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

tltAPlEA , IA
WAITING
Early the following morning Sir GsOrg
t Lcger came 10 ask for Nancy and C.
Id ont If there was anything he rOui
20 to servo her, or in any way lighter th
inties which Law Immediately before her
There is something that you could d
ior me, Sir George" she said when sh
lad answered his greeting, and IL is l.
telegraph out tc Burmah for me, tO &c
no last news. Tho servants are ser.
rood, and anxious TO do all they can. bu
zone Of them know whom TO send 90 am
vhere TO send, and | canuot tell them
Tut thought you would besure 70 know
IT be able TO find out"
ITO be sure, 10 be sure, Sir Ge0rg
made haste to reply. Il viii do it
lncc"
II can give you the last address / had
4 that would be any use.
"Ohl no. III 60 down 10 the war Ollie
nd get the latest information as 20 rout'
and so on.
And Sir George. II would be best,
think, not TO send my brother any new
from here" Nancy said, hesitatingly
You see it might be told 10 him sue
lenly and just turn the scale with him
Il he is very badly wounded, as they say.
II will be sure to word the messag
very carefully" said little Sir George
feeling q very suspicious lump rising j.
ais throat at the thought of the double
sorrow which had come upon this fragilt
girl with the golden head and dove eyes
There was a moments silence.
"And-and would you also inquire es
pecially after Mr. Bercsford.' she said
Gushing a lovely shell like pink over he.
sweet face.
"Mr Beresford-that was the othel
nan who was wounded Sir George ex
claimed. is he a friend Of yours, u!
dear! Did you know him."
Il am going 20 marry him some day,
she said, then she at once began 20 so.
Jite0usly, 'if--if
"No-no-let US hope for the best
Don't think Of that, tho little man cried
almost beside himself with distress
While there's life there's hope. yOl
know my dear. and they arc both young
and stronghold like cur dear old fricnc
who went away from as yesterday. bui
Young men In tho very flower Of then
strength The chances are q thousand C
me ia their favor; but III go along a.
)nce, my dear, and then your mind vii.
be more a. rest about them, and of the
good hearted little man went. and Nancy
was once more left alone.
There was great deal for her % Dc
naturally. but IL WAS really only In the
tor came as soon Us ho received tho new,
Of Mr. Earle's death, and all the weight
Of arranging for the funeral and the
other business fell upon him.
The day wore slowly away, but Sir
George did not return with news from
Burmah. Then Darby brought in the
evening papers, and Nancy saw from the
expression Of his face that the worst had
happened 10 one or both out at the front
(Which is il, Darbyl' she asked family
feeling q deadly numbness stealing over
her
Miss Earle" he said very gently,
you are the last OF the name now. Mr.
Stuart Olly lived a few hours after the!
got him into camp"
"And Mr. Beresfordf" Nancy whis
pered
No mention of him, ma'am, the ser
want answered, $50 he is alive at all
events" and then he put the paper into
her hand and pointed to the place where
she would find what she wished 70 see.
1t was so short cruelty short, as wal
dispatches always seem 10 those who arc
the most keenly interested, just saying
that Lieut.. Stuart carlo and one private
Of the Blankshire regiment had died,
shortly after reaching camp, Of wounds
received in an engagement with Dacoits
On the ---tb
Aud there was not single word about
the condition or fate Of Lieut.. James
Beresford. However, in a certain sense,
there was relief in the very fact; at all
events lac was not dead, so that there
was chance for him y0t.
She had to wait a long time. or what
seemed so to her. poor girl, before sho got
any definite news about him for although
the papers contained various short dis
patches he was not mentioned in any Of
them.
Still no news was good news, and at
last Sir George st. Leger came 10 her in
triumph with telegram which had come
by various stages right from the foun-
tain head
maj. Seton to Sir George St Leger.
Earle died almost Immediately after
reaching camp. Bercsford badly wounded
in head and arm, but Is going on very
well. II no fever every chance Of his
getting through It, win wire to you if
there IS any important change"
And after this Nancy had no choice but
to sit down and wait. Still she was not
and could not be idle. for there was much
to be done. The putting Of large house
hold into mourning, the hearing and APP
proving Of arrangements for funeral
which was almost q public one. Of tho
melancholy journey down to Earles Hope,
tho ordering Of baked meats and SO OF for
the tennntry who would attend IL, the
answering Of letters, the receiving aud
arranging OF tho dozens Of wreaths and
other membranes. Of flowers which
came from FAR and near 20 show the affec-
ton aud respect Ia which the old man had
been held, all these Offices fell upon her.
Then the day before that Of the funeral
came. and early Ia the afternoon they
went down TO Earies Hope, and the last
Of the Earles was carried into tho house
Of his fore elders for the last time. Yes,
the last OF tie Earles after all, for young
Stuart had been dead already some hours
when the news Of the engagement In
which he had been wounded reached his
father and sister. SO the long sad evening
wore away. and the following day. amid
binding snow. the lengthy procession
passed from hall to graveyard. and
Nancy, tho ono who had never been Of
any account before, was the only Earle
left Of all the proud old race who had
ruled Al Earles Hope Tor many ane many
yser.
Hhe was the last Of them al, the owner
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