The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-07-07
SyATCTIED FROM THE BRINK.



Tlmc-ivc O'Clock on u sultry september
,ncrnoor: ih" air - clos" and oppressive. the
,,...,yrrrI - IN clouds iiHt threaten STORM
s.,n..-fi, trern; ehHdy flowers wntcd draw
1, rn,.n 81 - prriiy ol1-;gshoard hous" In n
An .lr'mn road just outside the town Of Learn
in.i'm
RI. room has tv' occupants. ono of whom
,h.u.tIllr.rg"j lni, rr,sidlug ut n dainty little
"G,o.o''o.a tea" t,bt-.s the present writer.
Mss Cat,rr,n" Danr Tho tail, dark-cv"d girl
/, white. vino stands ut the open lawn window.
,snynioc,. Srln " the mothcrlrss child of NV
brothcr. Colonel Danr. now IN India. but shortly
,,pn tod HON" OH g. * l'nvc.
Don't YOU want any tea. Sidncy?'
sidney il in u crown study. and have to nsk
,n,iiesticu tN'rr before snc comes to the sur
face with q Start.
"T,ag oh is Il rrniy?" she answers abecntly.
,ni rovini fr,Hi ~ window. subsidies into a
cbnlr nca. IN" Table. Il WIS looking for the
,,simar IT, Is ln;r this afternoon"
"lrr,u export letter from India by tho
mai ihl IS in"i - :"
"Ys. lar-aj papa will write
We shall hiNe his, with us before Christmas.
Isappas'F
81 srppose so. abe asscntcd.
Her tone WINS certainly not ono Of jovfnl nm
,uunressrl sigh. It panied. hut did not sur
mise m, 60 hear II. for Ind discovered long
.so sidney dreaded her father return. though
for rh, rrason | could not oven conjecture.
The rir WIS almost Ms much n stranger to me
now as che h.i been six months before. when
frat received her beneath my roof. NY
brother had written to me requesting me %
nksrhnr.:rof her until he returned to Eneland.
~ her health required immediate chnni:" 81
.IimnfN. / readily consented. lint soon found 1t
was no h.h responsibility had accepted |
Ind neither power nor influence over tho
naughty. hrat STRONG girl. who know no law hut
hpr own VIII. VINO accepted homng" as
rglt. ali! r"rell"d sympathy rs mn i'yp r;
learned - lu,'. NY niece. and hrr waywrrdn' -
and capri" ont, served to ndd compassion to
ry affection Tor some instinct told me That
thy wrr hut the outward sgns ui hdrrp"r w.;
Ah.nrt oVVr, sod 10y somr hidden trouble. and
HMn'urr ol wqr with iis"i,
What rnnid tn trouble be , AnNiouslv /
nsSri myself the qui stion rs. after hearinE that
sienin ant sigh. | watched her cloudrd face.
But thu beautiful face kept her secret aud told
suunI 81 carriage whccls approaching
swiftly ulouE 'hr ruhi cnus'h sidney To t"sisi
irum her itlr ,H"'updtipn II hr"Hking bis UT
into fraem' a's. Hnt louN townrd tne window.
The nest moment tnerr swept into sl.llt n pony
carr Hgr hud pr. contain ng thr"" ladies'. two
Young Nn uu tWuu war 'lriv.nkl very youth
FULLY lr s-f4i. uui 4 -rnii"mah. n handsome.
boldicry iuoN,u. man at tpIrty. with loid. dirk
eyes and sw "liug. ifwny moUStarh-. The
ladies at 'niu.: sight ol S,lney. kissed their
hands n G"r eilu-iN"ly. M. the rentl' man
~ s-d u hat rs ih' argngf dashed Toy ami
disappear "a ~ "a ciuuA 90 dust.
" Wrr'. thos the l. l.htwoo,ls ?" inquired.
- shr turned from tne window. hor checks
flushed. TOR "y''s unusually bright.
=, Yes t'"y hay t"'n 10 the flower show.
Mrs. Lgttwuod has rival exhibition In hor
bonnet bri YOU n"irm its'
Her l.r thor. Capt. Forester. is staying with
them still ~"i'.
sidney on,y nodded in reply as she handed
M her rup Zee De- r"pl-n shed.
