Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1900-04-14

a LOVE STORY OF MODERN DAYS,

my beloVtdV' says the young man, In q
tone broken by emotion.
For a moment he does not take her in his
arms; some fear lest she may change her
mind and withdraw her jsion Of affec-
ton deters him; and when at last he does
press her to his heart, 1t Is gently and with
q careful suppression Of all vehepence.
Perhaps no man In all the world Is so cal
cnlated to WOO and win this girl as Desmond.
Perhaps there Is no woman so formed to
gain and keep him as Monica.
Holding her now In a light but warm
clasp, he knows he has his heaven In his
arms; and she, though hardly yet awake to
the full sweetness Of Loves young dream"
understands at least the sense Of perfectrest
aud glad content that overflls her when
with him.
"What are you thinking of" she says,
presently.
"Myn alderlevest ladye deare," quotes he,
softly.
And what Of her?'
THAT to the detl myn hertz Is to her
holde,-yes, for ever and ever" says Des-
mend, solemnly.
Il am very glad of that" says Monica,
simply; and then she raises herself from his
embrace and looks straight down to the sea
again.
At this moment voices, not approaching
but passing near them, reach their cars.
''fbey are going in, ,says Monica huITled-
ly, and with 4 regret thai Is very grateful to
him. I'VE must go too"
Must we%' reluctantly. perhaps"
Frightening, they are only going to try the
effect higher up"
mo. They are crossing the gravel TO the
hall door"
"Th9y are devoid Of souls, TO be able to
quit so divine a view In such hot haste. Be-
sides, it Is absurdly early to think of going
indoors yet. BY Jove, though y looking at
his watch, I'm wrong; It Is well after
eleven. Now, who would have thought itP'
Are you sure you mean elepenT' with
fattering ~lncrcdulity.
"Only too sure. Hasn't the time gone by
quicklyP Well, l suppose | must take you
in, which means candles and bed for you,
and a dreary drive home for Kelly and me,
and not a chance of seeing you alone again."
'1his time last week you couldn't have
seen me at all" says Miss Beresford.
True. / am ungrateful. And altogether
this has been such a delightful evening, to
me at least; were," doubtfully, you hap
pyp"
Every, uery happy" with earnest, uplift-
cd eyes.
"Darling lowell am afraid | must give
you up to Mrs. O'Connor now," he goes on,
presently, when All e~cstatic thought or two
has had time TO come and go. But, before
going, say goodnight to me here"
Goodnight, Brian"
He has never atten pied to kiss her since
that first time (and last so far In the or
chafd; and even now, though her pretty
head Is pressed against him, and her face is
dangerously close to his, he still refrains.
He has given her his word and will not
break 1t; but perhaps he cannot altogether
repress the desire to expOstulate with her
on her cruelty, because he gives voice to the
gentle protest that rises 10 his lips.
That is q very cold goodnight" he says.
"You would say quite as much as that to
Kelly or any Of the Others"
~ shouldn't call Mr.. Kelly by his Chris
tlan name"
mo; but you would Ronayne."
"Well, / sha'n'tagaln, If you don'tlike it,"
'"rhat has nothing at all to do with what
l mean. only think You might show mo
a little more favor than the rest"
Goodnight, then, dear Brian. Now, l
certainly shoIIldn't dream Of calling Mr.. Ro-
nayne dear Ullc."
"Of course not. / should hope not, In
deed! But still-there is something else
that you night do for me-"
Hiss BereSford draws herself n llttle-a
rerD little-away from him. and, raising her
head, bestows upon him a glance that is a
charming combination Of mischief and CO.
quetry. A badly suppressed smile is curry
ing the corner of her delicate lips.
What a long time il takes you TO say it!'
she says, wlckedly.
At this they both break into low, soft
laughter, -dCltctOuS laughter that must
not be overheard, and Is suggestive of o lit
lie secret existing between them, that no
one else may share.
THAT is an invitation" says Desmond,
with decision. 81 consider you have now
restored TO me that paltry promise / made
to You the other day In the orchard. And
hefe l distinctly decline ever to renew it
again. No, there Is no use in appealing to
ME; | am not to be either sOftened or CO.
creed"
WELL" says Miss Beresford, "listen to
me-" She stands well back from him this
time, and, catching up tlo tail of her white
gown throws it negligently over her arm.
IF You must havo-yOu know what at
least you shall earn it. ] will race you for
It, but you must give me long odds, and
then, il you catch Inc before l reach that
laurel down there, you shall have it. Is that
fair?"
Plainly, from her exultant look, she thinks
she can win.
"A bargain" says Desmond. "And were
you Atalanta herself, I feel | shall outrun
YOU"
80 presUmptuous! Take care. Pride
goeth before destruction, and a naughty
spirit before a fall, and you may trip"
~ may not, too"
WELL" moving cautiously away from
him, "when ] come to that branch there,
and say one, two, three, you-will- NOtCf'
AT this, before he is half prepared, she
cries, lone, two, three" with a %scandalous
haste, and rushes away from him down the
moonlit path. Swift and straight as a deer
she flies, but, alas! just rs the goal Is all but
reached, she finds the race Is lot to her, and
that she is a prisoner in two strong arms!
Now, who was presumptuous?" says
Desmond, gazing into her lovely face. Her
head, with q touch of exhaustion about II, is
thrown back against his chest; through her
parted lips her breath is coming with a pant
Ing haste, born of excitement and her fruit
less flight. He Bends over her, lower, and
lower still. She feels herself altogether in
his power.
"As you are strong, be merciful," she
whispers, family. Awarm flood of crimson
has dyed her cheeks; her smile has faded,
she struggles slightly, and then all in one
moment Desmond becomes aware that tears
have sprung into her eyes.
Instantly he releases her.
Darling, forgive me-" he says, anxious
ly. ''See how your heart is beating now,
and all for nothing! OF course l shall let
you off your bargain, What do you take
me for? Do you think l should make you
unhappy for all the world could offer? Take
those tears out of your eyes this instant, or
I shall be-seriously angry with YOU"
Monica laughs, but in a rather nervous
FnZhtn, o.~l Ia&, hn. ,,,o. lrxy n A,,nn ,yiAb