Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1900-03-10
ihe word She Is dying TO say is dtsgrace

ihe word she is dying TO say Is disgrace
full, but she dares not.
"Ungraceful"
Yes. Terry says that when we were
passing you that day / was-was," with a
desperate rush, kicking up my heelsp
She Is trembling with shame and confu-
sion. Crimson has sprung to her cheeks,
tears TO her eyes.
II don't believe a word of It," says Mr.,
Desmond, comprehending the situation ut
last. But, even supposlng you were,-and,
after all, that Is the sort of thing euery one
does on a bundle of hay,"-as though 10 Is
quite the customary thing for people gener-
ally to go round the iworld seated on hay
carts,-"I didn't see you-that Is, your heels
l mean; i saw only your face, the prettiest
face In the world. How could / look at any
thing else when 1 had once seen that?"
Brian ~ turning to him ~impetuously, and
laying both her hands upon his shoulders,
II do think you are the dearest fellow on,
EARTH"
"Oh, Monica arp / the dearest to ycu?'
He has twined his arms round her lissome
figure, and Is gazing a%nxiOusly into her eyes.
"Yes,-yes, certainly" And then, with
q ndiuete indescribable, and with the ut
most composure, she says
II think 1 should like 10 give you q kissr'
Is the blue dome still over his head, or has
the sky fallen! The thing he has been long
Ing for, with an intensity not TO be portray
ed, ever since their first meeting, but has
not dared to even hint at, is now freely Of
fered him, as though ii were a thing OF
naught.
"Monlcar' says her lover, the blood rush.
ing TO his face, do you mean itg' lie
tightens his clasp round her, yet still re-
Trains from touching the sweet lips so near
his own. A feeling of honest manliness
makes him hesitate about accepting this
great happiness, lest, indeed, he m~isunder-
stood her. To him it Is so great n boon she
grants that he hardly dares believe In its
reality.
'Of course l do" says Miss Beresford,
distinctly offended. lat least, / did. l
don't now. | always want to kiss people
when | feel fond Of them; but you don't
evidently, or else, perhaps, you aren't really
fond of me at all, In spite OF ali you have
said. Never mind. Don't put yourself out.
II was merely a passing fancy on my part"
''Oh, don't let IL pass" exclaims her lover,
anxiously. Darling lfc, don't you know l
have been longing, longing to kiss you for
weeks past, yet dare not, because something
III your eyes lOlDduc me- Anu HOW, W HdNo
you of your own accord really willing TO
give my dear desire seems too much"
''Are you sure that 1t is that, Or"
"My angel, what q question:
yet perhaps you think Don't kiss
me just to obllge me, You know. l don't
care so much about it as all that; but"
She finds it impossible TO finish the sem
tence, because
n n
DeXterously, but gently, she draws herself
away from him, and stands q little apart.
Looking at her, he can see she is troubled.
lie has opened his lips to speak, but by o
gesture she restraints him.
II know it now" she says. This o~racular
speech Is accompanied by a blush, vivid as
it Is angry, and there are large tears in her
eyes. IL should not have asked you to kiss
me. That was your part, and you. have
taught me that | usurped II. Yet | thought
only that / was fond of you, that you were
my friend, or like Terry, or" here the
grievance gains sound, "yOu should nothave
kissed me like that"
"You didn't suppose l was going to kiss
you as Terry might" asks he, with just in
dignation. ''IIe is your brother; | am
not"