The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-12-30
CHAPTER XXI
TOGETHER


TOGETHER.
For perhaps the first timo ia all tho
TWENTY-FIVE Years OF her life there wns
iDparcnt IN Nancy Earc's behavior a spice
L that daredevil headstrong self will
which had sent her younger brother to
us ruin And Loving made up her mind
% 90 out to Calcutta and yet further. 10
each her Beautiful Jim's side IL he didn't
iappen 10 be there. she did not let the
rass grow under her feet, but set about
making her preparations at once for the
Journey.
In vain did Sir George St. Leger repre-
ieut 20 her that for young unmarried
adv Of great personal attractions to un-
lertake SO long and so formidable jour
icy was a very, very serious matter-that
he world would look upon such a pro
eedlng as altogether out Of the common,
nd
But It is out Of the common" said
Nancy, looking straight at him with her
wonderful, clear doves eyes. Il am 20
~ TO be married 20 Mr. Beresford very
con- and he has been very severely
Wounded He must have the most dire
ICED of me
But people Will think It altogether so
id. the little man persisted.
THE Earles have never troubled them
elves much about what people might
hink. % said Nancy. rather proudly. "As TO
nv going out there, ! know he would ap-
prove Of that ,Fand besides. yo> know, ]
I'm not going out TO strangers. Mrs. Sc
on is In Calcutta. and / am going straight
10 her"
But supposing she has left it when you
get therey"
Il shall telegraph 10 her ut once II
ihe has to leave before l get there she
dll have made the way smooth for mo,
levcr fear.
Then Sir George gave up the conflict
eoing that Nancy was proving herself 70
DO a real chip Of the old Earle block, and
hat he was but wasting his breath in
rguing with her
81 might be walking down the street, -
he cried, "and a chimney pot might fall
N my head and crack e. or I might miss
ny footing az the top OF the stairs and
umblo down and break my neck; or ]
night" with o sudden change Of tone,
Il might stop here and eat my heart ont,
ia Mr. Moore, don't try 70 keep me; ]
should 20 right out Of my mind If any
hing ike that were 10 happen"
So she won the day and carried her
point, and the preparations for the jour
1ey went briskly on. She decided so take
lef maid who had been with her three
years and was very steady, reliable kind
Il woman, well accustomed 20 travelling
md also to keep Darby, who had been her
.athers valet for something like four
lines that period With her own woman
md with Darby, she would, she knew, be
moro safe and also travel In greater com
tort than with half dozen fine society
aides 70 do chaperon. And, moreover.
she gavo a thought to the journey bacl.
and 10 the comfort and help that Darby
would be 10 her Beautiful jim on the yoy
age home. Aud with such indomitable
energy did she work that by the time the
very next p and O. steamer went out 10
tho shining East. she was on board, feel
ing. Il Is true, a little more lonely than she
would for all the world have admitted q
the group of friends who had gone 20 see
her off-waving rather fearful farewell
70 them and her native shores.
But that was a feeling which very soon
passed of. The novelty Of her surround
ing5 was good for such sad thoughts as
hers necessarily were, and though in q
general way an unusually good sailor, She
began, after a few hours, 10 feel certain
very uncomfortable sort Of Qualms, which
sent her off TO her berth without any de-
sire 10 spend more timo gazing at the fast
receding shores Of her own country. And
after that she lived the ordinary life on
ship board, coming In for a large share Of
admiration and attention In spite Of the
fact. which room beSamo known among
the passengers, that she was engaged to
DO married to man IA the Blankshire
regiment, who had been badly wounded in
an affair with the Dacoits in Burmah, and
that she was going to Calcutta, and pos
sibly even further, 10 nurse him.
They knew, too. that her brother had
been killed in the same affair, and that
her father had died about the same time
that she was a great heiress and the
last Of her name. And they all said men
and women alike, that tho fellow In tho
the Blankshire regiment was just the very
luclIiest man who had ever been born. II,
indeed. he had not been 50 unfortunate
as 20 die Of his wound.
There WAS quite q wave Of excitement
on board when at Suez telegram from
Calcutta was brought on for Miss Earle,
who, poor girl had hardly courage enough
tOopen it, 1t was short, but ineXpressibly
sweet.
Jim much better--on his way here
SETON"
Nancy tried hard 10 laugh over the good
news, and very nearly succeeded IN break
ing down into storm Of tears, the relief
was 80 great. Then some ono called out
Three cheers for Jim-long life to hiin%
and straigstway three rousiEg shouts
went up for the hero they had never seen.
and his losely sweetheart, in spite OF -
certain dewiness about her doves eyes.
managed 10 turn the Threatened outburst
into smiles after ALI
Strangely enough. the journey did not
seem particularly long 20 her, nor the
time half so wearisOms as sitting at
home waiting for Jim's return would have
been There was sense Of doing some
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