Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1898-01-15
.N0NA'S CHOICE,
By MRS. ALEXANDER

pIllt ibth7ult-
mo, nor he interrupted. 81 see what
,ou mean. 1t is the thought of n kind
ieart; but You are in no way responsible.
ought TO have been man enough to do
light for rights sake. No one is TO blame
,ut myself. let that passion for gaming,
which | confessed to you once" he sighed,
quickly. quite overmaster me; in fact, IL
vas a bad bit OF my life just before that
lay l met you In Kensington High Street,
walking with young Macnlister. Then |
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
II my fortune. In so doing ! lost more.
Then ] fell In with my present partner,
and threw in my lot with his. The life is
healthy and rather suits me. shall stick
20 II, and, perhaps, make something OF IL.
Do you know, 1t quite cheers me 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 n kind thought,
md 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 mel
Yes, IL is very nice to be good friends; and
Tou must tell me all about your life in the
gilds."
81 beg your pardonf' cried Kenneth,
bursting into the room; "but | could not
get away before. Come, we have lost too
much time already"
Would your cousin come with u.s."
asked War;ng. "If she can walk so far.
II is a fine morning. What do you say,
Miss Craig"
81 should like TO come very much" said
Mona, frankly. She felt delightedly at
home and at ease once more. II must as (
Uncle Sandy if he can spare me; and ! can
turn back when | have gone far enough, so
~ not TO impede your progress"
She went swiftly away TO seek her uncle.
Waring 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
hat she had permission 10 absent herself,
and i'm "A few minutes the trio were climb
.ng the hillside to gain the upper road by
4 short cut.
1t was a very delightful expedition,
Waring 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 the m,
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 W light
neartedness, at the delightful sense Of har
mony which soothed her spirit after bel
short confidential talk with Waring. How
generous he was in generating her from
all blamel How glad she was to be OF
frank, friendly terms with himl II wa'
evident he had quite got over his old fancy
for her, SO they could enjoy each other'i
society with perfect safety for the LITTLE
time he wa with them. Alas! that 1t wa
so short. Well, let tomorrow take heeC
of itself, she would enjoy to-day.
And it went quickly-too quickly. Wa
Ing was shown everything about the plac,
by Uncle Sandy himself, who general,
bestowed n degree of attention and favo
on his guest such as Mona had never seei
bestowed on n other visitor. Then, II
the evening, Waring seemed never tires
of her songs-cxcusing his frequent de
mands on the score of his speedy departur,
to a land where the ditties OF a cowboy, o.
the crack of his whip, were all the musi'
he would hear.
Then came the inevitable hour OF part
ing.
Waring had still some business 70 settl
in Glasgow respecting the small sum h
had inherited, and after a f"w days Their
he had TO visit London, finally embarkinl
at Liverpool.
Mona could hardly steady her voice Il
bid him good bye. II seemed too crue
that he should be expatriated merely for
dttle-not n little-imprudence; and, sa.
what he might, Mona could not but per
ceive that had she married him, he woult
never have committed the faults and follie
which had changed his life.
Waring himself was quite calm AN,
cheerful. lie promised Uncle Sandy :
write occasionally. He begged Kennel
to come and pay him a visit whenever /
could be managed; and he looked for al
instant, kindly and gravely, into Mona
eyes, holding her hand in a painfully tigh
grasp; then he mounted the phaeton II
WHICH hcUutlu WAS dliSuu. ScdOcu, uH
they drove off.
moo they are ava" said Uncle Sandy
as he hobbled toward the library, followe,
by his niece, well have yesterdays pape
till the new ane comes. Tread yarra little.
Mona made no reply; she would hav
given anything for half an hours privat
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 uncomm fine younI
man. You see now the Scotch bluid tell
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. Waring must hav
had very fine eyes" said Mona, rousinI
herself TO speak ch%eerfuiiy.
"Ay, she had that-she had that. From
a. young Leslie q Gamma bide his ithel
name)-from a. he tells me, Pm thinking
he'll do weel DOT yonder. It's a rongh life
but it's honest and healthfu', and he'll ge
mair COED DOT OF than he'd find among
pack o. proud, upsetting ~fule-bodies In
London" Then with a groan, "Eh, bu
my limbs are bad the day. Moo, my dearie
just look at the city article, an after that
there's something ABBOTT the colonies | wan
TO hear.p
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 Sandy wished for a walk, ant
took her arm, pottering about till nearly
dinner time, and still Kenneth did not re
turn.
~ wonder what keeps the lad" sait
Mr.. Craig. "He isn't often so long on the
road; an l begin to want my denner."
"We need not wait for him."
NAV. but IL wants MAR than half ar
hour yet o the time. I'll TAX a cup o
milk VII adrapo' whisky intilt, just to stoT
the craving"
This refreshment administered. the old
man took up the paper himself. and begar
to study the state of the funds. He wal
perfectly we'll able to read To himself, but
his niece's soft voice and clear enunciatior
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