Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1900-05-19

yourself pretty low. But lid advise you 10
wait and see about that when you have re-
covered your strength n little"
"And you believed that old story toov'
says the poor Squire, forlornly. II didn't
fit her at all, Brian. IL uds size Tilted mep'
''VVhdtr' says Brian, turning TO see IL the
bullet had touched his brain instead of his
ribs.
''Tis true. I tell you, that girl broke my
heart. She was the prettiest creature ever
saw, with soft dawes eyes, and a heavenly
smile, and no more heart than Gldt," strik-
Ing the post of the old-fashioned bedstead
with his uninjured arm. II gave myself up
TO her, | worshipped the very ground she
walked on, and within a fortnight Of our
wedding she calmly wrote to tell me she
could not marry mep
"Giving a reasOn."'
mo. Even she, i presume, could not
summon sufficient c~ouraseto tel the wretch
she had de,uded of her love for another.
She gave me no reason. She cntreatcd me,
however, TO keep silence about the real au-
thor of the breach between us,--that Is, her,
self. ! was to be the one TO break of our
engagement! | was TO bear all the b.ame
She impiored me 10 conceal her share In il,
and finally demanded of me, as q last favor,
lllll IL NoNih SlNN NtlN WIN w w y Il
had thrown Ecr over"
"A charmingly disintereSted specimen OF
w~omankind," says Brian, raising his arows.
"And tbs 10 INC" says The Desmond, Nh
indignant sob making his weak voice weak
era man who had always kept himself
straight in the eyes OF the world. / was re-
CURED to I present myself rs a low, despic-
able fellow, Of those who seek a wo.
mans affections only to ignora them at the
sight of the next pretty face"
"But yen refused 20 comply with her re-
quest" says Brian, hastily.
mo, sir, | didn't,' says the SQUIRE. shame
struggling with his excitement. "On the
contrary, | gave into her in every respect. |
believe at that time | would cheerfully have
allowed my elf to be branded as a thiGf, il
she had desired itand II it would have saved
her one SCRAP Of discomfort. She was afraid
of her sisters you see. | blamed them then,
Brian, but | think now her fear of them
arose from the fact that they were as truc as
she was-Weli, WELL"
This is indeed n revelation, SAYS Brian.
"YeS; you wouldn't think they would be.
have like that, would you" says Mr. Dcs,
mond, eagerly.
Who? The Misses Blakc?' says Brian,
startled.
"Yes. 1t wasn't like them 10 keep silent
all these years, and let m bear the brunt ol
the battle, when they knew | was innocent
and that 1t wa the own fl 81 and blood
who was in fault. Yet they turned theii
backs upon me-, and have treated me ever
since as though l were in reality the ms
creant they have succeeded in making mt
ont"
"rhere is q terrible mistake somewhere
says Brian. They do verify believe you e
be the miscreant you describe"
Brian, come here y says the old man, II
an ominouSly calm tone. $40 you mean e
tell me Priscilla Blake believes me guilty o
having behaved dishonesty to her siste
Katherine? You positively think thiS"'
al knOW it," says Brian, who feels ii i
better to get out The plain mvarnishcd truii
at once
"You have no doubt? Think, Brian
think"
IL needn't. There is no doubt on m,
mind"
(CppftpucJ Novt IVoak