The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1877-07-05

man who seemed sick-almost dying, 81
CHASTITY pale was he. He rose and crep
near to Nancy, and looked at her. III
was dressed in the hateful red coat of TIN
British soldiers, and as he looked at her
she saw that it was Capt. Ellesmerc. Ia
lifted his hat aud bowed with the ole
courtesy.
MADAM" he said, in low, faint tones
~ am Capt. Godfrey Ellesmere. l have
been prisoner, aud have escaped. l an
at your mercy now, for am wounded te
the DEATH" Then he fell fainting ON the
floor, and Nancy ran to her mother t.
come and help him. "For he is dying
and oh, mother, his name is Godfrey!
she sobbed
So these good women took him in and
nursed him for months (for, of course, he
didn't die), obtaining parole for him,
and keeping him in the pleasant old farm.
house till his wound was quite well, and
his heart forever gone out of his British
bosom into the hands of the little rebel
Nancy Robertson. How, could it be 9th
erwise9 Nancy was lovely young girl
of nineteen now, fair and fresh as the
dawn. The hands that had broken the
punch bowl were tender and skilful in
the binding of wounds and bathing OF
aching heads, and the making of delicate
drinks and viands. Before he could leave
his bed, Capt. Ellesmere loved his kind,
plying little nurse.
Then, afterward, there were the long
weeks of c2nvalescence, when he lay on
the great settle with pillows round him,
watching Nancy at her spinning, or her
sewing, or her bread making. AS he grew
stronger, there were golden hours with
her in the orchard, he lying on the grass
reading to her as she sewed, or perhaps y
not reading, but just idly watching her
changing face, with its smiles and fitting
bushes and dark lashes dropping quietly
over the hazel eye.
Then there were short walks, which
grew longer and longer, till one day as
they sat by clear little spring in the
woods, hardly mile from the house,
Godfrey suddenly said:
"Nancy, am so strong and we'll now,
that it is my duty to get an exchange, If
l can, and go back 10 the army"
Nancy did not say word. She looked
at him one moment, with eyes out of
which the sparkle and smile had died alb
ruptly, then she turned away her head,
and he could just see one cheek, but that
was white as death, ard the black lashes
dropped heavily uponit.
II shall be very sorry to CO." he went
on, watching her keenly AS he spoke,
land hope you will De sorry, too. Will
your"
Still, with her head turned away, and
her little fingers bling, plucking at the
ferns that grew near her, Nancy answered
in a very low tone,
at is hard to lole friend-and it is
lonely here, you kntw" Then, as if try
ing to speak lightly, 'But for you-why,
there will be change and stir, and-you
will soon get over being sorry to leave US,
and forget-us."
THAT will not vowed Capt. Geof-
and and stayed AVA away a thousand years, l
would never forget y,u, because love
you, my dearest, witrall my heart! Look
at me, Nancy. | wait to see If you love
mew
He was kneeling beside her on the
grass, and taking both her cold, tremb-
ling little hands in ole of his, with the
other he turned her ace gently toward
him, and gszed intothe clear depths of
her ewes. Yes. there were tears there
She did love him, ard her white cheek
turned sweetest, glowing crimson as he
took her in his arms md kissed her, and
swore that as soon a the war was pver,
he would come back and marry her, and
take her home to England.
"Will you go with me, sweetheartf he
asked, and bent his kir head to heather
soft-whispered "yes.
1t is singular how little centuryhas
changed us in some things. / deare
that people might behave in just lat
way nowadays, and not be thoughat
all old fashioned ia their notions. SO
little Nancy Robertson, whose father rs
away fighting in TIE Continental arf,
had promised to marry British ono;
and one bright morning she took te-
full leave of him. all alone, in the old p
Tor, which, with its quaint secretary,
dian screen, and heart-shaped chairs,
thereafter dearer to her than ever.
Those were dreMy months that Il
lowed the departure Of Capt. Ellesmd
from the Robertson farm, and sord
torn and aching heart poor Nancy carri
in her breast, while she knew that b
father and her lover were fighting agaif
each other, and she never heard a VIC
from Godfrey. At last came news fro
him, and, strangest of all, her faith
brought It'll Col. Robertson came hon
(: from Yorktown, where he had been wi.
the army beseiging CORVALLIS.
D CORVALLIS had surrendered, and vii
I him a much more important character |