Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1883-04-13

every iu:nll:. liz S..!t; AMI Wii:.N
sligo ted lay rHinr..; :i:lt>,- fpr the
position, She smiled lUttily. and ~;li
Mr.. Brooks says you are the house
hold angel. sc please let us hear no
more NONSENSE.
There is Aunt Jane, too" | said.
mildly.
Belle" she said severely. will you
stop talking nonsense? Aunt Jane.
indeed"
1t really did seem as if Nell was in
earnest about single life; but. after
all, she was only twenty four. and
looked about seventeen. when. one
day. who should walk into the Parson-
age parlor, as coolly as if he had left
it the day before, but Chris.
We We're all there as he came in.
but before he had spoken to Aunt
Jane | saw that Nell had vanished
Did Chris see her run out OF the
door as he entered the front window :?
l think he did.
There was a subdued twinkle nj
his eyes as he inquired for my intirmi
ties. not at all consistent with his
words of sympathy.
Presently Nell came in. with a quiet
smile of greeting, and Il perfect com
posure of manner, but Chris was Il
match for her.
1t was as good as play to watch
those two, SO completely did they *
more the fact that he was Il discarded
lover who had brcn sent away by her
cruelty.
They conversed easily and grace
fully -Christopher's African expert
enccs. varied by descriptions of the
family weddings. the new homes. the
brothersi2 law. the children, and a
thousand other details. in which our
caller expressed the greatest interest.
After that he dropped in as of old,
making himself agreeable and useful
to everyone in the house. especially
tender, as he ever had been. to me-
Indeed. found myself wondering,
sometimes. il he was going To take
Nelrs mocking advice. and all the
others being appropriated. offer him
self to me.
He took me for long drives in his
mothers pony carriage. and was al,
ways ready to hear of Nell's con
quests. showing no jealousy, but a
CREST deal of amusement. over her
cOquetries.
She was born coquette:" he said,
once; 'and yet nobody can call Nell
vain 1t has been a matter of course
with her to be admired ever since she
could run alone
She Is our beauty, as of old." l an
swered; and Chris assented cordially.
II have seen no face so winsOme
since l left home," he said; but he
spoke with the frank admiration of
brother. and gave no token of Il love
sick swain.
Had he outlived his love. | won
dered, and come home to prove to
Nell that her days of tyranny were
Over2
/ think Nell suspected that he had
Always eventempered, Nell be
came titful and capricioUs; bright
and laughing when Chris was with us,
often silent and sometimes gloomy
when she thought herself unnoticed.
She lost her color, and | caught
her more than once rubbing her
cheeks when going down stairs to see
Chris, and she was snarpish and
deeply repentant therefore a dozen
times day.
What ails Nell?' Aunt Jane
asked me, anxious for her darling
"She eats nothing. Belle, and | am
sure does not sleep well. wonder if
it would do her any good to spend a
few weeks with kate?"
Nell. on being consulted. caught
eagerly at the suggestion. and hur
ried her wardrobe into a trunk. rs if
answering sudden life or death
summons.
She made no farewells, but fitted
off SO abruptly that it made us all
stare with surprise.
"Elinor was always impulsive,"
papa said.
And Aunt Jane only answered,
But bless me. didn't mean to drive
tllt CllllO CuI vi tIlc lOilSt.
Chris said nothing, but l was Ger
tainly convinced of the reality of his
whlskers, SO ferociously We're they
pulled all the evening.
But the next day Mrs Gilmore
sent over a wee note of dire distress.
Chris had been thrown from his
horse, and tire doctors feared some
spinal injury.
Aunt Jane went over at once, and
came back with a grave face.
He is badly hurt entirely uncon-
scious," she said.
If Nells departure was sudden, her
return was not less so.
Did you take off your hat at
Kate's?" L inquired. with mild sar-
casm, but regretted it when Nell's
arms stole around my neck. and a
face wet with tears was pressed
against my own.
viii he die?" she whispered. "Oh,
Belle, what shall 1 do if he dles?"
Then, as if ashamed of letting even
my loving eyes read her secret, she
rushed away and locked herself in
her room.
Such restless misery followed tnat
my heart ached for her.
She made Aunt Jane spend almost
all her time at Mrs. Gilmore's and
undertook the housekeeping herself.
letting papa miss nothing Of his sis
ters care.
But she seemed to live in a sort of
breathless expectation of the news
from Chris.
Worse. worse! very low. such were
the disheartenlng tidings day after
day, until there came one dreadful
night OF agonized watching. and
Chris changed for the better.
Convalescence was slow and tedi-
Gus: but one day. when we were all
in the drawing room, there was soft
rush across the room. on the porch.
down the garden, and a Joyous ring
IN Nell's voice, crying, "Oh. Chris,
dear Chris,-are you really here
again?'