Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1900-03-17

doing nothing, unless smiling o and then
| at Brian Desmond be anything, who is lying
on q bear-skin rug, looking supremely hap
by and full Of life and spirits. He has come
over from Coole very early, being generous
" urged so to do by Madame O'Connor
when parting with him last night. Ryde is
not on the field, so the day is his own.
Miss Fitzgerald is looking rather hand
some, in a dress of the very tiniest check,
that Is meant for a small woman only, or q
child, and so makes her appear several sizes
larger than she really is. Ulic Ronayne,
standing leaning against the chimney-piece
as close to Olga as circumstances will per-
init, Is silent to a fault; and, indeed, every
one but Mr.. Kelly has succumbed to the
damp depression of the air.
They have had only one distraction all
day,-the arrival OF another guest, a distant
cousin of their hostess, who has been laud-
ing her for a week or so. On inspection she
proves to be a girl Of nineteen, decidedly
unprepossessing In appearance, in fact, as
Mr.. Murphy, the butler, Gays to Mrs. Collins,
the ~housekeeper, las ugly as RI she was be-
spoke"
A tall girl oppressed by freckles and with
hair Of a deep-well, let us emulate our POI
lite French ~neighbors and call it blond ar
dent.
"Who is she?" asks Lord Rossmoyne,
who arrived about an hour ago, to Ulic Ro-
haynes discontinue.
''She's a fraud!' says Mr.. Kelly, indig-
nantly.-"a swlndlel Madame assured US,
last night, a charming girl was coming, to
turn all heads and storm all hearts; and to-
day, when we rushed in a body to the win
dow and flattened our noses against the
panes to see her, lol o creature with red
hair and pimples-'
mo, no; freckled, my dear Owen" inter-
rurts Olga, indolently.
at is all the same at a distance! general
effect fatal in both cases." says Mr.. Kelly,
airily. 1T makes one positively uncOm-
! Portable to look at her. / consider her being
thrust upon us like this a deliberate insult.
l think If she continues l shall leave"
ooh, DON'T" says Desmond, In 4 tone Of
agoniZed entreaty. How should we man
age to get on without YOU"
Badly badly, | ! know that" regretfully.
"But it is a question of breaking either
your hearts or mine. Some OF us must go
70 inc wall; 1t would be unfair TO the word
to make it me-"
Il don't believe you will go far" says
Mrs. Herrick, slowly. Kelly glances at her
quickly, but she does not lift her eyes from
the little sock, and her fingers move rapidly,
easily as ever.
London or Paris" he says,-"the city of
fOgs or the city of frogs. l don't know
which | prefer"
Better stay where you are" says Brian.
"Well, | really didn't think her so very
plain,' says Bella Fitzgerald, who thinks 1t
pretty to say the kind thing always. "A
large mouth Is an affection, certainly; and
as for her cOmplexion-but really, after all,
ii is better to see il as it is than painted and
powdered, as one sees other people"
This is faint cut at Olga, who Is fond of
powder, and who has not scrupled to add to
her charms by q little touch Of rouge now
and then when she felt paIlor demanded it.
Il think a little artificial aid might i'm
prove poor Miss Browne" says Hernia Her.
rick. Miss Browne is the new arrival.
IL don't. | think it Is an abominable
thing TO cheat tho pubic like that" says
Miss Fitzgerald, doggedly; nobody reSpec-
table would do it. The demtmOnde paint
and powder"
do they? how do you know, dear|" asks
Olga Bohun, sweetly.
Miss fitzgerald, feeling she has made a
fdur-pds, colors violently, tries to get her,
self out of it, and founders helplessly. Lord
RossmOyne is looking surprised, Ullc Ro-
nayne and Desmond amused.
Every one says So" says the fair Bella,
at last, in a voice that trembles with anger;
'you know very well they do"
81 don't, indeed, my dear Bella. My ac'
quaintance with-er-that sort OF person
has been limited; l quite envy you your
superior knowledge"
Here Olga laughs a little, a low, ripping
laugh that completes her enemy's defeat.
After the laugh there is n dead silence.
~ think somebody ought to rem0ye the
poor little child" says Mr.. Kelly, in a low,
impressive tone, pointing to Mrs. Herrick's
little girl. At which everybody laughs
heartily, and awkwardness is banished.
"Brownc?-l knew an Archibald Browne
once; anything to this girl" asks Lord Ross
moyne, hurriedly, unwilling to let silence
settle down OH them again.
big man with a loose tie"' asks Ulic.
"Ye-es. There was something odd about
his neck, now Iremcmber,' says Rossmoyne,
THAT was her father. He had an idea Inc
was like Lord Byron, and always wore his
necktie flying in the wind"
"lIc couldn't manage it, though" says
Mr.. Kelly, with as near an attempt at mirtf
rs he ever permits himself. 1T always flew
the wrong way. ByrOn's, If you call to MIND
his many portraits, always flew over his lei
shoulder; old Brownies wouldn't. BY TIE
bye" thoughtfully, byron must have haC
q wind of his own, mustn't he? our ordinary
winds don't always blow in the Same dlrec
ton, do they?' ~
81 would that a wind could arise to blow
YOU in the same direction, when you are II
such an idle MOOD as now" says Mrs. Her
rick, in q low tone. :.
IF it would blow me in your direction, ]
should say amen to that" in a voice as sub
dued as her own
MAY the Fates avert from me a calamity
so great!' 49,.
you will have to cntreat them very dill
gently, if you hope to escape it."
"Are o 50 very determined, then?'
eyes. Although | feel l am Knocked by
the hope within me, still l shall persist
you waste your time"
III am content to waste il in such a cause
Yet / am sorry / am so dlstasteful to YOU
THAT Is not your fault. l forgive yo'
that"
What is it, then, you can't forgive il
me?."
Not more than | can't forgivei in another
God made you all, therefore let you all pas
for men, / don't deal more hardly witt
you than with the rest, you see. You ar
only one of many
"That is the unkindest thing youever sait
TO me. And that is saying much. Yet, i
too, will beseech the Fates in my turn"
ITO grant you what|'
'"The finding of you in n gentler mind"
The faintest flicker Of q smile crosses he
lips. She lays her knitting on her knee TO
.A.1.1