Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1900-01-06
MONICA.
a LOVE sramY OF moDEas sAYs.

IF had had to confess there had been
! no introduction" goes on Monica, laughing
ly, II don't know what would have been the
result"
''rhe deluge, 1 suppose" returns her com.
panion, thoughtfully.
What pity you have an uncle at all lr'
says Monica presently. 1T would be all
right OILY for him. She omits to say tchdt
would be all right, but the translation is
simp,o.
''Oh, don't say that entreats Desmond,
who has wholesome affection for the old
gentleman above at Coole. "He Is the kind
est Old fellow In the world. / think II you
knew him, you would be very fond of hirl;
and know he would adore yoL In fact,
he Is SO kind-hearted that I cannot think
how all that unfortunate story about your
mother ever came aboyf. He looks to me
rs II hccou,dn't say Boo, to agoose where
woman was concerned, and yet his manner
tonight confirmed everything heard"
III, confessed?' in deeply interested
tone.
well, just the same thing. He seemed
distressed about his own conduct In the af-
fair, too. But his manner was odd. thought;
and lie seems as much at dlggers drawn
with your aunts as they with him."
That is b cause he is ashamed of him.
self. One Is always hardest on those one
has injured"
"Bu: that is just IT. says Mr. Desmond,
in puzzled tone. II don't believe, honest
ly, he Is bit ashamed of himself. He said
good deal about his regret, but could sea
he quite gloried in his crime. And, in fact,
| couldn't discover the smallest trace of re-
morse about him.
"lIe must really be very bad old man.
says Monica, severely. I'm perfectly GER
tain II he were my uncle should not love
him ut ALL
Don't say that. When he Is your uncle
you will see that am right, and that he Is
very lovable old man, In spite of all his
faults"
AT this Monica bushes little, and twirls
her rings round her slender fingers in an ex-
ceSs of shynesS, and finally, in spite OF
sem pressure laid upon herself, gives way
20 mrth.
What are you laughing at nowg'' asks
he, laughing too.
"At you," casting swift but charming
glance at him from under her long lashes
You do say such funny thingsV
Did you hear there Is to be an afternoon
lance at the Barracks next week?" asks he,
presently. IL was at Clonbrce on Thursday
and Cobbett told me about It,"
WHO Is Cobbett?'
'The captain there, you know. He was
at Aghyohilbeg yesterday. Didn't you see
him,-a little, half-staryed-looking man,
with skin the color of his hair, and both
gray?"
'Oh. of course--now l remember him.
says Monica, this fetching description hav.
ing cleared her memory. Thought to my
self how odd he and the other man. Mr.
Ryde, looked together, one as big as the
other was little"
II think there is more matter than brains
about Ryde," says Desmond, contemptu-
onsly. "Do you think your aunt will let
you so TO this dance at Clonbree?"
"Oh, no; | am sure not. My aunts would
De certain TO look upon dance in the Bar
racks as something too awfully dissipated."
For one reason / should be glad you
didn't CO."
"GladT' opening her eyes.
Yes. That fellow Ryde never took his
eyes off you yesterday"
rs that crime?'
I'm my eyes, yes"
"And You would wish me to be kept
prisoner at home, just because one man
looked at me?'
u don, want any one to look at you but
mev' Then he comes q little closer to her
and compels her. by the very strength Of
his regard, 10 let her eyes meet his. "Do
you like Ryde?" he asks, somewhat serious
ly. Monica, answer me-"
II is the second time he has called her by
her Christian name, and a startled express
sion passes over her face.
well, he was very nice to me-" she says,
with studied hesitation that belongs to the
first bit of coquetry she has ever practiced
IN her life. She has tasted the sweetness Of
power, and fresh as her knowledge Is, she
estimates the advantage of Ii to nicely.
II believe man has only to be six-feet-
one to have every woman in the world in
love with him" says Desmond, wrathfully,
who is only five-feet-elcven.
Il am not exactly in lOpe with Mr.. Ryde,"
says Monica sweetly, with averted face and
coy air, assumed for her companions dis
comiiture; but"
But irhdtf'
but, was going to say, there Is nothing
remarkable in that, as am not In love with
any one, and hope / never shall be. Iwon-
der where Kit can have gone to; will you
get up there, Mr.. Desmond, and look?'
Breaking off tiny blade of grass from the
bank near her, she puts Ii between her pref.
ty teeth, and slowly nibbles it with an air
of utter Indifference to all the world that
drives Mr.. Desmond nearly out of his wits.
.Disdaining to take any heed of her notice
TO quit" and quite determined to know the
worst, he says, defantIy,-
IF you do go to this dance, may cOnsid-
ermyself engaged to you for the first waltzp'
There is quite frown upon his face as he
says this; but it hasn't the fantest effect
upon Monica. She is not Mt all impressed,
and is, In fact, enjoying herself immensely.
IF go, which is more than improbable,
| Shall certainlynot dance with you at ALL"
She says, calmly, because Aunt Priscilla
will be there too, and she would not hear of
my doing even mild Quadrille with Des-
mond''
VI see" with melancholy assumption of
composure. "All your dances, then are to
be preserved for Ryde."
If Mr.. Ryde asks ne to dance, Of course
shall not refuse
You mean to tell me"-even the poor as.
sumption is now gone--'that you are going
to give him all and me none?'
II shall not give anyone al; how can you
talk like that? But cannot defy Aunt Pris-
ella. 1t is very unkind of you to desire it.
suppose you think l should enjoy being
tormented from morning till night all about
YOUR
Certainly not. don't want YOU TO be
!ormented OH any account, and, above all,
on mine," very stif1ly. ''To prevent any
hing of the kind, l shall not 20 to Cobbett's
lance"
IF you choose TO get into bad temper
can't help you"
II am not in bad temper, and even if /
were have cause. But it is not temper