Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1900-03-10
CHAPTER NXII.

CHATTER XVIII.
'Ihen il Is decided, says Olga. "'T'he
School for a Scandal first, and tablcauX TO
follow. Now for them. i suppose four al
together will be quite sufficient. We must
not try the patience Of our poor audience
past endurance"
1T will be past that long before our tab
ieauX begin says Ulic iionayne, in low
tone. lie Is dressed in a tennis suit of white
flannel, and is looking particularly hand
some.
O,ga makes q pretty little mouc, but no
audible response.
81 have two arranged" she says, but am
distracted about three or four. Will any
body except Mr.. Kelly cone to my assist
ance|'
"Oh, you're jealous because you didn't
think of Enid and the carriage-hOrses your
self" returns that young man, with ineffable
disdain, -''or that Dolly Warden affair.""
well, that last might dO-modifcd a lit
tie" says OLA, Frightening. "Mr. Ryde is
enormous enough for anything. Quite an
ideal Hugh
Quite" says ROnayne, WITH q smile.
Then il has arranged itself; that is, IL
you agree, dcar?' says Olga, turning TO
Monica.
at shall be as you wish. mean, | know
nothing about it," gently; "but | shall like
TO help you if | can"
IL mean You don't object to the subject
or Mr. Rydc?' says Olga, kindly, unaware
that Mr.. ltyde has come away from the tea
table and is now close behind her. Monica,
however, sees him, and smiles cOurteOusly.
"Oh, no. she says, as in duty bound.
And then the fourth is found and grasped,
and all trouble is at an end.
80 glad can now take my tea i'm peace"
says Olga, with a sigh Of profound relief.
WHO would be q stage-managerY'
"Ah! you don't do much of this kind OF
thing In ireland, Idarc say says Mr.. Ryde.
What kind Of thing"' asks Olga, sweetly,
who doesn't like him. ''Tea-drinking!'
"No-acting-er-and that"
Pm afraid I'm quite at sea about the
that" says Olga, shaking her blonde head.
perhaps we do q good deal of it, perhaps
we don't. Explain it to me"
c"Awful s;Oopid people not a word of
truth about their ready wit" says Mr.. Ryde
| TO himself at this juncture.)
'Oh, well-er-let us coniine ourselves to
the acting" he says, feeling somehow Mt
a loss. 1T is new TO you here, il SEEMS
II certainly have never acted in my life,"
begins Monica; "bu-'
Mrs. BOhun interrupts her.
1--WE are a hOpclesSly %benighted lot" she
says, making Rydc a present Of a beautiful
smile. I'VE are sadly behind the world
,OcOcO"-shruggimg her shoulders pathetic
ally--'to the last degree. You, Mr.. Rydc,
have opened up to us possibilities never
dreamt Of before; touches of civilization
hitlTrtO unknown
~ should think in your case q very little
tuition would be sufficient, T" says Ryde, with
such kindly encouragement In his tone that
ROnayne, who Is at Olga's feet, collapses,
and from being a%bnOrmally graz breaks
into riotous laughter.
"You must teach us stage effects is that
the proper term?-and correct us when we
betray too Grass an ignorance, and-above
all things, Mr.. Rydc," with an arch glance,
''you must promise not to lose your temper
over the gducheriCS of your Dolly Warden"
"Whose Dolly Nardcn? asks Desmond,
coming up at this instant laden with cups OF
tea.
mn. Ryde's."
ale is to be Hugh to Miss BeresfOrd's
Dolly" says Ronaync.
Eyes, isn't it good of Monica? she has
consented to take the part" says Olga, who
is really grateful to her for having helped
her out of her difficulty.
"Ifdrc you?' says Desmond, turning upon
Monica with dllated eyes.
"YOs. Is that tea for mer' returns she,
calmly, with great Self-possession, seeing
that sundry eyes are upon her.
For you or any one" replies he. Tone
can convey far more meaning than words.
The words just now are correct enough, but
the tone is uncivil to the last degrge. Moni-
ca, flushing slightly, takes n cup from him,
and Olga takes the second.
There is q short silence whilst they stir
their tea, during which Madame 0'Connor's
voice can be distinctly heard, it generally
Gun above every tumult. She is discourS-
ing enthusiastically about some wonderful
tree in her orchard, literally borne down by
fruit.
''You never saw such 4 sightr' she is say
,ng, -'laden down to the ground. The finest
show of pears in the country. Twas telling
William he would do welto prop IL. But |
suppose it will ruin the tree for the pext
two years to come"
"What, the propping?" says Rossmoyne.
"No, the enormous produce, you silly
boyr' says his hostess, with n laugh.
Monica, who is growing restless beneath
Desmond's angry regard, turns to her nerv-
ously.
''Then, now you will do something for
me- says Miss B~eresforG, promptly.
Anything" with enthusiasm.
"Then tomorrow you are TO come here
'riUtO,t the roses | heard you promise Miss
Fitzgerald this afternoon"
Her tone is quite composed, but two little
brilliant flecks Of color have risen hurriedly
and are now Haunting themselves on either
pretty cheek. She is evidently very serious
ly in earnest.
''She asked me for them; she will think it
so ungenerous, so rude" says Desmond.
mot ungenerous. She will never think
you that, or rude either says Monica,
gauging the truth to q nicely. Careless, If
You will, but no more; and-I rant you to
seem careless where she is concerned"
but why, my dearestY'
Because l don't like her; she always
treats me as though / were some ~insignif-
cant little girl still in short petticOats," says
Miss BeresfOrd, with rising Indignation.
And because-becalse, too"
She pauseS in some confusion.
go on; because what?" with gentle en-
enlargement.
4sNVell, then, because l know she wants to
ndrry you," says Monica, yehemently, but
In a choked voice.
what an extraordinary idea to come into
your head says Desmond, in a choked
tone also, but from o different emotion.