Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1899-02-04

Stephen Tredennick's brow grew dark.
winnie knows us better than to mind
that" he muttered.
"And you must never come up here
then, you know" Lady Mildred pursued,
getting into one Of her irritable and mali
cious m~oods-"at least, unless when you
escort Madam up from ROscworthy. She
is in n terrible state of mind about the
~frightful violation Of the proprieties which
you constantly perpetrate by your visits
here. Even the presence Of her ladyship,
Mildred Mountrevor, your worshipful
cousin, n peeress, INT matron to boot, is
scarcely sufficient excuse for your out
raging the COnUCndnccS by visiting that
poor little dying girl in therel'
Her ladyship, Mildred MOuntrevor, had
talked herself into n reckless passion by
this tune, and, taking all that she said for
terrible earnest, as supplemented men
will do at the outpourings Of n womau's
angry tongue, poor Stephen Tredennick
sat pale and stunned beneath this new and
calamitous aspect of affairs.
'Oh, Mildred" he said, imploringly,
"what am | to do? If ! had the right"
He had spoken without needing his
words, but the quick start and involuntary
glance of his cousins eyes revealed Il mean
ing and a way scarcely suggested as yet by
his own thoughts.
Mildred, / will havc it," he said, sud-
denly, his whole face Frightening and
flushing in the glow of his resolution.
What, Stephen" she asked, softly.
"The right-the best right in the world
to take care Of her, to stay with her and
cheer her, and nurse her, my poor little
Girl!' he said, falteringly, though his eyes
shone with hopeful light. 81 have a right
the best right in the world; and / will
make it mine before all the world, that
would shut me out of her presence, and
keep me away from her, my poor little
suffering WINNER
ooh, Stephen, my dear Stephen" Lady
Mildred cried, compassion and admiration
struggling for the mastery with her, ut
is like you! But the sacrifice-oh, Stephen,
the terrible sacrifice of your life!'
Mildred" he said, in n grave reproof,
what did Winnie Caerlyon think of her
sacrifice? Would you have her drawer,
truer, more generous than /. cven-even,"
he repeated tenderly, '1f | did not love
her, il she were not-Heaven bless her
II pity her!-the most faithful love ever
a man had, my poor little Winnie?"
Mildred, Lady Mountrevor, being q per-
son fiercely opposed to gushing" did not
shed tears or make any plying cutlery over
poor Stephen Tredennick's mournful love
story, in its past, present, and future as
poets, but she sat very still for a few min
utes, then coughed violently. and said she
must have dropped her handkerchief some
where?"
"Then--Stephen-you are-what are you
going to do?" she asked, confusedly, gaz-
ing at him in the same half-pleased, half
despairing way.
There are not many preliminaries or
ceremonies to arrange for, Mildred" he
answered, sadly smiling, only to tell her.
You will, dear cousin?"
"Yes-yes." Lady Mildred said, hurried.
ly: 'but, oh, Stephen, you forgot-Madam
Vivian!'
Lady Mountrevor confessed afterwards
that in all her life long knowledge of her
cousin Stephen, she never saw him assume
the real, hard, overwhelmingly, iron
willed Tredennick look but once and that
was in this moment of his reply to her
startled reminder.
II shall be sorry, Mildred" he said, "if
aunt Vivian attempts any opposition in
this matter-very sorry indeed!" That
was all.
"But If aunt Vivian saw that look" Mil
drcd remarked to herself, 81 don't think
she would attempt it,"