Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1903-04-11
herself to be brought away

herself to be brought away.
anticipated a double pleasure H.
presenting Aurelia Desmond to my
itriends. She was a poetess Of the rare,
simple type, and / determined to veil
her with a halo Of mystery.
Aurelia had been an orphan from in
fancy. Her mother had been of Quaker
p~arentage. By Aurelia's marriage with
one OF the worlds people she had for
feited the religious sympathy Of the
congregation.
IT was partly for her own benefit that
determined to conceal her history
from hcc new acquaintance. since the
purpose Of her visit would, doubtless,
be the more effectually gained If /
could be spared all those condolences
and expressions Of sympathy which the
knowledge of her desolate condition
would naturally call forth.
She was introduced to my friends
only as Miss Desmond.
n certainly attracted as much at
tention as / could have desired, for the
charm Of her beauty and intelligence
made her everywhere an object Of in
terest.
But she herself was little affected by
this attention.
"Aurelia." I said, one bright winter
morning, "let us go downtown. A friend
of mine has Just finished a beautiful
picture; at least, he considers It his
masterpiece, and invites my inspection.
1t VIII be q pleasure to you to accom-
pany me, l am sure"
Yes" he replied, simply; IT like
pictures. l hope II is a landscape with
fine trees. mellow distance, and q blue
thread of a river crossing the fore
ground. I shall see then If he has
clothed his stone with the right kind
of moss, and tinted the petals of his
blossoms correctly"
1t was the first time I had known
her to sho so much interest. I was
encouraged. / watched her as she de-
liberately completed her toilet; ar
ranged the rich sable furs, drew on the
delicate gloves, took up the family per-
ruined handkerchief n the pretty
muff, and said quietly
Now I am ready"
1t was very thoughtful In thee" she
said, as We walked Mountaineering her
pretty Quaker speech, as she some
times did in confidential moments-"to
screen me from and inquiry
by Withholding my story from thy
friends. Sometimes, indeed, I feel tina
am lending myself to deception; but
'one?"
Certainly" I replied. IT think It
perfectly justiiable under the circum-
stances"
And yet I have thought that, IL it
were discovered, 1t might lend an I'M
pleasant seeming to our conduct. Dost
Iliou lLluk tHeT6 Is
We had reached the studio and were
entering. 1t was a qua~int-looking place,
differing little from otherHo of It's kind,
except in the air Of comfort, of "at-
'honleness," If we may coin such an ex-
preston. At this moment my friend
Raymond was engaged, SO we amused
ourselves, for a time. with the paint
ings hung on the walls, and some half
finished sketches.
Yet, while thus entertaining Aurelia,
l was not so much admiring the pict-
ures as studying, by side glances, the
strange lady with whom Raymond was
talking. She was q very striking per-
SON, and the influence by which my
eyes seemed perpetually to turn to her,
from whatever station l assumed. re-
minded me of the ancient arts Of fasci-
nation and witchery, and I wondered
II she exerted the same power over
Raymond, III was STOPPING over the
in which she sat to catch her
murmured tones. Hardly-Raymond
was a man OF many experiences and
much penetration.
Finally she rose, shook out her dainty
%fiounces with a silken touch, all the
while that her full, expressive eyes
were turned upon Raymond, and, Civ
ing him her hand in a warm, impress
sive manner that was full Of art, made
her adieus, and sailed slowly down the
rs she pdSSeu L noticed that her eve |
fell upon Aurelia. There was q quick,
and, 1t seemed to me, a malignant
glance Of recognition, a Slight and
naughty stoop Of the proud form, and
she passed on with an added touch in
name l looked at Aurelia: her
pale face was overspread with
a faint flush and her breath seemed to
and go between her parted lips
IN pants like that Of a frightened deer.
raymond was approaching, however,
md l touched her arm to recall her to
elf-command.
Raymond led us at once to the center
4 the room, where, In the full light
f a sky window, stood an easel COW
red with a cloth. The covering was
arefully drawn aside and the next mo-
there was revealed to us simply
he head of a little girl of three years.
t was exquisite in outline and color
and the expression was life-like,
houghtful, serious, tender, almost be-
'ond words, yet child-like withal. In
ler hand she held an Easter lily. AS 7
urned to Aurelia to ask her opinion,
saw that her eyes were suffused with |
ears. and in another instant I heard