Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1899-11-25
name. II is Monica Bercsford. :,

says, imploringly, her lips growing quite
pale.
yes 1t Is Desmond" says the young man,
half amused, half puzzled. "You really
think II ugly, then. Do you know i rather
fancy my surname, although my Chris"
You are not-you cannot be tIle Dos-
mond," interrupts she, hastily.
mo; that's my uncle" says the young
man, inocenOy.
''Oh then you acknowledge the crimep'
In deep distress.
II didn't know that an old Irish title
must necessarily be connected with guilt"
says her companion, fairly puzzled,
"Ehp' says Monica, puzzled in her turn
II don't understand you; only want to
know IL you are one of the particular Des-
monds?"
Il suppose not" he replies, now openly
amused, because regret to say we have
never yet done anything worthy Of note, or
likely to distinguish u3 from oil the other
Desmonds, whose name is legion
'Tf you are going TO tell me you live at
Coole," says Mss Beresford, In II tone that
is almost tragic, Il warn yol it will be the
last straw, and that sha'n't be able TO
bear it,"
II am not going to tell you anything"
protests he.
"But you must" declares she, illogically.
81 may as well hear the worst at once Go
on" herolcally; tell me the truth. DO you
live thcre?'
"I'm awfully afraid do" says Mr.. Des-
mond, feeling somehow, without knowing
why, distinctly ashamed of his name and
residence.
II knew it! felt it y says Monica, with
the calmness Of despair. "Take me ok to
the bank at nce,--ths very instant please.
Oh, what ro,o should get into If they
only knewr'
Very Justly offended at the turn affairs
have taken, Mr.. Desmond rows her in ST.
lence to the landlng-place, in silence gives
her his hand to alight, in silence makes his
boat safe, without SO much as glance at
her, although he knOlcS she is standing a lit
tie way from him, irresolute, remorSeful,
and uncertain.
lie might, perhaps, have maintained this
digntied indifference to the end, but that,
unfortunately lifting his eyes, he catches
sight of her in this repentant attitude, with
her head bent down, and her slim fingers
toying neryously with the lilies of his own
gathering.
This picture filings dignity to the winds.
Going up to her, he says in a would-be care
less but Enthusiastically offended voice, MAY
ask what have done that they whoever
they are, should consider you had dsgraced
yourself by being with me fOrhalf an hour?'
you have done nothing says Monica,
family at was your uncle"
"AIy tnclc!-George Desmond! Why,
What on earth can nc have donew demands
he bewldercd.
~ don't know" Feeling this is indeed a
lame answer to most natural question, she
goes on hurrleily, 1T all happened twenty
years ago, and"
"But what happened?' asks he, with par
donable impatience.
Something dreadfully wicked" says
Monica, solemnly. "Something really very,
Very bad, because Aunt Priscilla can't hear
you spoken Of with common patience"
"Mew
mot so much you perhaps "a your name.
She hates the very sound OF It, There isn't
doubt about that; because, though have
not heard the exact story yet, | know both
my auntS grow actually faint with horror
when your uncle's name is mentioned"
Good graciousW says the Mortified ncph-
ew of this apparently disreputablc old man.
He is staring at Monica, Dut in reality he
does not even see her. Before his minds
eye is picture of stout old gentleman,
lrascble, but kindly, with countenancc in
nocent Of guile. Visions of forgery, muir
der, homicide, rise up before him, but, try
as he Will, he cannot connect Mr.. DeSmGnd's
face with any of them.
You don't exactly know yourself what
the crime is with which he is charged"' he
asks her, with growing difIidence.
mo. But | shall find out, and tell But
that will be impossible r'-with glance
full Of livelest regret. 81 cannot tell you,
because after to-day | shall never see or
speak to you again."
That Is the most insane nonsense / ever
heard in my life" say> Mr.. Desmond.
The girl shakes her head sadly.
IF you won't speak to me l shall speak
to you, whether you like it or not" says
Desmond, with decision.
That will be out of your power, as you
will never see me-"
"Do you mean to tell me may not call at
Moyne?"
Certainly do. They wouldn't hear Of
1t. They wouldn't, in fact, receive YOU"
"But why must they visit my unclc's sins
upon my shoulders? | have heard Of q
fathers sins being entailed upon his heir,
but never an uncle's."
ut Is your name," says Monica. Then
she laughs little, in spite Of herself, and
quotes, in low lone, "Oh! Romeo, Romeo |!
wherefore art thou Romeo?'
But he takes no heed of this frivolous
quotation.
"You mean me to understand, then, that
l am never to speak to you again?"
II do indeed"
what! Do you know we are to be close
neighbOrs for the future, you and |? This
is TO be your home. COole is to be mine.
At the most, onlya mile ofroad lies between
us, and here not quite yard. And yet you
calmly tell me am from this day forth TO
be only common stranger to YOU"
You look as If you were angry with me-
says Monica, with sudden tears I'm her eyes
at his injustice. 'Itisn't my fault; haven't
done anything wicked. Blame your uncle
for IL ALL"
''The whole thing is simply absurd" says
the young man, taking now the superior
tone that Is meant to crush the situation by
holding 1t up to rldicule. "You forget, per-
haps, that we shall hare to meet sometimes
| suppose the people down here give balls
occasionally, and tennis-parties, and that; !;
and when / meet you at them, is it your
wish that l shall pretend never to have seen
you before, never to have known you?p
"Ies,' says Monica, with as much nesIta-
ton as lets him know how she hates saving
1t. when next you meet me, you are to
look right over my head and pass onr'
II couldn't do It," returns he, gazing at
her steadily II couldn't, indeed. In fact,
l feel it is just the last thing in the world 1
could do"
but you must" says Monica, imperious-
ly, terrified to death as she cOnjures up be-
fore her Aunt Priscilla's face as it will sure
~ be If this Philstine dares to address her:
"ktell you my aunts would never forgive
me il they knew had interchanged even
one syllable with you. From this moment
you must forget me. There will really be
no difficulty about 1t, as our acquaintance Is
but of an hours growth. You have seen