Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1902-10-25
CHAPTER XIX.
HOW ONE MAY MAKE FRIENDS
WITH THE ENEMY.

WITH THE ENEMY.
When l got back to Mrs. Hodges
I found III room empty. 1t was then
near upon / o'clock at night, and what
might have taken Acton forth l did
not know. And so l sat me down to
wait his coming.
Ny thoughts were none Of the bright
est, and our case was hourly becoming
more serious. And yet the thought of
that touch of a small slipper was more
than enough to o~verbalance the danger
of our situation and the chance of the
wrecking Of everything in tho perhaps
foolish duel l had brought on my wv
shoulders.
So they had set a marriage for her
her father, and, I'd be sworn, the old
a~ristocratic witch, too, If truth were
known! The thought Of it made me
get up and walk around the room.
Indeed. l had not known it till then,
till l heard Of this danger to her, but
t was true! | could not live my life
without her. / could not see a future
without that face by me, belonging to
me, to protect and comfort and serve
as l would my own life-aye, far more!
Would she have old me of her trouble,
would she have trusted me with 1t and
asked my help, If she had not cared?
Could she, l tried to think, could she
ask a man to save her if she did not
think Of him more than of others?
1t could not be! In spite of the fact
that she belonged to the other side, in
spite Of all the impossible difficulties,
she trusted me, believed in me. Could
she love me? Aye, was it not fair to
suppose so? l got up again and shook
the chair as if it had been the hand
of a friend. She could not! She could
not! God would not deceive a man
so! And if that We're true, then let
49, yIa oil ,,.n 49,, 49,
strong n would win her myself. l
would! / would! A man cannot be
asked to write down the DARK thoughts
that Will crop up into his brain-I
could think OF non but her! Let the
cause be what 1t would, she should be
mine though the soulless rocks and
hills of the land were ruled by king
or president! Could | not live in joy
and happiness all the days of my life
even in the depths of hell, if she were
by my side? And what could it be to
me whether the edicts come from this
side of the water or the other? Moth
ing! Nothing! She was my love, and |
cared little Of what might become of
aught else! What did 1 care for
Arnold? He was n wretched traitor to
his country. Let him live or die, l
cared not a whit! What was the fiend
Hazeltine? Nothing to me. Let him
do his worst, live or die! l had not
known 1T had not guessed it in my
self till this night. / loved her! l
loved her because she was beautiful,
because Of her high and fearless look
that told of a fearless heart. She would
10 what she would; let no man guess
otherwise. l loved her because of her
own dear self as she sat in that little
gown with her arms and throat
shaming the whiteness of the cloth be-
meath the glasses, and with Gods good
help she should know it soon!-and
at me.
How long nave you been here,
friend ?" asked he.
But a moment"
Has aught happened? Any one
Gomez"
No"
Then there will be one here soon.
They're hunting us close" said he
coolly.
Il care not a tinker's dam"
What ails thee, man?" asked he,
.eaning forward in his chair and look
ing at me closely.
Nothing" i,
We'll, let's to bed. There's much to
10 tomorrow. We must take the
boards from Arnold's fence by the
water tomorrow evening"
Il don't know that we can"
He turned quickly on me, looking at
ne with his great honest blue eyes.
ma then, walking UP to me, he put his
.IHo big hands on my shoulders, tower
.ng over me, and said again:
What ails thee, man"
Nothing"
Merton" said he, IN his boyish way.