The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-12-20

could of the one uninjured horse. an,
both shafts being broken, they manage,
to propel the vehicle and to keep guar,
by the window to allay the ladies fears
which were not altogether destitute O
foundation, that there might be anothe
repetition of the disaster before the,
reached-ho -Gidi
"I think you mustsbe Sir Henry Hal
bert, said Canynge to the old gentle
man in the pause that ensued after tn
immediate preparations swere complete
sand you was the answer.
"Your old schoolfellow, Canynge, be
ore I went to Haileybury."
: 80 !" Capynge," said Sir Henry, warmly
grasping his hand, eff you had know
how often had thought of you, how
much had desired this meeting.
watched you for years in India, and
when you left the Civil Service, and
most thoroughly took your side and
symyatMzed with you, you seemed to bt
lost sight of altogether"
I have been in Italy and the east,
said Canynge, land only lately have
been travelling in England.
"And where do you live now?"
Nowhere. That is to say, entirely IL
hotels" = ~
And how do You spend your time p
"Chiefy travelling about in express
trains"
.'tBrt where are your traps, and how
do we find you here at midnight"
"My man has been at at Ashenford,
and / was walking over to meet him."
"And in this out-of-the-way spot, al
this odd hour, we meet. You were com.
ing to see me, I hope?"
81 don't know. had some idea OF
it, but am afraid that I should have
givenit up. lam out of sorts, Halbert,
by which I mean out of health, out oi
spirits. We are both Oldish men, bui
you have not been shriyeled up in India
as have" I'd
You must come on. for the night,
anyhow; stay for a month; stayias long
as you like"
g I think not, Halbert. 1 am the
worst possible sort of guest to have-7
selfish and solitary, rise and roost at ali
hours-not amusing, or to be amused
a regular badger in earth, only fit fol
the Indian Jungle" -,
Z "We will draw Won out, replied Si,
Henry, 'We will send over by and by
for your servant at Ashenford. You shall
do exactly as you like, and will be, a;
least, as comfortable as at q hotel"
1t was a long pull round by the hall
After going four or five miles help came,
and all the disagreeables were effective
ly arranged. At last they reached the
hall door. AS they stood ON the thres-
hold Sir Henry again greeted his guest
with both hands outstretched, and Just
at that moment the first rich ray of the
sun struck from tie east across
the world, ushering in new world, and,
the dawn of brighter day
to the worn heart and frame of the old
Indian
m.-LIGdT AT EVENING.
Canynge was undisturbed till late
next morning. The law of the host was
gone forth that the new inmate was to
be left to his own devices. The servant
came to take orders whether he would
breakfast in his own room or downstairs.
Having replied in the latter way, Mr..
Canynge went down into the library. A
breakfast lunch was on the table, and he
had hardly sat down when tall eie-
giant girl, the same whom he had first
met on the downs the previous night,
presently entered the apartment, and
quietly sat down by his side.
81 am told that L am to have my
lunch at your breakfast, Mr.. Canynge," "
She said :. Papa has been obliged to
go over to the Petty Sessions, where he
always takes the chair. Mamma is not
down yet. or my sisters either" she ad-
ded, laughingly; land mamma said you
were to be my special charge till the rest
came in.
my child" said Canynge, with his
gentle smile, 81 place myself in your
care, if you viii be troubled with a stu
pid old man. 1t is quite new expert
ence to me to have so fresh and good a
girl to look after my tea and toast"
"But you are moi stupid old man, +"
said Eveline, with earnest eyes. "Mam-
ma told me that out in India you had
been quite sort of king over q country
rs big as twenty of our English coun-
ties, and mad done the people ever SO
much good"
ga man may be stupid old man, in
spite of all that, Miss Eveline, al you
viii certainly find out, if I stay here
much longer"
He thought he had never seen high
er type of intellectual beauty than in
Eveline. The face had that expression
Of goodness which is essential tobeaJity.
That night had been very eventful
night to her, for il had been her first
ball. She had not yet properly come
out, and was to be presented at. Court
next season; but the Talbots were such
old friends and neighbors that she had
been allowed to go to their ball. And
Eveline was quite content with the COM
retiredness that was hers until
the days of her first season should come
in. = =
That young man whom he had seen
the night before, with his steed tied up,
was evidently an institution in the
house. 1t was pretty clear, indeed, that
he was kept there by feminine attrac-
lions, and more than suspected that
this attraction was Eyeline. Lady HUI
bert was anxious to get him for one of
her girls, but if the eldest would not
meet the occasion then even let it be
the youngest; but she had still hopes for
Caroline. Canynge did not see much of
Captain Morton. The Anglo-lndian
Kept his morning to himself, rarely APP
peared at the public breakfast and
lunch, and almost limited his inter-
course with the family to apparently in
talks with his host over the
wine But he was man of late hours,
and would sit in the smoking-room or
even later than the gal
lant captain. And hearing from Lady
Halbert that the gallant captain had
been making proposals for Eveline, like
Lady Halbert he was in favor of Caro-
line. He granted that Morton was rich,
handsome, gentlemanly, and if not
much good, at least with little vice
about him. But he was a man of the
true voluptuary type, who had exhaus-
ted all the round of pleasure, with no
notions beyond natural interests. Caro-
line was woman of the world, capable.
Of taking and holding her own way,
having quite settled her character and
tastes.l But somehow he was sorry to
think of Eveline being handed over to
such man, who would hold her "a lit
tie better than his dog, little .dearer
than his horse" and that. all her fine
and abilities should be
1ulled by contact with such companion
ship.
For he had seen great deal of Eve
line. Lady Halbert had especially de-.
sired her Youngest daughter to be very