Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1899-12-16
MON ICA.
\ LOVE STORY OF MODERN DAYS
CHAPTER VII.

young man in his own generation to take
count of it,
"Ycs, came. Three days ago I thought
/ should have been In London now, and
then heard you were to be here to-day"
"In what have you Sliled?" asks she, alb
ruptly, alluding to his opening sentence.
Cant You guess? Have you forgotten the
last cruel injunction you laid upon me?
When next we meet you said, you are to
look straight over my head and pass on
Will you believe that twice to-day obeyed
that mandate? The third time was the
charm; 1t conquered me; broke my sword
In two and came to you."
II wish you hadn't" says Monica, sincere
ly. II wish you would go away now, and
promise me never to speak to me again.
You knoto am afraid of YOU" looking
nervously around.
III don't, indeed; can't conceive such q
situation. You do me great inj sstice,
think. verify believe II tried my very
hardest couldn't instil terror into the small
est child in the village"
"You know what l mean. or course"
scornfully, II should never be afraid of a
man; it is Aunt Priscilla | am afraid Of
And see, see uterer' in an agony, "she Is
standing quite close to us, talking to some-
body"
IF that Is your aunt Priscilla, she is safe
for an hour at least. The old lady with her
is Lady Rossmoyne, and she never lets any
one unfortunate enough to get into her
clutches) go free under q generous sixty
minutes. She Is great on manures, and
stocks, and turnips, and so forth. And your
aunt, hear, is kindred spirit"
But then there is Aunt Penelope" says
Monica timidly.
''She, too, Is arranged. Half an hour ago
/ met her so deep in disgraceful Irritation
with the vicar that felt 1t my duty to look
the other way Depend upon it, she Is not
thinking of you."
"But sope one may tell them have been
talking'to YOU"
II always thought had proper amount
Of pride until met you, "says Mr.. Desmond.
| "You have dispelled the belief OF years. is
thy servant dog, that you should be ostra-
cized for speaking to him? Never mind;
submit even to that thought IL it Gives me
ive minutes more of your society," But
| listen to me. No one can tell tales OF us,
| because we are both strangers in the land.
| NO one knows me from Adam, and Just as
| few know you from-let us say Epe, for
euphony's sake"
She laughs. Encouraged by her merri-
ment to believe that at least she bears no i'll
VIII, Brian says, hurriedly,-
| Come with me to the rOse-garden. 1t Is
stupid sitting here alone, and the garden Is
beyond praise. DO come.'
"Why?' lifting her heavy lashes.
For one thing, we shall be free from OBJ
servation, and you know you dislike being
| seen with me- Foranother-" He pauses.
We'll? rather nervously.
1t Is just this, that | must speak TO you,"
! ! says the young man, his gay manner chang
! ing 10 one of extreme earnestness. "You
were unkind to me that day We parted. !
want YOU to tell Inc why. | understand
quite that have no right to demand even
the smallest favor of you yet do entreat
you to come with me-
For another moment she hesitates then
Yes, l will come with YOU" she says,
raising her soft eyes to his. In her whole
manner, voice, and bearing there is some.
thing so sweet and childish and trusting as
to render Desmond her slave upon the spot.
The path to the, rose-garden leads away
from Miss Priscilla, so they avoid detection
as they go.
But they are sngularly silent and grave;
when the garden is reached they pass be.
tween the rows of growing blossoms mute,
If rich in thought. At last, when silence is
becoming too eloquent to be borne, her COM
panion turns to her.
1T wasn't true what you said to me that
last day, was it?' he asks with far more
anxiety than the occasion seems to demand.
Not really, mean. You said it for fun,
perhaps--Or-- 1t has been with me ever
since l can't forget it. You said you dis
liked sudden friendships, and the way you
said it made me think you disliked me. Tell
me thought wrong"
quite wrong" I'm low tone. She is
plucking rose to pieces, and keeps her eyes
downcast. when said that, l was angry
about something"
"About something said?'
mo. Nothing you said"
Something did, theng" growing more
and more anxious.
"Ye-es."
"What was it?'
ut doesn't matter now; not in the least
now; and cannot tell you, indeed"
But wish very much you would. Per-
haps being in wretched ignorance, shall be
so unhappy as to do it again some day, and
so make you hate me second time"
Il didn't hate YOU"
mo? Yet there was a look in your eyes
wouldn't like to see there again. Do tell
me, lest | once more fall into error"
va, Nv, SOioiiiiS uVCpiy, uS biOuBI dJ
some unpleasant recollection. THAT would
be impossible. 1t could never happen again.
[ shall take care of that. shall never as
long as l live get into a-that isl meant
- Really have forgiven it all now, so let
US forget it too
Though still greatly mystfied, Mr. Des-
mond wisely forboars to press the point
something in her pretty distressed face and
heightened color forbidding him.
Very good" he says, pleasantly. "But
there is another thing have not forgotten.
Have you ever cleared up that mystery
about my uncle and your aunts?'
"Oh! that. i cannot be cleared, am
afraid; it is too muddy tale for any help;
but have at least found out all about it."
"Would it be indiscreet If said | would
give anything to be as wise as you OH this
subject? In other words, will you divulge
the secret?"
ut is a story that doesn't rebound to the
honor and glory Of pour house." says Miss
BeresfOrd, stepping back from him with a
gay little laugh, and glancing at him mis-
chio7Ously from under her big Patience"
hat. "If were you should shrink from
hearing it,"
II decline TO shrink" with unparalleled
bravery. II prefer to rush upon my fate.
Life has no longer any flavor for me until l
hear what the old reprobate at Coole has
done"
swell, If you Diu insist upon the sorry
tale tits this. Once there lived wicked
knight who wooed maiden fair. But when
her heart was all his own, his love
grew cold, and, turning from her, he refused
to fulfill his plighted troth and lead herto
the hymeneal altar. In fact, he loved and
he rode away, leaving her as dismally dis
"onsolate as the original maid forlorn. That
wicked knight was yoar uncle; the maid
fOrlorn my mother?1
You have been giving me summary of