Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1900-06-09
The FittestSuVlYes
BY J. H.
CHAPTER I.

- ofs6ht aihd thS ali dRICCdDlC, sAbht-
ors to the Metropolitan Museum of
Art are seldom sufficiently numerous
to throng its spacious galleries. And
upon bleak autumn days, when the
sun may be a big disk of lead, for all
anybody can see TO the contrary, and
the dank, chill air seems to have
strayed out of a vault, visitors are
likely to be SO few that lonesomeness
Expresses them and they evince a gen
eral tendency to huddle together in
the most public halls. Upon such q
dreary day it was that fate COM
menced casting from her box the dice
of events which grouped themselves
together in the chain about to be mar
rated. The closing hour was near.
Depressed sightseers, singly, by pairs
and in trios, moved slowly from all
directions toward the hall Of exit.
Drowsy d~oorkeepers and l~istless at
tendants yawned and looked impa-
tiently at the laggard clock.
Only N couple, n young man and a
girl, still sitting i'm the remotest cor
ner of the old western gallery, took
no heed of the general movement.
Why should they? They were alone.
That was enough consciousness of the
surrounding world for the present.
They had placed themselves before
Hellquist's powerful picture of one of
the most dramatic and tragic episodes
in Swedish history, and to the casual
observer might have seemed fascinated
by contemplation Of It's cruel
strength, but we, being privileged to
know the fncts, understand that the
picture might as well have been a
blank wall for all they cared just
then.
The mans hat was off, disclosing
fully the contour of a round, massive
head, well covered with wavy dark
brown hair. His features, though
without perfect regularity, were still
more than good looking" Frank
sincerity and earnestness shown in his
big, clear brown eyes; energy and de-
termination were indicated by his
broad, square lower jaw, and the bard
ness that those qualities might other
wise have impaired to his countenance
was happily tempered by n liberal adj
mixture of kindness and good humor
that found expression in his handsome
mouth and the lines about it. A ply
siognomist would have thought at
sight of him, There Is one who will
make his way in the world and de-
serves to do So"
And as pretty a companion piece to
that living statue of vigorous manhood
as could have been desired was the one
of exquisite femininity by his side.
She wore a round sealskin cap that
harmoniZed well with the silky floss
of light brown curls straying from be-
meath its edges, and in it's conformity
to the round shapeliness of her head
was as pleasing in form as in
tint. That little cap, too, seemed to
emphasize u piquant expression of in
dependent self reliance in her deli
cately chiseled and purely American
features. But for the broad intelli-
gent brow that gave n balance of dig
nifty to her face the arch smile upon
her small red lips and the sparkle of
her bright blue eyes might have been
characterized as 'saucy." 1t was not,
however, necessary to study long that
animated, mobile countenance to real
ize that 1t was the index of a mind and
heart capable of serious thought and
deep, tender feeling. A dark fur boa
was wound around her neck, with its
ends carelessly thrown back upon the
shoulders Of the brown, closely fitting
newmarket" which seemed to not
simply reveal but acc%entuate the
beautiful lines of her plump but
graceful figure.
The peculiar merit of the seat upon
which the couple had located them
selves, that which had Influenced
them to It's selection, was simply the
accident that nobody happened to be
anywhere near it when they entered
the gallery, and fortune had so far ia
rorcd them that in all the hour they
had faced Hellquist's work-without
seeing it-their delightful isolation
had not been violated. Indeed, for
half an hour past there had been no.
body but themselves in that gallery.
Still they conversed in low tones,
scarcely louder than whispers, just as
if sweet words were tenderer when
uttered in a suppressed voice or as if
they were jealous of possible echoes
sharing their secrets.
The girl was first to notice that the
place was being deserted and to real
ize the fight of time.
"We shall soon have to be going"
she said in a tone of regret.
Her companion looked around, but
could see nothing to encourage him in
denial of the unwelcome truth.
eve have such a very short time
together" he protested complaining
ly. 1T seems as if / never do get a
chance for a talk with you. 1t was
not possible for me to get here a
minute sooner than / did, and already
the day is ending"
ut is just as well you did not get
up any sooner, John, for / had a great
deal to do. I was very successful this
afternoon in finding a lot of perfectly
splendid suggestions for some menu
designs ] have to furnish by the 18th.
see! ] have filled five pages of my
s~ketchbook with suggestive bits of
enamels, gem figures, pottery conceits
and barbaric musical instruments, just
exactly the medly i want for the spec
ial subject in hand"
81 am glad of your success, but sor-
ry l could not be with you to see you
at work"
"As if / could work with you near
me and looking on"
81 don't see why you should not.
I'm sure my wishing to kiss you
would not joggle your elbow"
I'm not so sure about that"
"You will see that / shall do at
home as much as possible of my work
when we are married"
"Oh, that will be different"
"Not essentially. i shall simply
continue to then, as / do now, regard
as lost all time that is spent away
your side"
"Are you sure you will always think
SO, John?"
II am sure of it, for l shall always
love YOU"
81 believe you, John, and l am so
glad / do" she murmured, letting a
hand drop where he could convenient
ly grasp n retain it In an ardent