Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1900-03-17

A LOVE story OF MODERN DAYS,

II Jul u kHDN dulthink dDOut ly CACtp
this, that il will be a very long time before
you have the chance OF doing 1t again. ~
can't bear being Rugged"
II am very sorry" says Mr.. Desmond
stifiy. 'Let me assure you, however, thai
/ shall never cause you such offense again
until you wish it,"
"Then say never at once" says Monica
with a pout.
every good" says Desmond. II may nov
be reasonably supposed that he has met al
her requirements, and that she has no fur
Their complaints to bring forward; but such
Is not the case.
II don't like you when you talk to me like
that" she says, aggressively, and with a
spoiled-child air, glanclng at him from un
der her sweeping lashes.
How am i to talk to you, then?' 5 X he,
In despair.
"You know very well how to talk to Miss
Fitzgerald" retorts she, provokingly, and
win 4 bold attempt at a frown. Yet there
is something aD0rt her naughty little face, a
hidden, mocking, mischievous, yet withal
friendly smile as II were, that disarms her
speech Of its sting and gives Brian renewed
hope and courage.
He takes her hand deliberately and draws
II %unrepulsed through his arm.
Let MS 20 up this walk" he says, "and
leave all angry words and thoughts behind
MS"
He makes a movement in the direction in
dicated, and finds that she moves with him.
lie finds, toe. that her slender fingers have
closed Unfortunately upon his arm. Plainly,
she Is as glad to be at peace with him as he
with her.
Coming to turn in the path, shaded by
two rugged old apple-trees now growing
heavy with their green burden, Desmond
stands still, and, putting his right hand III
his pocket, draws out something from it. AS
he does this he colors slightly.
You wear all your rings on your right
hand" he says, with loving awkardness,
and il seems % me the other poor little
fingers always look neglected. II wish
you would take this and make 1t a present
to your left hand"
"Thts" Is a thick gold band, set with three
large diamonds ofgreat brilliancy in gypsy
fashion.
ooh not for me r. says Monica, recoiling,
and claSping her hands behind her back,
yet with her eyes firmly fastened upon the
beautiful ring.
"Why not for you? Some day 1 shall give
you all | possess; now | can give you only
such things as this"
"'lndeed | must nottake it," says Monica
but even as she utters the half-hearted re-
fusal she crceps unconsciously closer to him,
and, laying her hand upon his wrist, looks
with childish delight and longing at the
glitterlng stones lying in his palm.
"But | say you must" says Desmond,
taking n very superior tone. 1T Is yours,
not mine. have nothing to do with 1t. 1t
was never meant for me. See" taking up
her hand and slipping the ring on her en-
gagged finger, how pretty your little white
hand makes it look y
1t Is always q difficult thing to a woman
20 bring herself TO refuse diamonds, but
d0ubl5 difficult once she has seen them posi-
lively adjoining her w person.
Monica looks at the ring, then signs, then
turns it round and round mechanically, and
finally glanceS at Desmond. lie returns the
glance by passing his arm round her shout
derS, after which there is never another
word said about the ownership of the ring.
But it will put my poor little pigs In the
shade, won't it?' says Monica, looking at
her other hand, and then at him archly.
"Oh 1t Is loyely-lOUelYr'
II think ] might have chosen you a pref
tier one, had | run up II Dublin and gone
to WaterhOuse myself" says Desmond but
I knew il | went 1 could not possibly get
back until tomorrow evening, and that
would mean losing two Whole days of our
precious seven"
This speech pleases Monica, l think, even
more than the ring.
~ am glad you did not GO" she says,
softly.
80 am ESPECIALLY AS" Here he
pauses, and then goes on again h~urriedly'
'It had gone, Monica, you would not have
forgotten me?'
"How could l forget you in two little
days?"
"They would have been two very big days
TO me. But tell me, if | were to 60 away
from you for q far longer time-say for 9
whole mOnth-wOuld you still be faithful
Should | find you as l left ou,-indifferent
10 others at least, if not wholly mineY'
"NYhy should | changer
Darling, there are so many reasons" liz
draws his breath quickly, impatiently
"Some day, you may meet some one else
more suited to you, perhaps, and"
~ Shall never do that" She interrupt.
him slowly, but decidedly.
You are sure"'
Eyes"
The answer in words perhaps is meager
but he, looking into the depths Of her sOf
eyes, sees a surer answer there, and is salts
fed.
The sh adows are growing longer ant
slower. ...l 30 "ut .,.,te aId qulver nov
in mad glec, as they did an hour agone.
IL think we must go back" says Monica
with unconcealed regret.
what! you will throw me again int
temptation? into the very arms of the fai
Bella?" says Desmond, laughing. Reflect
l beg Of you, before it is too late"
After ALL" says Monica, Il don't think ]
have behaved very nicely about her. l don't
think now it would be "a pretty thing to
make you give me the roses before her. No,
you must not do that; and you must moi
manage to forget them, either. You shall
bring the handsomeSt you can find and give
them to her, but publicly Brian; just as il
there was nothing In it, you know"
''There is nothing like adhering to the
strict truth" says Brian. There shall b(
nothing in my roses, | promise you,-excep'
perfume"
CHAPTER XIX.
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