Turner County herald. (Hurley, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1884-04-17
From casssll's Magazlue.l
TRUSTED TOO WELL.

From Cassell's Magazne.l
TRUSTED TOO WELL.
There were not few people in the cir.
clio of Beatrice Latham's friends who
shook their heads doubtfully when the
news was announced of her an
gagement to MIR. Robert Head !
ley, Lieutenant in Her Maiesty's
service, after an acquaintance OF onlv
three weeks. It was easy to talk abont
love at first sight, to assert that in this
brief space of time they had reached a,
degree of intimacy which many married
people had failed to achieve in three
years, to point out that his antecedents
were as completely satisfactory as his
presence which no one denied to be
singularly straightforward and winning
In spite OF all plausibiities, two sets OF
caylllers remained-those men and girls,
namely, who were jealous Of. him or OF
her, and those few older people who had
some actual or personal experience of un-
toward possibilities in love affairs. Be-
sides, in this case the shortness of the
acquaintance was not the only hazardous
circumstanca of the engagement. Only
Q few days later Headley and Capt.
Ersklne (the friend at whose house he
had been staying, and who had intro.
duced him to the Lathams) sailed for In
dla, and Beatrice was left to live on the
memory OF months surprising happi-
inessand to wait patiently for the return Of
her lover. The girls trust in him was
absolute. She had, as it were been
taken by storm, for in the unreserved
ardor of Headley' q wooing she did not
perceive the want of depth, the absence
sof self-restraint in his nature, but only
an entire devotion to herself, which
made her brin over with delight and re-
sponsive affection. Thus her passionate
belief in his loyalty enabled her to face
the weary years of separation with mar
yelous courage, whioh served to increase
the respect and admiration already ac-
corded her as one of the sweetest and
most beautiful girls in the district of
,Kersham. Capt. Erskine, who was an
old playfellow of the Latha1ns, regarded
her as littls less of an angel than her sis.
ter Connie, and when at the final leave
taking she. appealed to him to stand byi
Headleys sthrough thick and thin. he
registered silent tow that his promise
given in return should not be an idle
one.
For more than year Beatrice never
had moments anxiety. Headley was
well and happy, and his frequent letters
sbreathed the same ardent affection that
she had learned to believe in from his
lips. When,+ however, tile report OF diff
ticnlties in Afghanistan was followed by
the news that both Headley and Erskine
had been ordered>to the front, it was no
wonder that she should be sorely tried
{ by thes fears and uncertainties of the
long campaign. Letters reached her
only at long intervals, aud were usually
80 short and hurried as to give her an
increased sense of the hard work, the
insecurity, the stir and turmoil with
which her lover was surrounded. She
bore up bravely by dint of constantly
impressing upon herself the necessity Of
fortitude in soldiers bride, but her
great love made confidence and compos-
ure very hard sometimes. Then ut last
one day letter came which dissipated
all her fears and filed her with joyful
anticipntions. Connie, who was in the
room when it arrived, noticed the start
she gave, and the light that flashed into
her face as she read, and asked, smiling:
vCAy ACuAS Wdhu I'D ullO AS,Wos
Beatrice rose and impulsively flung
her arms round her sisters neck.
g0h, CONNECT she cried, tRob lie
coming homel"
'Notreally, Bee!v
agaYes, really, repeated Beatrice, half
sobbing with excitement and gladness;
81 suppose ought to be sorry, for he
has been wounded; but he says it is
nothing to speak of-only just enough
to get leave for-and 1 can think Of
nothing but seeing him again. He and
Richard Erskine were side by side and
both got hurt. They sail this month
how long does it take? Connie, Connie,
he will be here in a few weeks. :"
'.Hush. Beatrice, you mustn't excite
yourself, eaid Connie reprovingly but
her own heart was beating now at the
thought of Erskine's return, and she
added nervously, "I hope Richards
wound is only slight, too.
"Oh, yes" said Beatrice, laughing
and kissing her, "they will both be
nearly we'll by the time they reach En-
gland. And Rob has got his captaincy
isn't that splendid?'
The girl grew gradually more, com.
posed, hut she could not sober down al-
togethef, and every day that brought
the vessel bearing Headley nearer home
seemed to add to the brightness Of her
eyes and the indescribsbly happy light
heartedness of her manner. Headiey sent
q aletter overland whenever they touched
port and. in the last one from Gibraltar
8 he wrote that he hoped to be with her on
the following Sunday; but she must not
wonder il he were delayed a day or two;
he would telegraph the moment he land
ed. sy s.aass,l 4
To the impatient girl the intervening
days passed with almost intolerable dill
atoriness; they were so long, so hot, SO
still, SO full OF summer drowsiness out
OF ali sympathy with the highly ysstrung
state Of her emotions. She could not
wait quietly; unless every hour was filled
up with some active occupation, she fret
ted and chafed against the unhasting
leis1reness OF time, and wore herself out
with restless longing for Headley's g com
ing.
part il a4large nutting party, and it was
Z q general comment that no one stood the
heat so we'll, OF worked with such un-
tagging perseverance,, as Beatrice. Aa
the shadows heightened, one couple
stole off for stroll, and Beatrice, turn.