Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1899-12-30
the pale snow-drop Of A Girl beside her.

the pale sn0w-drQp OF q girl beside Jler.
Yes. II you Prove true TO my Monica.
"Qh, Kitr' says Monica, deeply shocked;
but Kit pays no heed, her eyes being fasten-
ed gravely upon the man before her. He is
quite as grave as she Is.
IF our friendship depends upon that, it
will be lasting one, "he says, quietly. my
whole life Is at your sisters service"
Something In his tone touches Monica;
slowly she lifts her eyes until they reach
his.
III wish, tcish you would not persist in
this" SHE says, sadly
but %hyg To think of you Is my chief.
est joy. Do yop forbid me to be happy?"
"No-but----"
"in the morning and the afternoon went
TO the river to look For you-in vain after
dinner / went too, still hoping against hope !;
and now at last that hare found you, YOU
are unkind to met" lie speaks lightly, but
his eyes are earnest Miss Katherine" he
says appeallngly to Kit, "of your grace,
pray you TO befricnd me-"
Monica would not go TO the river this
evening because she remembered an absurd
promise she made to Aunt Priscilla, and be-
cause she feared to meet you there. 1t Is
the most absurd promise In the world; wait
| till you hear it," Whereupon Kit, who is
In her element, proceeds to tell him all about
Miss prlscila's words to Monica and Moni.
ca's answer and her Kits Interpretation
thereof. 'She certainly didn't promise nevet
TO speak TO you again." concludes she, with
nod that Solomon might have enved
Need It be said that Mr. Desmond agrees
with her on all points.
There Is no use In continuing this dis:
cussion" says Monica, turning aside little
coldly. II should not have gone TO the river
! uriWcdy"
rnis chilling remark produces q blank in
leScrlbablc, and conversation langushes |;
Monica bc.rsys an interest in the horizon
never before developed: Mr.. Desmond re-
CARDS with moody glance the ripening
harvest; Kit, looking inward SURVEYS her
mental resources and wonders what 1t is her
! duty to do next.
oh, what lovely dog-rosesw she says,
eflusively. in tone that wouldn't have de-
ceived baby: Il really must get some.'
"Let me get them foryou, says Desmond,
gloomly, which She at once decides Is ex.
cesSively stupid of him, and she doing all
she can for him too! She tries TO wther him
with glance, but he is too miserable to be
lightly crushed.
mo thank you," She says; ~ prefer get
ting them myself Flowers are like fruit,
much more enjoyable when you pick them
with your own hands"
So saying, this accomplished gooseberry
skipS round the corner, leaving Monica and
Mr. Desmond tCtcd-tCtc
That they enjoy their sudden isolation
Just at first is questionable: Monica discov-
erS blots on the perfect horizon; and Mr..
Desmond, after full minutes pause, says,
rcproachfully,-
You didn't really mean that, did you?"
Mean what?" uncOmpromisingly and
without changing position.
That even If matters had been quite
quite comfortable with us, you would not
have gone to meet me at the river"
~ dOntknow," I'm low tone.
''Sdv you didn't mean it,"
'I-suppOSc didn't" even lower.
IL hope your aunts were not cross to you
last evening on my account" he says, anxi-
ousy.
mo. Nothing was said, more than Kit
told you, except that Aunt Priscilla touched
the point of introduction. Oh, what fright
| got then If she had persisted in her in
quiries, what Would have become of me?"
Couldn't you have" begins Mr. Des-
mond,an then stops abruptly. A glance at
the face uplifted to his checks his half-ut-
bctered speech eifectualy, and renders him.
sides. thoroughly ashamed of hi'"sclf.
CONTINUED Next Weekly