Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1903-03-14
ONLY A FILTRATION.

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you see. l never sleep now-it seems
10 me / never slept. Never slept!
that sounds strange don't ftp
Oh, l know perfectly well what | am
saying. The doctor asked you this
morning if / wandered at all through
the day. | heard him, though he spoke
so low; and you nodded your head
Just a little, but | saw you. 1t was my
mind he meant. / couldn't speak just
then, l was so weak from that long fit
of coughing; but / am stronger now
and can tell you it was all a mistake.
He will see in n few days how l shall
improve. | feel better tonight than /
have for months.
Don't start so, Nellie. You've heard
peoples stories about the affair; you
must hear mino now. | am going to
tell how d~readfully wicked / was,
though | didn't mean to be; you know
that, don't youP / grow so frightened
thinking about it all night long! Some
times i think they will never forgive
me. That is what makes me cry out
so.
You asked me last night If l wanted
anything; but l could only shake my
head. If / could have spoken. |
should have asked you then do you
think they will, Nellie? Do you think
they will?"
Please raise the pillows a little;
there-thank you.
| never meant it, Nellie, never. l
didn't think-that was all. But have
had time enough for that since; and
when | get well how | will try to make
up for it! 1t won't be too late, will it,
Nellie? Say it won't be too late! You
don't really believe Arthur Richmond
is dead. do you? Not really dead!
Why, the last time | saw him, he
WAS
No, no; l am not firing myself. |
breathe easier than | have done for
weeks; and just notice how clear my
voice sounds!
If l had meant to create trouble be-
tween them it would have been differ
ent; but | didn't. Oh! | never dream
ed of such n thing-how could people
say so? Mrs. Avery was too i'll TO
leave her room; it was for her health
they came to the Albion Hotel, at Law
erick Wells; and, of course, it was
tedious for him. He was fond of So
ciety, and I tried to make it pleasant
for him-that was all.
Yes, yes, that's true-that he liked
me, and | knew it; but, Of course, |
supposed it was in an innocent way. /
walked with him a good deal. He was
the finest dancer in the hotel, and |
enjoyed waltzing with HIM 81 much!
You see, it was only Il pleasant tlirta-
ton. | knew they talked about us,
but / didn't mind that. Women al
ways hate me somehow. I've got used
to it..
Don't look So shocked, Nell. Idon't
mean all women, Of course; but those
whose brothers or lovers ever speak to
me. Nothing but n flirtr-that's
what I've heard so many times. I've
thought about it a good deal lately.
Perhaps they were right. Nothing
but q nirt!" That's pretty hard, isn't
it, Nell? When | saw they were silly
enough to be jealous, | liked to expert
ment a little-it amused me; but now,
lying here and thinking it all over, it
doesn't seem so funny. You will see
how different l shall be when / get
well.
/ am glad my hair is cut of, my
beautiful hair. / used to be so proud
of it! They hated that, too, and ever
since John Avery said-No matter; l
will tell you that by and by. Do you
remember that old fortune-teller we
met when we went TO Old Fort last
year? TOO much gold hair, too little
good heart. A life too short-too
long. How l laughed at her!-it made
her so angry! Then she wound q curl
round her finger and pulled it hard.
Better do that" she gr0wled, touch
ing her throat and scrowling ut me.
Mercy! / am shuddering now to think
of it, but that is because | am weak, |
suppose. 1t was only a coincidence,
but | thought of it on that dreadful
night / am going to tell you about,
When
Please open the other window, Nell.
1t grows so close in the o No, no,
/ won't get excited. / must talk, and
think of so many things all at once
so.
1t was the last ball of the season; ]
had danced four times with John
Avery. That was bad enough, but
did it more to tease Arthur Richmond
and his sister than anything else. He
had hardly spoken to me for three
weeks. and | meant he should see how
little | cared. She had said "A good
many things that-well, l think now
they were all true. He was her only
brother, and she idolized him. But,
walking up and down with John Avery
we caught a few words:
"Avery's going it blind; easy enough
to see how it will end; but Colonel
Monroe ought to know that she"--
He only heard the first part of the
sentence. | was thankful the rest
escaped him, and his eyes blazed.
80" he muttered, they pretend to
sit in judgment on me, do they? Fools,
let us show them"-and at the very
first notes of the band We were whirl'
ing down the
What a waltz that was. My very
last, Nellie; only think; | shall never
want to dance again when | get well.
My comb had loosened, and the
heavy curls were falling over my face.
We stopped dancing to cross over to
one Of the little rooms opposite. ]
gave him my fan and gloves to hold,
while turned to the glass to arrange
my hair. | was out Of breath-nerv'
Gus. too, a little-and | could not faster
it up easily. Then | caught sight OF
him in the mirror. He was looking al
me over his shoulder, his breath com
ing hard, and q scowl on his flushed
face.
| turned round short, "Why do you
look at ne sop | cried out.
He threw the fan across the room.
1t was broken into bits; then he caught
my hair in his hands and kissed it over
and over.
Don't look away, Nell-don't turn