Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1898-07-16
CHAPTER KILL.
LADY D%ARRELL's WILL.

Two years passed away, and Sir Vape st.
Lawrence's circumstances were rapidly i'm
proving; his letters were constant and cheer
ful-he spoke always Of tho time when he
should come home and claim Pauline for his
wife. She only sighed as she read the hope
ful words, for she had resolved that duty
should be her watchword while Lady Darrell
lived-even should that frail, feeble life last
for fifty years, she would never leave her.
There came to her chill doubts and fears,
dim vague f~orebodings that she should never
see Vane ~again-that their last parting was
forever; not that she doubted him, but that
1t seemed hopeless 10 think he would walt
until her hair was gray, and the light of her
youth had left her.
Never mind-she had done her duty; she
had sinned, but she had made the noblest
atopement possible for her sin
Two years had passed, and the summer
was drawing TO a close To those who loved
and tended her ii seemed that Lady Darrell's
life was closing with ii. Even Lady Hamp-
ton had ceased TO speak hopefully, and Oar
rell Conrt was gloomy with the shadow of
tho angel of death.
There came an evening when eartL. was
very lovely-when the gold of the setting
sun, the breath of the western wind, the
fragrance of the flowers, the ripple OF the
fountains, the song of the birds, were all
beautiful beyond words to tell; and Lady
Darrell, who had lain watching the smiling
summer heavens, said;
Il should like once more Il. SEE the sun
set Pauline. / should like to sit at the win
dow, aud watch the moon rise"
$50 you shall" responded Pauline "You
are a fairy 0unau Won huvn hnt 70 xyi.h
and the wish Is granted"
Lady Darrell s~miled-n> one ever made
her smile except Pauline but the fulhllhent
of the wish was not SO easy after all. Lady
Hampton's f~orebodlngs were realized. Lady
Darrell might have recovered from her long,
serious illness but that her mothers com
plant, the deadly inheritance of consump-
ton, had seized upon her, and was gradually
destroying her.
IL was no easy matter now to dress the
wasted figure; but Pauline nCemed to have
the strength, the energy of twenty nurses.
She was always willing, always cheerful, al
ways ready; night and day seemed alike to
her; she would look at her hands, and say:
'Ohl Elilor, l wish L could give YOU one
half my strength-one-half my lifew'
DO you? Pauline, If you could give me
half your life, would you do sop
"As willingly as am now speaking to
you," she would answer.
They dressed the poor lady, whose delicate
beauty had faded like some summer flower.
She sat at the window in a soft nest of cush-
ions which Pauline had prepared for her,
Eor wasted hands folded, her worn face
frightened with the summer sunshine. She
was very silent and thoughtful for some
time, and then Pauline, fearing that she was
dull, knelt In the fashion that was usual to
her at Lady DanelPs feet, and held the
wasted hands in hers.
What are you thinxing about, Elinor?'
Pauline asked. Something as bright as the
sunshihe?"
Lady Darrell smiled.
II was just fancying to myself that every
blossom OF that white magnolia seemed like
a finger beckoning me away" she said; land
I was; thinking also how full of mistakes life
is, and how plainly they can be seen when
we come to die"
Pauline kissed the thin fingers. Lady Oar
rell went on.
II can SEQ my own great mistake, Pauline.
/ should not have married Sir Oswald. I