Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1902-10-11

of me at precisely the wrong moment,
even as now when / must needs answer
somewhat brisxiy.
such division of sentiment is not
confined to one family, ma'am, in these
days
The result Of this, bad taste as 1t was,
was like to have upset me; for the old
dame turned purple in the face and
gripped her fan as she cried:
What business is that of yours,
sir?"
l was on the point Of answering
something to turn her unexplained
wrath when l caught the sound Of a
particular kind of stined gasp that had
something so familiar in it as to make
me urn about-and find myself face
to face with Deborah Philipse. Yet l
should scarce have known her. Her
lair was upon her face, powdered and
with a flower In IT, and her dress was
OF some light silken cloth, i know not
OF what color or quality, SO made as
TO show her fair young neck and Shout
ders, then running Town TO her waist
in some sort of a pointed bodice all COW
cred with a fowery design.
She was beautiful. She would he
beautiful in the most wretched dress
that was ever cast off by beggar! She
would be beautiful anywhere! But now,
in such a gown as ] had never seen,
she was as lovely a specimen OF young
womanhood as stood in that ROOM, or
any room this side of heaven-aye, per-
haps, on the other side, too. But l
knew her Eyes and her voice when she
said with fine sarcasm. as she might to
a stranger who had insulted her:
You deal In gencralities, sir. II is
bad taste"
| could not hold her look, and so let
my eyes fall, and shutfled my feet in
awkward fashion. Lord Howe saved
me.
one must know the niece nowadays
as well as the aunt, Ell ma'am? Mis-
tress Philipse. l have the honor to pre-
sent Mr.. Merton and he bowed with a
reverence and p look that | did not like.
What was she to him, l wonder? In my
turn | bowed and ap~ologiZed, / know
not what, TO Madam De LanCy, and
then i'm a moment l had been presented,
as well as Acton, to several ladies and
ono or two offiCers-Major SprOat, Mis-
trcSS K~nyh2uSen, General Patterson,
and other young men and women. Howe
then moved away, saying:
Mr.. Merton and his friend have rid
den far and eaten nothing, and by Sir
Henry's orders he is to be fed. Mistress
Debby, will you act as co~mmisSarist?"
But Acton l saw with many misgiv-
ings already striding across the pol
ished floor, laughing and talking with
the little mink, Mistress Knyhausen.
What would the reckless fool say? l
hated to have him out Of my each.
We'll, Sir Starved Man." said the
young lady at my elbow, will you
eat? | must obey orders"
l offered her my arm, and bowling to
the group we went into the banquet
room across the hall, and when l had
,.rl,,,~n1 -, Good IF n ynt1ryn that
was absolutely unknown to me-sOme-
thing of trufies and spices, and sand
witches with paste Of l know not what
substance In them-she led me without
q word into the side hall n sat down
upon the lower steps of the stairway.
80. sir" she began in another tone,
II know now who you are. 1t seems
that you enjoy the profession Of a
spy" l turned on her and looked her
we'll in the face. DO O not think,
perchanCe, that you might take a hint
from Major Andres situation that may
work so i'll for him."
Madam" said /, IF 1 could equal
Andre as a man, | would be willing to
belong to what you are pleased to call
his profession. He vas the type of a
gentleman"
"Was?' she asked, under her breath.
He is dead, Mistress Philipse, or will
be i'm a few days" | said gently.
ANDRE has been-been-"
"IIe was condemned two days ago"
at is terrible, terrible" and she
looked at me with sorrow in her eyes.
why do you stoop to such things?"
Il am not such a man! I am not a
Spy,a and what | do now Is neither your
affair nor mine. ] serve one who must
be obeyed, and I do what he tells me to
do. ~ is no more enjoyable a work
than the one | had to do a few days
ago" | know not why 7 spoke so bit
tprly. Perhaps because | had not till
that moment looked upon myself as do
ing the work indeed of n veritable spy.
You have me I'm your power. mistress,
and you can tonight put an end to an
other spy, as you are pleased to infer |
am. | cannot prevent you. Indeed, |
do not know that / care o."
She looked At me intcntly for some
moments and then glanCing beyond me
murmured:
Il do not know. | cannot tell. Per
haps | should, for ! believe | know the
reason for your presence here, and it
is no doubt my duty-yes, indeed, l
have been there she cried, suddenly,
i'm n lively voice. ct Is 81 pretty town,
Boston, but SO prayerful.'
| looked at her in amazement, and
her heard Owe my shoulder:
"Dcbby, t is long past midnight. We
must go home"
She sat quietly n moment, and l
rose and bowed to Judge Philipse, her
father-a dignifed and courtly grey
haired man of sixty, in a kind OF court
dress. | with long faced coat
and knee brooches.
II will come directly, papa she said
Mr.. Merton is just here from a jour
ney, and Lord Howe has hidden me see
that he eats
He bowed without a word and moved
on. =,
II do not know what 1 should do"
n continued.
The tables are turned, Mistress De-
borah." said l.. MY life is In your
hands" and | saw her look quickly at
me with a serious depth in her eyes.
Then that CLINT came on n sudden, and
she murmured:
Very well, then, you will do exactly
as | bid, or-suffer h Consequences
Il must" -,
Then accept the invitation you will
receive in a moment for tomorrow
night"
Il can do naught but my duty, and
hat occupies me"
ooh, you cannot? We will see. I
shall take my curse as you select
Then I'm an instant she vas looking at
me earnestly. do it for me! l want
to tell YOU OF something" and she got
up and walked towards a lady Of grace
full figure and as sweet and sincere a
face as | had yet seen in h a gay
room.
Mr.. Merton let me present you TO
the dearest woman in this whole world,
the Baroness Riedesel.'
With an amused laugh the lady gave
me her hand, and | bent over 1t With
out ~affeCtation, for any n oul see
that she was a generous, loving wom-
an with a heart big enough for all, and
a face that was as beautiful as 1T was
good. She spoke with a marked ac-
cent, but in perfect English.
II am very glad to know Mr.. Mer-
ton"
"Rnt that is not all" said the brazen