be done IN O house like ours"
"Ah, plenty of little brothers and sis
ters?' queried Captain Tredennick, smil
ing.
eyes, sir" replied Winnie, gravely
'there are six of them and the new baby
THE new baby?' echoed Captain Tired
ennick. "And the new baby is the mos
troublesome of the lot, III engage"
"Oh, no, sir" said Winnie, looking VI
into his face, rather puzzled to discover
he were in lest on earnest; 'she is n dear
gentle, patient little creature. | am afrait
she is not healthy-she is so quiet"
Dear me-" broke out Captain Treden
nick, laughing, Il never knew before nov
that that was a fatal symptom in Il child
| hope it isn't 50 with you, you dear, pa
tient, gentle little creature he added
mentally, the wish recurring strongly 4
him that he could call to mind that para
gon Of an honest, brave, strong, tender
hearted fellow to take charge of the futur
comfort and happiness Of the patient, kind
hearted little woman who spoke so loving
ly Of that ailing ~baby-her step-mother'
seventh infant.
And now, sir, / will say good-morninl
again." said Winnie, rs they paused a
the entrance-gate to the area of lawn an
shrubbery around Tregarthen Head, neg
lected and oyergrown now, bearing
traces of absence and decay, as did al
things else-the barred-up broken win
dows, the grass grown doorstep. the weed
paths, the rank, tangled evergreens, tn
lichen-covered gate-pillars, and green
shiny, massive iron bars.
"You won't come in, then, for q minut
or two, and have a cup Of hot tea, q
warm yourself at the lire?" ne sand, disap
pointedly: and then some dim remen
brance Of the conventionalities glided hal
lily across his mind, and ne acquiesced un
willingly IN her decision. "Well, gooC
bye, then" he added, pressing the littl
wooden g%loved-hand, ''since you want
get rid of me-"
He looked so pleasant, so kind, so hand
ONE smiling supnily down on her fror
the light of his true, clear blue eyes-ht
Tredenuick of Tregarthen, Captain of tn
East India merchantmen ChtttOOr, NJ
phew OF the wealthy arlStoCratic lady VIII
bore her foreign-souuding title of MAD
am" as all the wives Of the heirs Of Rose
worthy had lone for generations, so granc
ly that Madam Vivian" or Madam {
| Rcseworthy," became q standard in tn
| ullllbS VI lHC udillDlC OuN1 VI NiC SuIt
miners and their wives, her village prC
tcgeS and favorite poor women, by whic
to measure the comparative merits an
greatness of other aristocrats-he,
learned gentleman. n brave sailor, gran
and great in his years, his strength, hi
handsome face, his m%oneyed independents
he so kind and courteous to her-to he
poor, plain-looking, ill-clad Winnie Caer
yon, whom her shrewish step-mothe
called "a great, awkward, gad-about of
maid,' when she had the misfortune {
require new boots-worn out, perhaps, a
the sooner by her long walks to Ros'
worthy, which, in its luxury, eleganc'
and quiet, was poor Winnie's Paradise h
gained on earth.
II do not indeed, Captain Tredennick,
was moor Winnie's childish reply: and tn