Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1900-12-29
CLARENCE
By BRET tIARTB.

openly recognizing her without her
consent? Did she think that he would
dare to presume upon the service she
had lone him? Or, more outrageous
/ thought!--had she heard Of his dis
grace, known It's cause and feared that
he would drag her into a disclosure to
~ himself? No! no-she could not
think that She had perhaps regretted
what she had done In a freak of g.rl-
ish chivalry; she had returned to her
old feelings and craftsmanship; she vas
only startled at meeting the single
witness OF her folly. Well. She need
not fear. lie would studiously avoid
her hereafter, and she should know 1t.
And yct-yes, there was a yet" For
he could not forget-indeed, in the past
three weeks 1t had been more often be-
fore him than he cared to think-that
s.e wcs the one human being who a
been capable OF a great act OF self
sacrifice for him-her enemy, her acy
cuser-the man who had scarcely
treated Ter civilly. He was ashamed
TO remember now that this thought
had occurred TO him at the bedside OF
his WHEAT the hour of her escape
had been struck down. And now this
fond illusion must go with the rest
the girl who had served him so Loyalty
was ashamed OF Ill A bite: smile
crossed his face.
I Wei ] don't wonder! Here are all
the women asking me who is that
good-looking Mephistopheles, with the
Turning eyes, who is proving around
iy rooms as If searching for a victim.
Why, you're smiling for all the world
like poor Jim, when he ueed TO do the
Red Avonger."
Susy's voice, an illustration, recalled
him TO himself. Furious l may well
be-" he said, with q gentler smile. al
though his eyes still z ittered, furious
that | have to walt until the one wom-
an / came to gee, the one woman /
have not seen for so long, while these
puppets have been nightly dancing be-
fore her-can give me a few moments
from them, to talk OF the old days"
In his reaction he was quite sincere,
although he felt "A slight sense of re-
morse as he saw the quick faint color
rise. as In those old days, even
through the to-night's powder OF her
cheek. That's like the old Kla'uns,"
she said, with Il slight pressure OF his
arm, but we will not have a chance to
speak until late. When they are near
ly all gone you'll take me to get a lit
tie rcfreshment, and wen ave a chat
In the conservatory. But you must
drop that awfully wicked look, n
make yOuTSciI BentTally dBIeedDle W
those women until<then."
1t was perhaps part of this reaction
which enabled him to obey his hostess
commands with a certain recklessness
that, however, seemed to be in keeping
with the previous Satanic reputation
he had, all unconsciously, achieved.
The women listened 10 the cynical ilip-
pancy Of the good-looking soldier With
an undisguised admiration, which, in
turn, excited curiosity n envy from.
his own sex. He saw the whispered
questioning, the lifted eyebrows, the
scornful shrCg sing OF shoulders--and
knew that the story of his disgrace
was I'm the air. But ! fear this only
excited him to further recklessness
and triumph. once he thought he rec
ogniZei Miss Faulkner's figure at Il
distance, and eve fancied that she
had been watching him-but he only
~redoublel his attentions to the fair
women beside him, and looked no
more.
But he was glad when the guests be-
gan to drop off; the great rooms
thlnned, n Susy, appearing IN the
arm OF her husband, coquettishly re-
minded him of his promise. For ]
want to talk to you OF old times. Gem
cral Brant,' she went on, turning eX-
planatorily to Boompoiuter, married
my adopted mother in California, at
Robes, a lear old place where | spent
my earliest years. So you see we are
sort of relations By marriage" she
added, with delightful nalvctc. Hook
Cr's once vainglorious allusion to his
relations to the man before him flashed
across Brant's mind, but ii left now
only a smile on his lips. He felt he
had already become a part OF the ire
- ~ MO- $40 H.
why should he resist or examine it's
ethics too closely? He offered his arm
to Susy;, they descended the stairs:
but instead Of pausing In the supper
room, she simply passed through IT
with a significant pressure of his arm,
and drawing aside a muslin curtain
stepped into the moonlit conservatory.
Behind the curtain there was a small
rustic settee; without releasing his
arm she sat down, so hat when he
dropped beside her their hands met
and mutually clasped.
Now, Kla'uns," she said with "a
slight comfortable shiver as she nes-
tied beside him, its a little like your
chair down at old Robes, isn't 1t? Tell
me. And to think it's five years ago.
But, Kla'uns, what's the matter? You
are changed" she said. looking at his
dark face In the moonlight, "or you
have something TO tell me-
Il have"
And it's something dreadful, l
know" she said, wrinkling her brows
with n pretty terror. Couldn't you
pretend you had told it to me and let
rs so on Just them same? Couldn't
you. Kla'uns? Tell me-"
Il am afraid | couldn't he said,
with "a sad smile.
lis it about yourself, Kla-uns? You
know" she went on with cheerful rap
idity. Il know everything about you
/ always did, you know-and i don't
care and never did care, n II don
and never did make the slightest diff
ference to me. So don't tell 1t and
waste time, Kla'uns."
ITS not about me-but o my
WIFE he said, slowly.
Her expression changed slightly.
"Oh, herr she said. after a pause.
Then half ~resignedly: Go on, kla'-
urs."
He began. He had a dozen times
rehearsed To himself his miserable
story, always feeling IL keenly, and
even fearing that he m'glt be carried
away by emotion or morbid sentiment
In telling 1t to another, but to his as
constituent he found himself telling it
practically, calmly, almost c~ynically TO
his old playmate. REFRESHING the half
devotion and even tenderness that had
governed him, from the time that his
wife, disguised as n mulatto woman,
had secretly watched him in his office,
to the hour hat he had passed her
through the lines. He withheld only
the incident OF Miss Faulkner's COM
plicity and sacrifice.
And she got away-after having
kicked you out OF your place. Kla'-
uns?" said Susy when he had ended.
Clarence stiffened beside her. But
he felt he had gone too far to quarrel
with his confidante. She went away.
| honestly believe that we shall never
meet a~gain-or ] should not be telling
you this!"
"Kla'uns,'' she said lightly, taking
his hand again, don't you believe it!
CHE nnn,i LET Nnn 90 Nnu,rn nnA of