The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1885-02-27

himself. Am on the SScUnu HOEutnS ~
came to the colonel and offered t
take charge of the boy until his parent
returned to England.
1T would really be rather a faVo
than otherwise" he protested. m.
wife and l are verv dull by ourselves
and if you could only trust us, [ an
sure we would tske as good care o
the boy as if he were our own. Blu
you must make up your mind a
once"
The colonel grasped his friend
hand in silence. He did not quite re
alize the position.
II don't want to press you," sale
Bradley; ''but it certainly seems {
pity that you should cut the service
now and starVe on half-pay when there
is such an easy way out of the Difficult
ty.'
So after a long discussion between
Poland and his wife it was settled that
the colonel should accept his friends
offer, and send Rupert to England,
while he and his wife remained al
B~undapore. There was very little
time for preparations or for a prolong-
ed leave taking. The poor mother
strove to console herself with the
thought that her child's life would be
saved, but she suffered terribly in part
ing from him; while the cOlonel's feel
ings were none the less deep because
his manhood forbade him to parade
them. AS for Rupert, he had taken
wonderfully to his new friends, and as
Iis NlI D,,rco xynrt yyikL lsp, hi1 nhSlI
ish sorrow was soon cOnsoled by the
novelty of the journey and the change
of scene and air.
Two years passed, and the Polands
were almost reconoiled to the separa-
ton by the comforting letters they
constantly received from DR.. Bradley,
Rupert was growing up a strong,
healthy boy. He vas wonderfully
sharp aud intelligent, and had by no
means forgotten his parents. The
Bradleys were living rear Tunbringe
Wells, as London, they thought, was
not good for children, and the country
air suited Rupert to perfection. Mrs.
Poland almost lived upon these letters,
in which her little mes life was so
infinitely and faithfully depicted that
she was tempted to forget the dreary
waste of sea which lay between them.
In another year the colonel would re-
tie on a good pension, and then they
would be again united. Rupert had
had only one misfortune-his old ma
tive nurse was dead, but Mrs. Bradley
said that she had found an excellent
Only six months were wanting to
complete the colonel's term of service
when, by the same mail, arrived a
couple of letters from England, one In
a black-bordered envelope, addressed
in a stiff, formal hand, and the other
from DIR. Bradley. The colonel OPEN
ed the black-edged letter and handed
the other to his wife. The first was
from a lawyer CURLY informing the
colonel that his father and elder
brother had both been drowned on a
yachting trip.
"Good God, how awful" cried Po-
land. His father had been his worst
enemy, and his brother had never
raised his little finger to help him.
But blood is thicker than water, and
the good man was grievously shocked
by the ews As he stared ct the open
he suddenly heard a loud
and starting round found that
his wife had fallen, fainting, to the
ground.
why, Bessie, what is the mattere'
he exclaimed, and then his eye fell on
the letter from DR.. Bradley. Picking
il up he strove to revive his wife as he
began to read it. The first few senten-
ces turned his bronzed face white to
the lips.
Rupert was lost! He and his nurse
had DISAPPEARED, and not a trace could
be found of them. Detectives had
been set to work still nothing had re-
from their exertions bat vague
and unsatisfactory clews. Rewards
had been offered, and scores of children
had been inspected, but Rupert was
not among them. DIR. Bradley wrote
that he and his wife were almost be-
side themselves with anxiety, and
dreaded to meet Col. Poland, who
would never forgive them for having
been the innocent Gauss of this I'M
lookel-for catastrophe.
Poland called the servants TO take
his wife to her room, feeling utterly
stunned and helpless. One thing only
was clear in his mind-that ne must
sail for England without a days de-
lay, whatever the cost might be;
and then he suddenly remembered
that he was now a rich man, and In
the bitterness of his heart cursed his
cruel fate, which ever seemed to mock
him with vain hopes of happiness.
Presently the unhappy mother recover
ed from her swoon, and awoke to the
full sense of her misfortunes. The
colonel utterly failed to console her;
indeed, his own despair was too evil
dent to permit him to inspire either
hope or comfort.
perhaps he is found by this time,
he said.
4xty- --fff. .-Z--I ~. - 49,