The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1882-02-01

sWcls carclcsSiy. 'But mamma LnlnkS
her too young TO go into society as yet,
and the child herself is very ditiident."
Dr. Graham is satisfied. He has put
two and two together, and, through
Nina's words and terrified manner, to-
gether with Edna's answer TO his query,
he has arrived pretty closely at the
truth.
"Too young! Why, she's more wo-
man now than her frivolous cousin will
ever be! fear that poor little Ninas
lot at her aunt's is something akin to
the Cinderella Of the fairy tale L won
der what Mrs. Elting will say when tell
her what is in my mind concerning her
nieceif she will say she il too youngp"
The day after the party, and again
the following week, DR.. Graham calls
at the Fittings home, but he sees every
one save the one he wishes most TO
meet.
Poor Nina's escapade has been dis
covered and she is in digrace. The
Dolly Warden dress, spied by Edna's
prying eyes, has convicted her.
But, his mind once made up, Launt
Graham is not one TO be thwarted, and
he has determined to wait no longer to
learn the answer TO question he has
longed had in his heart.
So, taking his pen, he writes to Nina
a manly straightforward letter, telling
her Of the love, strong and tender, he
cherishes. for her, and asking her to
make his happiness by becoming his
wife
Days goby and merge into weeks, I'M
til three have flown, but no answer from
Nina does her waiting lover receive.
At last his hope fails,
$50 it is no, and have deceived my
self. She dosen't care for me, and
what | read in her sweet brown eyes
was merely friendship, and nothing
more. Well, little Cinderella, / must
be brave, and give you up, for it is
evident that, after all, am not the
prince who is to release you from your
uncongenial home"
But, though his thoughts are brave,
Launts disappointment is none the less
keen, and he avoids as long as he can
the pain that seeing his loves dear face
and knowing she is not to be his would
cause him.
AT length there comes time when
Nina falls i'll for the first time in her
healthy young life. To tell the truth, il
is a sickness than which none are more
battling and tenacious more OF the
mind than the body.
Bravely Nina struggles against the
lassitude that is gaining each day a
stronger hold upon her, refusing TO give
up, until at last she can resist no longer,
and becoming for the first time thor
oughly alarmed, Mrs. Elting calls in
medical aid.
you do not think that it is serious,
doctor-that she will not recover"
Pale and anxious, Mrs, Elting bends
over her niece. In her heart she knows
that only outwardly has she done her
duty by the motherless girl left in her
charge, and a remorseful conjunction
is visible upon every feature.
DR. Graham's voice is very cold as he
answers her grayely; II cannot tell.
She is very i'll. should have been call
| ed sooner.
1t is a hard fight, but youth wins, and
out Of the shadow of death comes Nina
sadly changed from the radiant maid
en- OF few months before, though in
Launt's eyes she seems, with her frail
spiritual beauty, more than ever lovely.
At last conyalescence sets in, and his
services are no longer needed. 1t is his
last call He finds Nina alone, Mrs.
Elting and Edna having gone to the
village TO make some necessary pur-
| chaSes.
He stays but short while, and then
rises to go; but Nina's slender fingers
upon his coat sleeve detain him. Surpris-
ed, he looks down at her, to find her
face covered with an embarrassed flush,
and that she is trembling.
"Dr, Graham" she says, II hate To
speak and bring back to your mind what
perhaps time has already begun to eff
face; but must. | have favor to
ask of you--it is that you will try and
condonc on account Of my youth, my
unladylike behavior in coming min-
yited TO your sisters party forcing my
self where ! was not wanted. knew il
was not right, but my cousin had made
me vexed, and | went-I am ashamed to
say it--just to spite her. 1t has troubled
me a great deal to think that through d
foolish childish freak, have lost the re-
spect of you and your sister"
"You have troubled yourself needless
| ly," Launt answers; "for you did not
come unlimited. Your card must have
been kept from YOU, for myself enclos-
ed il with those for your aunt and cousin.
And now |, in my turn, have a question
to ask of you. Why did you not answer
my letter. Was it because you deemed
an honest love of so trihing an accoun,
or because you were so utterly indifl.
erent to me that you cared not what
pain sullered?"
| Nina looked wonderingly up.
"What letter do you mean, DR.. Ora.
hamP'
The one in which told you of my
love and asked you to be my wife,
Launt answers.
Il never received itV'
As she speaks and looks up to meet
his gaze, her soft eyes droop swiftly to
hide the telltale light that has sprung
into their brown depths. But not before
| Iount has seen