Richland beacon., 1888-12-15
[CHLAND PARISH, La, DEC. Is, 1883.

lie ar n | ii .i., HA.tN IL ~ ~, CO..
t:.pll::on wi. sc!t Il il ID neeil !,
si4h a,i,, a cynic..l !algh. whis, the IVA
Young men went OF aLd irf. him alone
Hes OGe.ne'3 bfcihn hH murmltel
half alo,,a. There sure to c sooi stun
in him. IS 20 Alan. I'm ii ed of the
fellow. If he IN p I his shoulder to The
wheel III tmns past it would he better for
him noy. Perhaps he Il III nee of it
some ay-soon. if-if things 60 a | hope
til y may. After all he has Ii ed here
since he was a hoy. 81 perhaps 1t is ratur
n he shO ! make sur of doing so for the
rest OF his days after which somewhat
emigmaical utterance he opened the Times
and began to read.
Decidedly rum card, the governor,
Allan was at that Instant observing, as
he stood at the top of the stone steps Lad
Ing down into the gro ndS. quite aIcc-
tiOnate to you old man, declare, By tlt
way, you better register tho C precious
documents if it won I be too much ouble"
pointing as he spO;e to the envelopes
which Caryl was pushing in'o the breast
pocket Of his OvercOat. IL am sending
notes instead of cieque>. 1t happened to
be more convenient TO arrange it So
Not particularly safe is that?' re-
marked Caryl. by way of saying some
thing. at the same time looking around for
the walking-Stick which he usually carried.
Allan laughed and ran his fingers
through his curly brown hair.
What have you lost, old fellow? Your
stick? Perhaps you didn't bring one. As
to the money, ] never was cautious, e.se
suppose | should not have dispatched a
thousand or two in this way. Yet who is
to guess that It has gone this morning
Certainly, however. it would he better
If the relieving oEcer in there with Il
jerk of his II ad toward the library door -
shouldn't know. He'd say that it was
just like my careless way of do ngthings.
Perhaps Caryl agreed vi Il the Baronet
but, however that might be, he turned
away with nod, abandoning his search
for the stick. Allan Bertram's words
Jared upon him just now. when his mind
was full of other thoughts.
At the best of times, however, the two
young nAen were not on remarkably friend
ly terms-indeed. the SQuires he r was
no favori e among any of the men in ihe
ne ghborhoOd. This fact troubled Allan
very little, since his large, rather bold
eyes, tall figure and white hands had
proved powerful to win popularity among
WOHcn Wherever he Wtnt.
Once beyond the gates of the park that
| surrounded ROok Hall. Caryl Nane slack
enei the pace which had speedily carried
him cut of Allan's sight. 1t was the depth
of winter and the roads were as hard as
| iron whilst the hedge-rOw twigS SCENE
to shrink and shrivel in the keen frost
that reigned everywhere. Absorbed in
his own thoughts, Caryl did not seem to
heed the cold.
\ All the country appeared deserted. The
cattle were housed away from the search
| inA. wind. The brown earth gave out no
| fra ;yant scent. The very blades of grass
felt sniff and brittle to the touch; and the
| farmers with their men, were employing
the II reSs usefully as they could in barns
and OntbuEdings, leaving the wide, bar
rem fields e&pty and desOlate. The two
tall smoking xhimneys far away IN the
distance, remirf%ing the Vicar son OF the
office beneath thSr shadow where he had
worked for 81 many long and weary
activity and life.
| With his head bent dawn and his lips
compressed, Caryl hurried Onwards.
he reache the corner whereShe UlthOrpc
L
ment, the gloom of the Landscape seemed
mouth were relaxed. and the hOs bloc |
rushed to his cheeks for there, Nth a
beautiful light in her dark eyes anaN..he
demurest of smiles h vering about Mr
pretty lips. stool the girl he loved best iis
all the world.
| CANCEL yOl here?' he exclaimed
| s.Uhy xubaf hoe hrnuubt vou N bo q,
from home, and upon such day toO?"
Angel laughed and shook her head, at
the same time slipping one small hand
within his arm. She did not blush or
tremble at his touch, as he, strong young
fellow that lie was, had done at the mere
sight of her. She would have laughed the
idea to scorn, had such possibility been
suggested TO her. he was his sister -
nothing more she would have answered.
Seventeen years before Mr.. and Mrs.
Vane, going one summer night for final
stroll round the vicarage garden had
found, upo, tler return to the house. q
strange little bundle lying in the porch.
With tender fingers the mother, who had
about half an hour befO e given her six
year-Old eldeSt-born his goo !-night kis :,
lifted up the Oddly-shapei parcel and
carried it inside the h)use to the light
With trembling hands she unwrapped the
shawl that formed the outside covering
and from amongst its folds she lifted out {
baby, which at that moment raised is
sleepy eyelids and, looking at her with I;
smile, won its way straight to her woman
ly heart.
Whoever had left the infant there upor
the doorstep had pinned to its little white
frOck, trimmed with costly lace. a morse
of paper on which was written wore
'Chrystal," and that was the only sgl
which was left to the tiny girl OF all tha
had happened in its short life before it hat
passed The yicarage threshold. All effort
to discover the person who had laid her il
Mrs. Ware pathway proved fruitless.
The clergyman and his wife were by N
means wealthy people, and they knew i
would be hard work to fill an extra littl
mouth. Yet amongst the children of th
household place was found for the new
conner, who ha I been received as thOugl
she had lien straight from heaven.
1t was because OF some pretty fancy o
that sort that pc pie had got into the way
at first half -playfully. Of calling the daint
go,den-hairei creature Angel: and tn
name ha4 clung t. her ever since.
Il Thus y came to pass that, when he
lover ne her in the Lane. he addresse
| her by the Il G which from among a.
other names he would have chosen a
|. most suitable for her. and that she lai
, her hand upon his arm and lOOSel up 8
him with a sisters aHectOn shining Il
, lovely eyes.
, Il wanted to hear what Sir GeOffrey ha
offered yOu," she SAID quickly in answer
, his question at isn't half such Iva
| day as everybody makes out. Look ho
3 rosy am,'-as though he had not lee
looking at her with admiring eyes G