Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1900-05-12

a LOVE STORY OF MODERN DAYS

Poor sweet loye!-it rdS dry" says Kit,
expanding into the widest affection. She
kisses Monica fondly, and Though you
would inevitably hive suffered death at her
hands had you even limited at I'D Is begin
ming TO enjoy herself intensely. Once again
his luckless couple look to her for help.
She is to be the one to raise them from their
Slough of Desrond, '-dinicult but con-
genial task. "Then you nave been existing
IN lemon tart and one glass of sherry since
breakfaSt-timel r. she says, with the deepest
| cOmm!seration. Poor darlingl l saw it;
| noticed you ate nothing ercept the tart.
You liked that, didn't you?'
81 didn't, , says Monica. ~ hated IL. And
was a cruel, cold-hearted wretch to touch
IL. But ii was sweet and-I-it-somehow
Disappeared
at did, "says Kit, tender,y.
"Oh, Kit, help mew
You mean you want TO take him some
thing wherewith to stavc IF the pangs of
hunger" says the younger Miss Bcresferd,
with that grandeur of style she usually af-
fects in moments of strong excitement, and
with the yigor that distinguishes. II see,
certainly" She grows distracted. There's
q leg of mutton hanging In the larder, with
some fowl, and a Quarterof lamb" she says,
presently. But | suppose, If we took them,
Aunt Priscilla would put us in the hue-and-
cry"
ut mustn't be thought of. No, no; think
of something else"
Bread, then. Ordinary, of course, very
ordinary, but yet the staff OF life"
II cguldnt take him anything so nasty as
mere bread says Monica, IN despair. "But,
If cock would make us a cake"
"A big one, with currantsl The very
thing" says Kit, with decision. And she
will never betray us. Reilly, in little affairs
of this II although sadly wanting where
SOUPS are concerned, lis quite all she ought
to be-"
"When will IL be baked? He must get it
tonight" says Monica, who is evidently
afraid her lover, If not succorcd, will die Of
want before morning.
Leave all to me-" says Kit, fitting away
from her through the gathering gloom to
seek the lower regions and its presiding
goddess.
Leaving all to Kit means that when din
ner is over, about half-past, eight, the two
Misses Beresfoid may be seen crossing the
boundary that divides Moyne from Coole
with anxious haste and Il hot cake.
This last Is Rugged to Monica's breast,
and is plainly causing her the greatest In
convenience. 1t Is a huge cake, and has to
be carried parcelwise, being much too big
for the smaller basket they had, and much
too small for the bigger. Bat Monica
though 1t is heavy beyond description
Uhongh, | hope, light in every other way,
for the sake of Rei!.y's rsputation) and still
appallingly h0t-trudses a,ong with it brave
ly, resisting all Kit'S entreaties to be allow
ed to share the burden.
"Who are those coming toward us through
the elms down there?' says Mr.. Kelly, sud-
denly.
| He and Brian Desmond are sitting upon a
garden-seat outside the dining-roOm win
dows, enjoying an after-d:nner cigar.
"Where?' says Brian, following his glance.
"Eh?-What?' There is a second pause,
then, rising TO his feet with much precipi-
fancy, he lIings his cigar 10 the winds, and
before Owen has time to recover from his
ast0niShm,nt al these proceedings, is well
ont of sight. A turn in the lawn has hidden
Brian and the advancing figures from his
view.
Monica says Desmond, as he reaches
her; what has brought you here at this
hour? My darling! how pale and tired you
look y
"She has been much perturbed," says Kit,
%solemnly. She has been meditating this re-
mark for some time. y
1--WE heard all about last night" murmurs
Monica, with Il sweet troubled face, out of
which her eyes look into his, full of a ten
der pathos, like yi0lets drowned. "And you
were not at the river this afternoon, and so
| came here to tipd you, and" Her voice
trembles ~ominously.
IL was obliged to be with the sergeant
and the other man all day." says Desmond,
hurrledly. 'Do not blame me, my lore.
When 1 went to the river toward evening 1t
was then of course too late. / meant to go
up to Moyne when moo was up But
what have you got there, dearest?" pointing
20 the enormous thing she Is still holding
tightly to her breast.
She colors and hesitates; seeing which.
she faithful Kit comes once more to the res
,ue. -
ITS a cakew she says, with a nod of her
sleek head. "We knew of your being boy
,otted, and w thought you would be hum
cry, SO we brought it to you. But" eying
him with disfayor, and as one might who
feels herself considerably dD,,e, you are
evidently not, You are looking just the
same as ever, and not q bit ptnChed or
lrdtCn, as people are when they are found
starved in gaTrets."
"Yes, | was afraid you would get nothing
20 eat" says Monica, timidly. There Is In
Ter lovely eyes a certain wistfulness sug.
yestive of the idea that she hopes her cake
las not been made in vain.
Mr.. Desmond, seeing it, grasps the situa-
ton.
II am hungry" he says; and l hope, and
think, the gentle lie will be forgiven him.
''We have had nothing in the house all day
but bread, and that is not appetizing."
'Therey' says Monica, turning to Kit with
sparkling eyes; II told you lie wouldn'tlike
bread"
But" goes on Desmond, with a view to
making her future happier, tomorrow all
will be right again. We know ola few faith
full people who will smuggle us in all we
may require. SO do not be unhappy about
me again. Sweetheart, what a terrible
weight you have been c~arrying?
1T Is a fine one, isn't it?' says Kit. "But
give it to me now, Monica" taking the cake
from her, ''while you talk to Brian; when
you are ready to come home, l can give 1t to
him."
SO saying, this inestimable child with.
draws herself and Monica's offering to q
distance, and pretends for the remainder OF
the interview an absorbing interest in som
wild flowers growing near.
~ have only a moment to stay" says
Monica, nervously. 81 shall be missed; and
now l have seen you safe and unhurt, with
a very sweet smile, Il shall be able to sleep
But all day long l have been haunted by
timid thoughts" she signs.
II doubt it was a sorry day for You, that
first one when we met" says Desmond, re-
morsefully. 81 have brought you only trou'
BILE. BY and by you will regret you ever
knew me-"
do not say that. / have no regrets
none! Even if-!f-we cannot be-" red
dening wildly, more to each other than we
are now, | can stu be happy in the thought
that you love me and are near me, and that
1 can sometimes, in spite of everyone,