Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-02-11

girl lived on In safety and the cholera passed her
by. Perhaps ~ was because such Injuries and
medicines as were at her parents command were
all avished upon her, perhaps she was sparpd that
| she might prove TO those who were older and
stronger than she that In the Reign OF Terror of
| 1881 there was not wanting one little weakly
Engnsn girl who could show the whole world
that tne spirit had not died out which carried
meet with unfiinching courage a cruel and linger-
ing death for Christs sake-the spirit which led
their sisters OF a later day 20 suffer and endure
with qurnchabe brightness all the horrors and
nendlsh ingenuities OF the Spanish InQuisition.
ANYWAY, the cholera passed TOttie Marchmont
" anu she gained health and strength as rapidly
as could De expected OF her under the desperate
circumstances In which the whole garrison were
rocklng-chair, and when the rebels musketry was
qllet" hich was not often crept out into the COM
pound at the back OF the kesdency, and between
mat building and the hospital and got a few
breatbs OF such air as the hot summer mornings
| or evenings Afforded
Often and often she begged hard to be allowed to
nelp her mother at her many duties; but Mrs.
MarchnOnt was very anxious and careful about
her, and generally found that although Tottie s
spirit was willing her flesh was lamentably weak,
| ana that any strain. no matter how small, upon
the one was sure to react TO intense depression
y tne osheI 50 inc weary DAYS draggea sa s
ner beyond the distraction OF few books which
| she had read at least a hundred times, and the
excitement or hearing OF one death after another,
and OF skipping out OF the way OF the shots which
from time 10 time riddled the walls which shell
/ tered them.
The siege had now been carried on for I'VE weeks,
or rather for nearly six, and still no deliverance
had come 10 the daily decreasing band Of defend
question whether they could hold out many days
longer, not only on account OF the sh0rtness OF ra
tons and the scarcity OF water, but because the
! rebels were evidently making great preparations
! for desperate attack upon the already weak and
| poor defenses.
They're pretty quiet now MOTHER said Tottie
! one evening just before darkness began TO fall
couldn't go In the compound for minute or
two I'm choked In here re-, Inc words end i
but which the mothers loye-sharpened ears heard,
! nevertheless.
DEAR" She answered tenderiy. "But you Will be
very careful and keep by the wall, won't your"
.1 Ies d., but cant you Gomez inplorlngiy; tho
arrowroot for poor Mr.. Belize has had so little
to-day, poor fellow"
mo, no. GO and sit outside at least, darling. 1
will come 10 you In a few minutes. / fancy you
Captain Evans is to-day"
"Over at the hospital?"
eyes uear."
az went over 1 might ask how Nelly is,
mightnt II" Tottie asked.
''Yes, OF course, and / will bring Mr.. Bells az
rowroot over as soon as IL Is ready"
So Tottie gave her mother kiss and went out to
run across the compound. Run? No, poor Tottie
DID not run much In those days but to creep across
the compound TO the hospital and inquire after
her little friend, Nelly Davis who had been
slightly wounded by splinter from a shell which
morning. and then 10 find her father OF whom she
saw but little at this time.
the big pile OF bandages which she had undertaken
TO wash for the hospital, and then to work to
make the arrowfoot for Mr.. Bell, and not only for
him, but for as many other patients as possible
When IL was ready she poured II into large Jug
In which TO carry 1t across the compound.
Here , Is the eb arrowroot Doctor she painted as
Colonel Marchmont been over here?"
Eyes, here he Is, /" answered the doctor, selling
on the big jug eagerly.
''Oh, you are here, she said to the colonel Sand
where Is Tottie?"
'Tottie? 1 haven't seen her, the colonel an
swered.
'She came across to see Nelly Davis and to find
you" Mrs MarchmOnt said. .sShe was so tired OF
beng indoors, poor child. i dare say she is with
mo. have just come from little Nely-been
dressing her wound, you know. Tottie was not
''Then she is somewhere In the hospital Mrs.
Marchmont replied, without showing or indeed
feeling any uneasiness. 'Or perhaps she went
"very feverish and excited" the doctor an
swered. '.It's not much OF a wound, but the child
Is rather e, hy O BY the BY I'll send her up
"Do poor little SOUL" said the coloners wife
kindly; then. after She had paid short VISIT to
one or TWO 1nvalidS, she took her husbands arm
and went back across the compound to the Resi-
dency.
seen by any one since she had left her mother at
work on the pile OF bandages, to go across the
compound and ask after her little wounded friend.
Ned, said the mother when she realized that
the child was nowhere in the house, sis 1t possible
that any harm can have come TO herr"
sO Ss VERY ups as she put the
spite OF himself
NO, my dear, no. All has been perfectly quiet
WHAT could have happened TO her? Don't distress
yourself, my love; she has gone into somebody's
or otner M 60 round and find out
they were-'there Is not very far to look"
But, small as the ground was over which they
had TO search, they found no sign or Trace OF the
child. Apparently she had disappeared as utterly
as II she had never been at all.
Colonel Marchmont and his wife were well nigh
beside lhemSel'e S with Distress and the entire gar
rison was more disturbed and excited and con-
cerned at the mystery than they had been by all
,ns deaths from cholera or misadventure that had
1t was so mysterious! All had been quiet, un-
usually 50, In fact; the child had gone out in
TO go across TWO strips OF compound, and, from
that moment, had disappeared, leaving no trace
Who could have spirited her away? What was
her tate? All these questions passed freely TO and
1ro and led 70 another, which was even more I'm
traitor have We amongst US, and who Will be
taken In Ike way next?"
III.
The long hours OF the long evening passed slowly
by, each moment seeming at least an hour Up
and down and In and out did the colonel and his
wife Wduuer, searching rooms and verandaS over
and over again in the foron hope OF finding their
lost Guild. 'She Will get her death In this night
air." Mrs. Marchmont cried more than once and
the brave soldier felt deadly chill creep over him
as he remembered that in all probability, his
poor little ToJtie had already met her fate
But he said nothing OF his fears to hts wife, and
II such thoughts crossed her mind she did not ex-
press them in words but sought on, hoping against
hope, and not admitting the rear Of the worst even
TO herself. And oh! what hours OF agony and
dread they -eight-nine-ten-eleyen
AS II the night would never go!
1T Is nearly midnight" SAID the colonel at last
''My love, Will you not go In and rest? You are
wearing yourself out"
II can't go IN and rest, she answered desper-
ately. IF stop to think for moment shall 90
mad Don't Try 10 make me, Ned, darling. can't
do IT."
'Then Will not" he said tenderly, putting his
arm about her and drawing her dose to him.
You shall stop with me all night II need be-
He broke on short as he spoke to look more closely
AT little fox-terrler which had suddenly come
upon the scene and began frisking about them
"Why, what has Fly got around his neck? Has
he been hurt In any way?"
The woInan'S eyes were keener than the mans
and Mrs. Marchmont dropped upon her knees be-
side the little animal with cry OF Joy.
don't You See-he has come from her." she ex-
claimed; IL IS strip OF TottieS frock; and see
II IT, has my dariings ring upon 1t. She is alive
She held up a strip OF soiled muslin edged with
line lace and showed him that 1t was passed
through little gold ring set with turuuolses The
colonel stared at IL for a moment In perplexity
'She must be within the barricades stilln ne
declared, ''ese how could the dog have got herp9
llere-Wilson, Fowls, Muir, quick! News of the
child See what the dog has broughtv:
N no