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

their destination she bloOmed ont iiko q
rose I'm June. and tho wistful look Of sac
ness Ia her soft eyes al died out.
AT last il was all over. the suspense.
tie waiting, tho putting on OF the time,
and she found herself tightly elasped In
Mrs Setons arms. and her feet trod Ia
dian soil.
"Ho Is welIY' she asked, breathlessly.
HE IS with your
Dear child. yes; whero should DO be-
the little woman cried. Not exactly
well. you know, but getting-getting on
| Not well enough 80 come 20 meet you.
bnt so swfully impatient for you. only
told him Yesterday thought he would
worry himself 70 a shadow If 10 knew
that YOU were on your way. Now, wish
had told him q few days earlier And
about your baggagsl Oh! you have q man
and maid Then give up your keys and
come along at once. They will manage H.
all far better without you. Why, child
how you are trembling All know
know-you have gone through so much
since we parted, and then she DIRE"
Nancy into the carriage which WAS await
ing her. and bado Tho coachman drive
straight back to tho hotel
Poor Nancy could hardly breathe for
the excitement, and although she knew so
little and wanted % know so much, not q
question camo into her mind or rosc TO
her lips. She only kept ono hand In Mrs
Soton's and pressed the other hard upon
her breast, 60 try 70 still the mad beating
of her heart.
But happily it was not for long. They
drew up before a large hotel, and the little
woman by her side said, In tono Of In
tense relief, Hero We are, and went be.
fore hor into tho house you Will not
expect 10 SEQ him looking very robust,
viii you. dear childy' she said, by way Of
preparation.
"Ohl no-now Nancy answered
And II st Is rather too much for him,
II the meeting upsets him a little, you
won't be frightened -anyiously.
Il will be worry good every way, said
| Nancy trying 20 smile
BY this time thoy had reached the door
OF Jims room. and Mrs. Seton opened It.
Here sho is she announced, and gen.
l tly pushed tho girl In and closed it behind
her, with an imperative sign 10 tho native
In attendance 10 betake herself out Of the
way.
And Nancy went IN to find a ghost--or
what seemed 50 20 her in the first shock
of surprise-a gaunt skeleton lying help
lessly back ON n couch, with a punka
waving to and fro over his head And
then this gaunt skeleton stretched ont o
skinny hand 20 her, and she realized that
| it was her lovc-her Jim--Wh0m sho had
come 80 far 90 help. and then there was q
I d d al rln
was down upon her knees beside him.
holding his head upon her breast, and Il
was all right
Somehow. now that have got % this
point ] cannot tell moro about that meet
Ing, il IS too sacred q theme for m3 60
w11te or you to read-it belongs TO them
selves alone, aud You and I are in reality
only outsiders. though have loved Beau
tiful Jim dearly. very dearly, and / hope
that you have loved him TOO.
But / can and viii tell Won just what
| happened afterward the happy days
slipped BY. and with each ono Jim got
/ Little stronger and shoS1 of moro and
/ moro Of the weakness and iassitude which
no had brought as his portion out Of
Burmah How he began. after awhile,
D
/ Of fashion on his very own feet, with only
the slight support Of Nancy's slim young
arm to help him-how they began 20 take
[ lovely drives in the early mornings AMI
In the cool of the evening and best of all
how ono day she said. quito simply and
unconcernedly. III you 90 on improving
/ like this. dear we shall be abl1 20 De
married ever so much sooner than /
thought
And then poor jim blurted ont tho last
faint shadow Of bis doubts and the sor.
rows Of their past.
"My darling" he said, trembling In
spite Of himself do you Think | am quite
! free 20 take advantage of-Of--circum-
stancesr
Nancy looked, as she felt, startled
why not, JIM" she asked. her
thoughts flying wildly TO some obstacle
Of which she was In ignorance
"Of course We can please ourselves,
but your fathers objection was possible
danger and trouble to you in the future,
jim answered and, Of course young
Tommy is dead now, poor chap, and |
don't want 10 say or feel anything against
hin; but supposing poor Ovens death
was brought up again anu they nAeQ
upon me? 1 might fad 70 very awkward
and But Nancy had risen ana gone
out Of tho room, and whilo Jim was still
wondering at the suddonness Of her move.
ment, she came back with a sealed packet
In her hand.
Il foresaw something Of this, she said.
quietly, as she broke the seals. land that
last day at Banllhampton I made Stuart
leave your safety in my hands, and then
she gave him the paper and ho read tho
poor dead lads passionate confession.
A few days later tho heiress Of the
Earles and Beautiful Jim, of the Blank
shire regiment were wed, very quietly
and simply, with only Mrs. Seton and
man who had been very. very good 10
him in the hrst days of his long illness,
TO witness it; SO il was over.
All was ended now, the hope, and tho fear, and
sorr0w,
All the aching Of heart tho restless unsatisfied
longing,
All the dull deep pain, aud eonstoS anguish or
patience
THE END.