Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1909-03-20

| DRIED, and the dlnlnB room reuuee
up" he had called In Rose, who hac
/ hair, and she had fondled the cat, and
pretended to read the story in the
weekly paper while they talked. and
all had seemed idyllic and as 1t should
have been.
The personality of Karl Keichline
was strong and dominating. He was
| self made and therefore self centered
He had fallen in love with Rose al
first sight, as he had expected to do
and he had begun his wooing with con-
| fidenCe. That any woman In her right
mind, be she even the daughter of the
great Squire Hartswick himself, could
| fail to be fiattered by his attentions
Lad neTer entered his mind. He owned
! three c6rms clear OF debt, beside his
| grocery business and mis- home estate
| But even without these material good
| things, his personal charms were surely
enough. He was plump and cherub
| faced, a man to give the impression OF
great solidity and Importance, well
groomed, still young, he fancied, and
| still fascinating to the sex. Moreover,
he had heard whispers of the old mans
wish, and he knew the great power of
his expressed desire. Truly, he held
the long suit and all the master trumps,
and he wooed. therefore, as he who has
already won.
But, alas!
Rose Hartwick was not girl to be
impressed by mere proprieties. She
cared not a snap what people expected
OF her, or for what was considered the
proper thing. What she wanted to do
she did, and the people might talk. II
she took II into her head TO ride her
horse astride mans saddle, she did
II, and II she disliked a thing she said
so fiat and honest, cut where 1t might.
She was her own sweet, unconvention-
al self and nobody else, and the valley
loved her for IT.
From the first Keichline had struck
her as irresistibly funny, so funny,
indeed that she giggled at the sight Of
him. His dignifed, self important air
was almost too much for her. even at
the Sunday dinner. She felt an unholy
impulse to prod him with hat pin
under the table to see him jump and
look shocked, or to creep slyly up be-
hind him as he sat spinxlike and i'm
pressive and shout in his ear boo
o-o-o!" or to pull the chair suddenly
from under him as he was taking his
seat at his place solid and aldermanic,
and have him come down with crash,
shaking the blancmange and the chick
en- jelly. She was only a girl, despite
her 20 winters--a sweet, joyous un-
spoiled country girl, who had never had
a sick day, and who was brimming over
WllI lHe ZtSl anu lIt urge VI JOyOuS
young life.
on Keichline's third visit to the val
ley the squire had arisen after the first
cigar and gone out without a word
leaving the two in possession OF the
sitting room.
1t was time for the second act.
There had been an awkward silence
for a moment, then the man had bris-
tied up in a most engaging way, had
N.rn Nashn hir hot
about so as to face her. Somehow he
was not so much at his ease as he had
expected TO be.
That's fine weather now, isn't it?"
he began unctuously, in a tone so diff
ferent from that which he had been
using to the squire that 1t seemed al
most to come from some one else.
Yes" shs said primly, fighting hard
with the beginnings of what she knew
was irrepressible.
Very fine weather very fine!" There
was conviction in his voice. Then sud
denly, as II he were giving confiden-
tial tip about the markets. he added
intensely, Il think we shall have fine
weather tomorrow"
Yes" she said again solemnly, hard
ly daring to breathe. Then she caught
sight of his little plump hands clasped
tightly across his stomach. the thumbs
twirling very slowly, and 1t was no
use. The giggle came out with burst;
to save her life she couldn't have helped
II. He looked up with a jerk, utter sur
prise written all over his face. Then
realizing that he must do something,
he forced himself to a sickly grin.
"Ah-why, you seem to be in a good
humor. Ah-that's good. l always
like to see" She caught sight
again of the little fat thumbs. twirling
rapidly now, fought hard with her
handkerchief. then burst out again. He
stopped short in dismay. and looked at
her as If she were suddenly sick. Then
he glanced down over his clothes, felt
of his necktic, and ran his hand over
his hair.
Yes" She checked herself with an
effort. You always like to see-?"
She paused interrogatively,
"Ah. yes. as 1 was saying, l always
like to see. All, yes, l take the
greatest delight to see-ah-'
He was ratified" his face flushed
scarlet; he breathed audibly; and there
were beads of sweat on his forehead.
He cast another swift glance down over
his clothes; then he tried again to
speak; but there was nothing to say.
"Oh, I'm afraid my cats got a bird"
she cried, casting a quick glance out
into the garden. Here, Dick, stop!"
She dashed out tumultuously, and on
the instant he was at the mirror look
ing himself over from every point OF
view. Then he peered into all the cor
ners of the room and even under the
sofa, for he had read stories of con-
ccaled small boys. He found nothing
wrong. There had been nothing to
laugh at.
There could be but one explanation.
He knew the sex chiefly from what he
had read, and he had read somewhere
= 81, rhaV, hAN
The thought relieved
him; she would soon get over that. He
strolled out into the yard, and forgot
his woes in contemplation of the fat
ness and glory of the old Squire's her
itage.
When next he saw Rose she was
serving the supper-a prim, tall figure
that moved with decision, and that set
things around with a snap and deft-
ness worth watching.
Rose is a good housekeeper," the
old Squire was saying jovially. She
lust about runs this house. Things
have snapped around since she got
home. Why, she got every bit of this
supper alone: wouldn't have her moth
er come down at all: and she did 1t in
so minutes. How's that?"
Fine, fine!" he gurgled. looking with
eye over the bounteous
table and rubbing his hands together
i'm anticipation. Rose came In just in
time to see the movement, and light
ming impulse possessed her to pour
water over the plump hands as he
rubbed them, but she took her place
with preternatural gravity. There was
little conversation; the supper required
the undivided attention of the guest.
"Of course you'll stay to the service
this evening"" the Squire spoke up at
length. There's a good moon, and
it'll be a glorious ride down the rum"
Why yes. perhaps / will-perhaps
will" 1t was as IL he had just thought
of it, There was a tone OF concession
in his voice, as If he were comforting
favor by staying.
Il don't go much I'm the evening"
the old man continued. II don't feel
quite sure of my footing now after
dark, and I like to have the woman
stay at home with me, but Rose never