Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1902-10-18

Then l left Acton, telling him-more
shame be 1t to me-that | was going
10 sup IN order hat l might get word
of Arro.d's habits. And yet what came
of that dinner would have made me
stop n bit, had ! foreseen it. And so |
was usheIed into the drawing room in
the finest coat and breeks | could buy
in the shops and Il tie and lace front
that made me feel like a gaudy Dopin-
jay from some sickly European court.
The baroness came in a and
kindly babe me sit, saying the others
would be there in q few moments. In
deed | found the custom prevailed to
arrive half an hour late, which seemed
TO me then, and Ices still, to be a fool
ish bit Of inane fashion.
ID you know" said she, with genu-
ine tears in her eyes. that we have
Just heard OF friend Major An
dre's horrible sentence. Do you know
him, Nj. Merton?"
I never saw him, but he was a good
and true gentleman" | answered.
These are terrible days. | cannot
sleep O nights for thinking that my
little daughters may catch this terrible
plague. only his afternoon my hus-
band told me that twenty-seven OF the
poor prisoners died of it yesterday on
the prison ships i'm the harbor. | wish
| might DO something to aid them, but,
beautiful as our house is. we have
hard labor to get wood and food, such is
the price of all necesslries."
My better self warmed to the lady
and l told her she had a good heart,
and n a |, too, could not keep my
thoughts from the wretched prisoners.
governor Tryon and General Pat
terson, the commandant Of the town,
are goodness itself to me-" said she.
But t Is a terrible time and often |
yearn and long for my own dear
Brunswick"
ct is indeed a terrible time. ma'am.
but if all the women had such hearts
as yours the suffering would he infn-
iteiy less
We're tears in her eyes, and held out
her hand to me.
We can do 50 little, ana fare not at
tempt an opinion" she said.
| stopped over her white fingers and
kissed them, just as some II entered
the room. Looking up, / caught a
glance from a pair of dark eyes that
sent a thrill OF joy through my body.
and made me laugh in spite Of myself;
Tor there stood Mistress Philipsa with
as surprised a pout. ON her pretty lips
as eve" was seen. Did she think | was
paying court to another? God be
thanked, If she did!
But there was no time for more than
n greeting and a friendly kiss from the
hostess, when in came the governor OF
the town, Tryon, with his Wife and
daughter, Major Sproat, a Lieutenant
Iurdyr General Patterson, and a man
they called Captain Athert0n, who
seemed TO me ut the to look
strangely familiar. Then, as We sat
about the room, / made note that every
one rose, ana turning to the door saw
a young man, hardly more than a boy,
enter, talking easily with his COM
panlon and nOdding here ana there as
he walked over to the baroness, and
guessed rightly that twas the young
Prince Henry, whose coming had
reached even our Connecticut ears.
FINALLY, with much fuss Of chariot and
horses outside, up drove the decrepit
old peacock, Madam De Lancy.
And why should I not be out?" cried
she in a venemouS voice to the host.
who had but congratulated himself on
her being there. 40 you think | am
too old 10 get out OF my bed?'
Cot Verbar, ma'am," cried the
baron. you grow younger every day
lis a wonder l live at all. Can YOU
not give us a stick of wood to cook by.
major?' cried she, turning on Sproat,
who stood near. Here have | today
pald 3S FOR q pitiful cord"
"Ma'am," said the major, with apol-
ogy IN his tone, we are every hour
sending parties to Long island to get
1t as best they can"
STUFF and nonsense" cried the old
dame, her face t%witching like a play
actors. "NNhy do ye not cut down
the trees out here in the street? | wish
the rebels were all gone to the dcviI!'
ana she hObblcd off on the arm Of an
officer to a beautiful mahogany chail
that never was made in our land.
We were now a EoOdIy company Of
twenty at least. and, supper being an
bounced by a factotum all powdered
like the rest, ! stood at one side till
inc baroness passing nc said, GO and
take in Deborah Then, looking al
me with a friendly smile, but n sad
face, BE good and kind to her tonight
for she is in a great trouble"
Trouble? What could be the trouble
thought, as | passed over to her and
gave her my arm.
There was some difficulty in getting
the proper place in line, for each Off
Ger must go in as his rank dictates. and
so, led by the young prince and the
baroness, we marched into the ban
quet room with swish of silken gowns
and inlIle of spurTcd boots.
After the saying Of a grace. all We're
talking at the long table at once, and
the murmur Of voices kept me from,
hearing many words, except those on
either side and Immediately next ia
me. And, indeed, the dishes that load
ed the board were each moment SET
before us by five or six men servants
were by a good half unknown to me
Beef | could tell, and a dish Of chicken
but there were Others built UP high
wit n - CT ~ md ,,s.al T. -,
sauces, the like Of which / had not
seen before.
Blessed with a good appetite. I tast-
ed all the men passed to me and found
them palatable. Talk ran on current
things, OF the recent fight i'm Staten is
land, of Andres coming execution, and
anything that came up; until. i'm the
midst of a foolish remark Of her owr
invention and with a laugh on her face
! heard Mistress Philipse saying in y
low voice, as if came from some one
else:
Il have much to say to you-twc
things. Have a care of your counter
ance and let no one read in your face
what you hear"
Fol a moment I was al n loss. her
face so belied her words. Then TAX
ing up a glass of wine, | did as [ had
seen others DO already-held it towards
her, bowed, smiled, ana said: Pro
coed, mistress, | am listening" and
drank part Uf the wine.
Good" said she. We'll then,
learned from my father tonight that q
famous-famous-agent of Sir Henry's
was found gagged ana bound i'm the
top of a half burned house at the foot
OF Broadway last night-your face
man, your face" she laughed, sud
denly.
Tell us of the joke, Mistress Phil
ipse!' called Captain Atherton across
the table.
All, tbs a secret, captain said she
brightly, between Mr.. Merton and my
self. We are plotting the ruin of some
one Then turning to me, still with a
smile on her lips, but a strange plead
ing in her eyes, II do not know what
is being done. But he is a secret agent