Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1900-11-10

- oP1s sAfaaP
Later, in the twilight, he saw her
walking in the garden. There was a
figure at her side. A little curious, he
examined it more closely from his
window. 1t was already familiar to
him--the erect shapely form of his
neighbours servant. A thoughtful look
passed over his face as he muttered:
"Se this is to be her deputy"
-
CHAPTER III:
Called to a general council of officers
at division headquarters the next day,
Brant had little time for further spec
tlation regarding his strange guest.
But d remark from the division COM
mander that he preferred to commit
the general plan of a movement then
under discussion to the memories
rather than to written orders in the
ordinary routine, seemed to show that
his chief still suspected the existence
Of a spy. He therefore told him of
his late interview with Miss Faulkner
and her probable withdrawal in favor
of a mulatto neighber: The division
commander received the Information
with indifference. They're much too
clever TO employ d hussy like that,
who shows her hand at every turn
either as a spy or q messenger of
spies-and the mulattoes are too stu
pid, to say nothing Of their probable
fidelity to us. No, general, if we are
watched, it is by an eagle and not n
mocking bird: Miss Faulkner has
nothing worse about her than her
tongue, and there isn't the niger
blood in the whole south that would
risk a moose for her, or for any Of
their masters or mistresses."
1t was, therefore, perhaps, with some
mitigation of his usual critical sever
ity that he saw her walking before
him alone in the lane as he rode home
to quarters: She was apparently
lost in a half impatient, half moody
r~everie; which even the trotting hoof-
beats Of his and orderly's horses
had not disturbed. From time to
time she struck the myrtle hedge
beside her with the head of a huge
flower which hung by it's stalk from
her l~istless hands, or held il to her
face as il to inhale its perfume. Dis
missing his orderly by a side path he
rode gently forward, but to his sur
prise, without turning or seeming to
bC uNdlV VI llo pl CoNlNO IubNhSiiNu
her pace, and even appeared to look
from side TO side for some avenue of
escape. If only to end matters he
was obliged to ride quickly forward to
her side, where he threw himself from
his horse, flung the reins On his arm,
and began to walk beside her. She at
first turned n slightly flushed cheek
away from him, and then looked up
with q purely simulated start of sur
prise.
II am afraid" he said, gently, "that
/ am the first to break my w orders
in regard to any intrusion on your
privacy. But / wanted to ask you If
l could give you any aid whatever in
the change you think of making"
lie was quite sincere, had been touch
ed by her manifest disturbance, and
despite his masculine relentlessncss of
criticism he had an intuition of fem
mime suffering that was in itself fem
mime.
Meaning that you are in a hurry to
! get rid of me-" She said CURLY, with
out raising her eyes.
Meaning that | only wish to eX-
pedite a business which / think is
unpleasant to you, but which l believe
you have undertaken from unselflsh
devotion"
The scant expression of a reserved
nature is sometimes more attractive
to women than the most fluent viva
city. Possibly there was also a mel
ancholy grace in this sardonic soldiers
manner that affected her, for she look
ed up and said impulsively:
you think SOP"
But he met her eager eyes with
some surprise. 81 certainly do" he
replied more coldly. ~ can imagine
your feelings on finding your uncle's
home in the possession Of your en-
emies, and your presence under the
family roof only a sufferance. l can
hardly believe it a pleasure to you or u
task you would have accepted for
yourself alone"
But" she said, turning from him
wickedly, what if / did it only to ex-
cite my revenge; what if | knew 1t
would give me courage TO entice my
people to carry the way into your own
homes, to make you Of the north feel
as / feel, and taste our bitterness?"
81 could easily understand that too,"
he returned with l~istless GOODNESS, cal
though ! don't admit that revenge is
an unmiXed pleasure even to a wo-
man."
"a woman" she repeated, indig-
nantly. There is no sex in a wal like
this"
you are spelling your flower" he
said quietly. ut is very pretty-and
q native one too-not an invader nor
even transplanted. May L look at it?"
She hesitated, half recoiling for an
instant, and her hand trembling.
Then suddenly and abruptly she said
with a hysteric little laugh: take
it-then," and almost thrust it in his
hand.
1t certainly was n pretty flower, not
unlike a lily in appearance, with a
bell-like cup and long anthers cover
ed with a fine pollen like red dust. AS
he lifted it TO his face to inhale it's
perfume she uttered a slight cry and
snatched it from his hand.
"There!" she said with the same
nervous laugh. II knew you would
ought to have warned you. The pol
len comes off so easily, and leaves a
stain. And you've got some on your
cheek. Look" she continued, taking
her handkerchief from her pocket and
wiping his cheek, "see there!' The
delicate cambria showed a blood red
streak.
ut grows in a swamp" she contin-
ued in the same excited strain, eve
call it dragons teeth-like the kind
that was sown in the story, you know,
| We children used to find it and then
paint our faces and lips with it. We
called it our rouge. / was almost
tempted to try it again when I found
it just now. 1t took me back so to
the old times"
Following her odd manner rather
] than her words, as she turned her face
/ toward him suddenly, Brant was in
clined to think that she had tried it