How !9ns are they likely to remain ut Lean
incion =" n.ki
Il don't kn"N I'm sur. Mrs Lightwood took
hnu-" Tor lrr' months. ! believe; they hive
been mere moc' iIau two already"
DID YOU know them very intimately in In
Welt. yes. used 10 visit them very often
when fh"y wrr,. living ut Madras. The widow.
MR.. lockwood. has always prof"ssrd great
ai",tun Tor M, though l fancy SHE But
that reminds nv. Aunt Catherine" III" broke
on leaving tine iir-t sentence unfinished: they
are eoins I" have title dance tonight and
Again" rxrainiod. DO you know that
you lay" iorn ih"rr no fewer than six times
durlnc N" last tnrtuirhtF'
~Wnet an ",'cnrote reckoning you have keptr
ehersiHru'l. lUu:iin-ly. Well. tonight will
be the s@y"nih, unir.ior nm going-wiih your
permits. son. ~ course"
The nst clause wa- - evidently pro forna
that twouid have been almost more gracious to
have omitted il altogether.
- wish Mrs Iicntwoud would not keep No
her lrue ,itn"e- IL such \ lat". or rather
early hour. replied: and AN sure. sunny
your weak h"nrt
Plrticu.nrlv when my partner il Captain
hoit smile "Yo% hnd b,t"r % b. ",ndid un -
Catherine you know Il is not the dance. Dut
the partner YOU ohl"'t TO-"
| object to both; the partner chiefly. per-
heps."
aiming her ian.
I was provoked into answering plainly.
BrrAuse hr ls u bod. uurrinrfpled danger
Gus mnn. Tint - why, sidney
She iiushrl, and seemed about to make an
angry repy hut. thinking better OF II, answered.
cody. uitsr pause: " iAresay he Is very
mu,h Ike other men-netaer better nor
Il should be sorry to think my circle Of no.
ouainlnncc included many men Of his stamp"
o',ssrysd.
Ont am sure i does not" she returned.
with little laugh you may be quite e-lsy on
mn scorr. Aunt Cath"rine.'
Ana should b" still more sorry" went on
ignoring her remark. III thought TINT he
couli ever be- more 10 YOU than mere AGO amt
nnce Heaven help YOU Sidney. iiyou bestowed
she shut her tan and looked up with sudden
change OF expression.
H. stow NY heart" she echoed, in n tone
halt angry. half scorniul. You talk ms il hearts
were bestowed Ike prizrs. us n reward for
merit; rs u love were thing To be given or
Withheld, subject TO the approval OF parents or
guardians 1t does not occur to you that a wo-
mans heart may b. won In spite of her THAT
thn may loN" against ner WILL against her ludg-
nrnt, against her duty"
she stopped abruptly. and the color rushed
over her lace.
What rubbish We are talking" she conclud-
er with shrug. as she rose and turned u her
OLD post ~ the window. A few minutes aftor-
ward he front gaze closed behind the postmAn
VINO advanced up the winding drive toward the
h"us", somewhat TO my surprise-iUr she had
her full share Of Anglo Indian lazlness-Sidney
gave herself the trouble TO go and meet him
tooA letter from his hand. and returned slow
" across the lawn a tail. elegant figure, Ia trail
ihS summer draperies. with a yellow rose in
nrr dark hair.
"A letter, for you. Aunt Cathie." she said.
,nMNn thr s1nthampton postmark. lt-why-
The words died on her lips she stood looking
0Miki' NJ the lrlter in her hand
ter "'N'N' VIM" 10 '"e mat
~ Is papns handwrtingl" she answered, In
e".iep"I oi AmaZement.
.Iianhd me southampton post-mark' | ex-
i, ".n,"u anu hastily tore 1t open. Sidney look
~" over NY shoulder as read.
RAulEYs Horst. southampton. Sent g.
~ ~ WM ArhrhiNt-fou viii see. from the bending
-, ~ ""N iuat ana Hready n England Landed from
~, MIRIAM i't nshl, aud should have been with you
49,. lN NlhAit bnt my old wound In the shoulder has
nfohrh nui arcsh and VIII keen mo prsourr here thr
W several dayH ! nave lust learned thai The Liyht
"Wns are hNinS IN autugtu. and hatMrs l. ',brnther
MA scamp, ffrl fnricsirr. with them SIDNEY has
WNer mentioned lclr names IA her letter to me. hut
unn she has renewed the AcQuainianre wh{cb a., .t
on before she lett India.