Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1902-09-11

cd TO fash with every hue OF the rich
| and tempting fruits and sparkling wines
ranged near. At sight of it, Harleigh's
face flushed crimson The next minute
the blood reccdcd, leaving lip and cheek
as pale as death.
"A love token, I'll be bound; is it not
Falkland?' said Harry Jermyn.
Falkland smiled, but made 40 reply.
81 think I've seen this gem oefore to-
day. said Buckingham, taking it up and
| examining it. 81 thought | wasn't mis-
taken. It is the one, llarlcigh you pur-
chased at Lingard's, previously to your
going to America"
II don't pretend to say when or where
it was purchased" said Falkland. "The
first and the last time | ever saw it, till
| could call it my own, it adorned the
neck Of one more beautiful and bewitch-
ing than the most celebrated of the beau
ties of Windsor, portrayed by Sir Peter
Lely's pencil"
You had better mind how you let the
little Castemaine, and some others, hear
you compare your forest beauties with
those Of the court" said the Duke of
buckingham.
Has this little wood nymph Of yours
red skin?" inquired Killgrew of Falll-
land
YES, as red as the freshest rose in
June. save whore the empire of that
qucenly flower is disputed by its sister,
the lily"
Her name?" said Charles, beginning
to be interested in Falkland's somewhat
high-fown description.
'Alice Dale"
"What! the daughter of Reginald Dale,
who, I've been told, short time before
his dccease caused that stiff old Puritan,
Nathan Walworth, to be appointed her
guardian?'
The same, your majesty"
"And he soon afterward emigrated to
American
HE did"
81 remember him WELL" said the Earl
of Arran. "He served under Cromwell.
as captain Of Dragons, that used to
stable their horses in the stalls of the
cathedrals."
IF | mistake not" said Buckingham,
zone Burlington, who owned Il princely
estate In Wiltshire, was the fair damsel's
uncle, that Falkland is in such raptures
about"
He was" said Arran.
1T is she, then, who stands in your
lightT said Harry Jermyn.
That is not quite clear" replied Falk-
land.
''True, if you marry her 1t will then
be much the same as if old Burlington
had made you his heir, which, I've heard
he once contemplated"
Meanwhile, Harleigh had remained 81
lent, though with compressed lips and
flashing eyes. He now drew Falkland a
little aside.
Dare you say, on the word and honor
of gentleman, that Alice Dale gave you
that opal?' he demanded.
It'll you make it appear by what right
you ask the question, l will say nothing
about it,"
"By an Englishman's right"
"And by the same right refuse to an
swer a question asked with so much ar
rogance."
II am not in mood, just now, to
clothe my language in the garb Of humil-
ity. | demand to know if Alice Dale
gave you that opal of her own free will"
ut was freely given"
at is false. She never gave it to you"
what | have said is true"
81 shall not take your word"
LET the sword decide it, them"
Charles, who had caught enough of
what was said to understand by this
time what was going forward, now inter
posed.
You seem to forget" said he, chat
this is neither place nor a presence for
lovers broils. Both of you will please
consider yourselves under arrest-you,
Gilbert Falkland, for proposing to decide
the question by the sword, and you.
Clarence Harleigh for provoking him to
it, Remember that you leave this place
for ready furnished lodgings in the Tow
err But come and his features relaxed
into their usual good-humored expression,
1--WE have already let our feast of fruits
stand waiting till one might well deem il
n feast for fools.
Saying thus, he took his place at the
table, and the others, including Harleigl
and Falkland, who dared not refuse, fol
lowed his example.
CTo be contnued)
l ~