The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1885-03-22
HESTER.

HESTER.
ooh Hal am so sorryl never
thought of such a thing"
"I should think you might have known
when fellow was in earnest. I've gone on
with no end of other girls before, but this Is
the real genuine thing. You must have
seen all the summer how I've worshipped
the very ground you trod upon. Look
herel'' Hal dived into the recesses of a coat
rocket somewhere near the region Of his
heart, brought forth small paper package,
and extracted from it sharp fragment Of
white rock. Hester Conway looked on with
interest.
"Quartz isn't II 2' she asked gravely.
He nodded. "You remember the picnic
on Barricane Beach You picked that up
and gave 1t to me because II was bore to
carry, and have kept II ever SINCE"
Involuntarily Hester broke into a merry
laugh, for she knew that impetuous Hal had
been in love fifty times before, and would be
afty times again. Bnt for the moment he
was desperately serious, and Hester, repent.
ing, grew suddenly grave again. "Oh
Hal how wish 1t had been something bet
ter worth keeping, and more-more COM
fortably portable. Pray throw 1t away, and
let us forget all this nonsense"
Impossibler - Hal stalked gloomily
along between the high banks Of the shady
Devonshirelane, where the two were walking,
and looked modify at his boots. "Im not
fellow to fall In love one day and out the
next, Hester! You must have heart as
hard as this stone. or you'd listen to me
more kindly.
A look of distress came over her sweet
face she stopped and laid hand upon his
arm. "Dear Hal forgive me for laughing.
You chose such funny keepsake But,
indeed. can't give you any other answer"
mot if 1 try again next year, come of
age next year."
"No, Hal; could never think of you in
that way"
"Then there must be some other fellow |"
"To account, of course, for my refusing
any one SO extraordinarily fascinating as
Mr.. Hal Lester |" Hester answered, laughing
again; but Hal was quick to perceive that
she flushed to the very brow. His face fell.
"Well, must make the best of it but
envy that other fellow his good luck ~ Hal
sighed eavily-asigh strangely out OF accord
with his sunny face, and the short silence
which followed brought them to a turn in the
long lane where the paths Of the Two branched
apart-Hester's by a grass.grown bridle-
road, whose unkempt hedges were illumi-
mated here and there with sprays of fams-
colored bramble leaves, to the Rectory, hard
by the old church tower Halls through the
massive gates of broad carriage drive 10
the stately mansion brimful Of wealth and
luxury to which he was sole heir. AT that
moment Hal felt he would have gladly ex-
changed all-broad acres, house, and all the
chattels thereto appertaining-for Yes "
fro, la t;pco IF In ri RI Ut In
him, holding out her hand.
"This must he goodbye, as you leave to-
morrow. We are friends still; are We not,
HALF And hope some day you will find
some one ever so much nicer than am, who
will be able to love you as you deserve; and
when you do, I'll welcome her as a sister,"
The promise was poor comfort to Hal, who
could have dispensed with such passionless
regard, and who felt at that moment-and
perhaps would feel for the space of a whole
week-as though his lifs's happiness were
wrecked forever. He walked on bordering,
with some old suspicious revived within
him. Could it be after all that she really
cared about that fellow Guest and, if so,
why had she let him 60 to Egypt when all
Silvercombe knew she had only to lift her
finger to have him at her feet Hester, for
her part, had often lately asked herself the
then, what she had found out since, that her
old playmate, Talbot Guest, was more to her
than any one else ever could or would be.
1t was the old story:
'How could tell should love thee to-day
Whom that day held not dear?
How could know should love thee away
When did not love thee anear?
Not until she had sent him away did
Hester begin to find out how insipid and
q, nf lot 4,
out him. But it was not too late. Had he
not said he should try again, and meantime
make himself more worthy of her The
girl we'll remembered the sseadfast look in
his sunny eyes as he held her hand in clasp
which turned ont to Re one of farewell.
Hester had left Silvsrcombe to visit some
friends directly afterward, and the next news
she heard of her lover was notification In
THE Western Times that Capt. Talbot Guest,
Fourth Battalion of the Devon Rifles. had
been appointed 10 command in the Egyptian
army, and was leaving England Immediately.
That was only last winter, hut already, in
her dreams, waking and sleeping, Hester
was picturing her hero's return from his
harvest of glory, bringing his sheaves with
him to lay at her feet. Halls pleadings this
November afternoon had recalled that to her
thoughts which was never far away. With
a rapid step and happy light in her fawn-
brown eyes, she hurried homeward through
the gathering dusk. Tea--that intrusive
afternoon meal which we have all made 80
welcome to our hearths of late-was already
waiting when she reached the Rectory. The
bright little kettle was steaming on the fire,
but her sisters had not returned. There was
only the rector in the hall putting on his
overc0at.
"Going out again. papa You have only
Just come in ~ cried Hester in surprise, for
her father usually held this hour with the
newspaper (Which only arrived at tea time)
sacred from disturbance.
81 am going on sad errand, child.
Those poor old people at Guestwycke p
IIester's heart stood still. She seemed to
know everything in moment, and when
her father spoke again it was no news he
was telling her.
"There are terrible tidings from the Sou
dan. What world it is The son of their
old age, aud such son as Talbot Guest
There, can't wait. Take the Standard and
read for yourself. have to go and break
the news. The Doctors q coward in such
things; and Lsthbridge says It is not his
business, though he has managed all their
aiiairs for forty years. Tell Dora where
am gone. may not be home till late. Is
the trap ready, William p The rector
groaned to himself as he mounted the box
seat, and drove of. But Hester never
uttered sound. Silently she took up the
newspaper and turned to the kilograms.
Disaster in The !Soudan. Total defeat and an.
utilization of The evolutionary force. Hicks
Richa and all his STAFF slain. A few lines told
all that was known. The decoy OF the un.
suspecting General into the death-ravine-|
the ambuscade on the heights-the three
days agony of thirst under ceaseless, pitt.
less 6re-the survivors story of the dead
soldiers, British and African, lying together
Ia the bloody soil.
Then followed q list of the officers of Hicks
Pacha's staG. Hester glanced down the fatal
column till she came to this paragraph:
capt. Talbot Guest was an ollioer on the
staG of Hicks Paoha, who greatly distin-
guished himself at the battle of Assalia early
in the year. lie WAS. the last surviving
child and heir of John Guest, Esq, OF Guest.
wycke, In the county OF Devon, and Mary,
his wife, only daughter of Christopher Tai.
bot, Esq, of Highleigh, Cumberland Capt.
Guest WAS only twenty.six years OF age and
an officer of great PROMISE"
II was late when the rector returned, tired
and wet with his drive in the drizzling rain