Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1900-07-21

arms WIFI hin, walked MINI ABOUT anu
talked investments to him, suggested
the most tantalizing pointers" for
speculation and more than limited
that he would be pleased to have him
open an account with Willmarth &
Co. OF course Chester, with the per-
verse understanding of the unfortun-
ate, imagined that the old fellow had
in some way learned of his financial
disasters and was Chatting" him, q
notion that set him inwardly raging.
There were many exceptions, Ches-
ter found, to the family gathering
limitations of the party, and among
them was Mr.. Cyrus Pratt, the ia
nous politician, to whom he was in
troduced, with not a little impress
ment, by Mr.. Willmarth. The "boss"
appeared to be n heavy man, consid-
erably past middle age, with an i'm
mobile countenance, sleepy eyes and
n coppery complexion, who merely ac-
corded him a nod of indifference in
Acknowledgement Of the introduction.
Later i'm the evening, when he was sit
ting beside Irma conversing with her,
MIR. Pratt came up to ask her hand In
the Eext cotillion, when she answcrca
in her impulsive fashion:
"On condition that you will do me
a favor, Mr.. Pratt"
81 shall esteem il n privilege to
serve you in any way in my power
he replied smilingly.
swell, first, / wish TO introduce to
you Mr.. Chester Sewall."
have already had the honor of
an introduction to Mr.. Sewall by your
father" he responded, bowling with
urbane courtesy TO the young man
and looking as if the acquaintance
filled him with the liveliest satisfac-
ton.
"Ah, you have? Good! Now l will
tell you what the favor is that / want.
1t is that you put MIR. Sewall into poll
ties, find some nice place for him and
-ard-tell him what to do"
Il shall be happy to put myself at
Mr.. Scwall's disposal" replied the pol
itician smilingly. land l have no
doubt we shall find something for
him."
Thanks. That's settled. Now you
may put your name down for two
dances instead of one; II because
you asked il and the other for being
good"
ut pays to be good when goodness
is so rewarded.
Chester uttered ON expression of
grateful acknowledgment for the
promised favor, though there was
something in the incident, he hardly
knew what, that he did not like, and
Mr.. Pratt led Irma away. Left alone
to ponder over the circumstance, he
found that it was the confident and
familiar way Irma spoke of the boss"
and the evident good understanding
between them which gave him the un-
comfortable feeling Of dislike for his
new protector. But outside that lit
tie incident and Mr.. Willmarth's &C.
centric behavior his enjoyment of the
evening was perfect.
Irma led him into the conservatory,
nominally to show him the new or
child that had just come into bloom,
and In the shelter Of the foliage, when
she was sure nobody saw them, she
gave him a kiss. His passion, the lit
tie twinge of jealousy Mr.. Pratt had
given him and the fire of her caress
together impelled him into reckless
disregard for all else than his love,
and he urged her to consent to an inn
mediate marriage. lie wanted her to
elope with him the very next day. The
thought that after paying the ex-
penses of the elopement and the min
~ister's fee he would be practically pen
niless did not even occur to him.
She heard him through indulgently,
even encouragingly, and gave him an
other kiss, but she would not run
away.
mo, Chester, DEAR she said, with
placid reason, not at all disturbed by
his fever. at would be very nice, but
not even a little bit sensible for us to
make papa angry, and he would be,
aJvfully, if we were to do n thing like
that. We must keep on his good side
if we can. You will be all right. I've
been watching him this evening, and /
can see that he is beginning to take
TO you. BE patient. A little bird
whispers TO me that we will not have
very long to wait"
Opposite as the poles were the
poles were the thoughts in her mind
prompting the figurative whisper of
the little bird and the understanding
in his produced by it. He had not told
her whence he had obtained the costly
present he had made to her, the value
of which she knew far better than he
did, and she naturally supposed that
he had purchased it. To be able to
buy a thing like that argued to her a
sudden and great improvement in his
financial condition. 1t was quite true
that his speculations were going bad
ly when last he told her anything
about them, but she very well knew
sometimes fortunes were picked up
on Wall street in a few hours, and why
might not her lover have had some
such lucky picking? Certainly his
entire capital at the time he asked her
father for her hand would not have
suiliced to buy the grand ruby. He
must be getting rich.
But Chester thought she meant him
to understand the birds whisper as
Papa is on the verge of giving his
consent to our marriage"
And before the error of either could
be corrected the presence of other
persons put an end to the %conversa-
ton. But it had lasted long enough to
make the young man happier than
he had been in a good many weeks
past, and when he went out that night
from her presence his future seemed
once more radient with the golden
light of hope. He and Irma would
marry. Her father would start him in
business. BY the way, why had she,
knowing all that, solicited that man
to give him a political appointment?
No doubt she meant it as a1oke, or it
was. just possible that she was really
ambitious to see him win political
preferment. Well, if it would please
her, he would do so.
He was very happy awhile that
evening-for the last time.
A couple of blocks from Mr.. Will
martins house on his way home Ches-
ter was attacked by two ruffians who
sought to rob him. His athletic train
ing when in college stood him in such
good stead in this emergency that he
Mhinned hnth his nsSailanfs and