Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1907-11-02
CHAPTER III


n BftlaAN IN A t'ltkN LII.
My acquaintance win the Tremaines
I'm the weeks that followed grew by
huperceptible degrees into an inti-
macy which was one Of the most pleas
ant of my life OF Cecily ! have all
ready attempted 10 give some idea. al
though / realize how cold and mad
cquate tt is. As began TO know her
better | came to wonder more ana
more at her compleXity. her simplicity,
her swift change Of mood her utter
ignorance Of social convention An
other thing | saw, and that was hog
absolute worship of Tremaine / Ques-
ton lf lie fully understood its strength;
he had grown, i'm q way. accustomed to
it, but 10 a stranger an outsider it
was startlinBly apparent / say start
Iingly. because one WAS vaguely con
sCiOus Of unsouuded, threatening
depths beneath that sweet exterior
which promised | know not what Of
passion and tragedy should they be
rudely stirred
AS for Tremaine. | hesitate to say
how utterly / foil under his spell Yet
this was not in the least 20 be Won
dered at My life had been, on the
whole SO narrow, ana his had been SO
broad my experience Of the world had
been east in the usual grooves while
his had so evidently overleaped them
had struck out a path for itself into
all sorts of unexpected places Why
he so eNerted himself to charm and
conquer me | do not yet fully under
stand-perhaps It was the mere delight
In power. in the exercise of his dazzling
faculties. or perhaps it was that he
had leisure, that his mind was not We
engrossed in the game on which he
stalled so much.
/ have said that his lie haI been
cast in many curious places. Mar
Unique was only the last OF these the
most recent, and | gathered that the
business which brought him to New
York was the forming of syndicate
to build railroad through the island
Through is the right word, for it was
evident that owing to the islands pc
Culiar formation. there would have to
be much tunnelIing But he waved
all such practical difficulties aside and
discoursed Of the great future before
such a road with an enthusiasm that
was absolutely convincing.
| remember one evening he got fair
~ started upon this hobby OF his and
talked uninterruptedly for at least an
hour-facts, details. descriptions at his
flnger-cnds Cecily chin in hands. lis
tened intent 10 every word, and J. with
the remembrance Of that evening stin
fresh upon me, can understand how
he won the ear OF even Wall streets
suspicious denizens. And indeed it
was wonderful prospectus which he
painted-broad sugar plantations with
no market, the whole traffic of the is
land carried upon the heads OF women:
the great sand heaps Of the east coast
80 per cent. pure steel, waiting only for
development but worthless now be-
cause no ship can approach them-and
! know not what beside. but all OF
which, | have no doubt was subSsan-
TALLY true.
Perhaps | am lingering unduly
over this portrait of Tremaine. but
/ have never met his equal for
daring, for audacity for per-
sonal magnetism. In the days that
followed. | was to see less and less
of him, but the memory OF those first
evenings is 4 living and vivid one.
] can see him sitting there yet be-
fore ne with his wonderful eyes, his
expressive face. his 1.-THE. graceful
form and his slim, white nervous hand
holGing his cigaret. | found myself
speculating sometimes as to his ma
tionallty. French he seemed unques-
tionably by temperament. and yet he
spoke English with facility and care
lessneSs unusual in a foreigner | was
often tempted TO ask him, straight
out but a feeling Of hesitation al
ways held me back | came at last to
the conclusion that he was OF French
America probably from his youth.
| had just come In from dinner one
evening ana was settling down to a
perusal of 'LAffaire Lerouge" when
there Carnc a knock at the door and
Tremaine entered. He was In evening
dress and was seemingly much per-
turbed
my dear Lester" he began abrupt
~. ia that quick, nervous way OF his
I'm in the deuce OF box. and I'm
going to ask YOU to help ME out. /
promised Cecily to take her tonight
10 see the extravaganza at the New
York and have the seats here, but at
the last moment | find | can't get
away. I've business engagement that
l can't afford to break, but Cecily viii
never forgive me If I disappoint her
Have You anything on for tonight -
NO | answered, looking at him in
some astonishmcnt, FOR il was evident
what was coming.
Then perhaps you wouldn't mind
taking Cecily? 1t would be a tremend-
uous favor
Not at All" assured him.
but
1t isn't quite convenable?" he fin
ished. as | hesitatcd. surely we don
need to stand on ceremony. and Ce-
ely doesn't care a hang for conven-
zion. It's a great favor to both of
us. NHe u tI| nSI eyes out lt Sne ma
To stay al home, and | simply can't
take her"
Very Well" / said "Tll be glad to
take her" and thanking me again he
hurried away.
She was dressed and waiting for me
when ! knocked az her door, and she
caught me by both hands as | en-
tered.
This is good Of you." she cried