The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-08-18
A GIRLS HEROIC ACT.
BY CARL BRICKETT.

y
were enjoying to the utmost their own
rapid motion.
Such was the scene.
In the carriage were seated two young
ladies.
The elder of the two was guiding, with
a firm hand, the restless ponies. She was
not beautiful girl, you would think at
first sight; but her refined face, with its
broad, intellectual forehead, and the
proud polse of the small head set upon
an erect, finely moulded figure, made q
picture very attractive to the eye.
Her companion was q perfect contrast.
"Lovely," was the adjective which
would rise involuntarily to the lips on
seeing her. Great silky masses of golden
hair swept back from a brow pure as
alabaster, while the dark, lustrous eyes
were in vivid contrast to the peachy fair
ness of her complexion; her mouth was
an incarnation of sweetness with its deli
cious rose.red curves; while beneath, the
rounded chin was cleft with O roguish
dimple.
"Nip and Tuck seem in good spirits
this morning, Annis," said May, as they
flew away.
"Have you thought that if I return
home when papa wants me to, that this
will be our last driver"
Annis gathered the reins in one hand,
and quickly passed the other around her
friends slight waist, as she said:
'I do hate to think of your going, my
darling! have enjoyed these few weeks
to the utmost. But know your father
needs you, and l must not be selfish"
AS she spoke thus lovingly sudden
resolve came into Mays face. She hest
tated q moment, then drawing off her
glove she held her small left hand up be.
fore Annis's eyes.
On the third finger, in its enamel set
ting, cleaned large solitaire pearl.
After the surprised look, Annis ex-
claimed, reproachfully:
why, May, can it be that You are en-
gagged. and have never told me of it?"
A bright flush suffused Nays express
sive face as she replied:
"Yes, Annis,yo have guessed rightly.
l meant to tell you long ago, but some
how it is hard for me to speak freely of
my own feelings, and it is all so recent /
hardly can believe it myself yet. But /
do realize one thing-that the one who
placed this upon my finger is the noblest
and best of men, and you will agree with
me when l tell you who he is-for you
know him, Annis. One day, soon after
our engagement, l was speaking to Mr..
Coleridge of the visit which l was to
make you Mt 'Greyhurst,' this fall, and,
when l mentioned your name he said at
once that he knew you well-had met
you when you We're at your uncles."
As the girls happy voice spoke these
l. MI L.
listeners features. But not noticing,
May went on:
II suppose YOU wonder how l became
acquainted with him. Well, it happened
this way: Our minister was called away
by his mothers illness, and Mr.. Coler-
idge came to take his place, and papa in
vited him to make his home with US dur
ing his stay"
As her friend spoke Annis's thoughts
had flown back to the past year. She
remembered how her interest had been
caught the first time she had seen the
young clergyman whom her uncle mad
brought home with him one evening,
and how the oftener she saw him the
deeper that interest grew, until suddenly
she became aware that oil unconeon-
sciously she had given away, unsought,
her glrlISn ne0rt.
II was true that Ralph Coleridge had
never acted towards her in lover-like
way; but Annis could not help the love
which had so strongly entwined itself in
her heart.
Then had come the announcement OF
the death of her fathers only brother,
and that he had left her his sole heiress.
Then she had been obliged to lease the
quiet house in which she had been so
happy, to enter upon her duties as mis-
tress Of stately "Greyhurst. She had
had many suitors since; but her heart
vet remained true to its first impression.
She saw that the future to which
she had looked with the hopefulness Of
youth held no bright possibilities for her
now.
As her friend paused, with a strong
effort Annis regained her self-control
and said, calmly, Us she kissed the little
ungloved hand which had nestled itself
in her own:
.'Then Ralph Coleridge is the happy
man? Indeed l do congratulate you,
May, for he is, as you say, good and
noble. As his wife you cannot help but
be happy"
When the girls had driven away from
"Greyhurst" the sun was shining bright
"; but, though they had not noticed it,
in the distance there had been little
cloud "like q mans hand" and now all
- orco tl,av became conscious of the