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


out Nancy haa no nouOn go
herself for an unlimited visit IN o 0untrN
town. where news would be day old ano
letters several posts IN reaching her. and
sho shook her head o. firmly as ever bei
old father could have done.
Dear Lady Margaret, she said, u
could come for q week or So but nc
longer. He laying her hand on her
fathers arm. misses mo far more than
he will own. he Is afraid Of making me
conceited I fancy And besides that,
sever feel easy IN my mind when / am
AWAY from him. But why could not Al
Icon como up and stay with me for few
weeks
"veli really do not SEQ that there is
any reason, said Lady Margaret. with a
hugh.
s. they settled It. and the following
morning tho Earles left Blankhampton
and returned 10 Earles Hope. While
there Nancy had letters from her Deauti
fnl jim. written, or rather posted, from
Liverpool and Queenstown.
Ho said that they were all well and
fairly cheerful. that Tommy had been alb
iectlv seasick up to that time. and had
not turned out Of his berth at ali; ard
thcn followed a good deal highly Interest
ing 20 Nancy herself, but not bearing
much on tho points Of this story.
They remained about ten days nj Earles
Hone. not from choice. but simply be
canso the house in Hans place could not
bv hook or by crook be got ready 10 re
ccivo them any earlier; and. on tho whole
.t must be owned that Nancy had rather
trying time Of 10. for tho old man was O
regular town bird, and loathed the coun
try cordially
At last. however. the welcome nows
came from town 20 say that tho house
was ready. and Mr.. Earle became a differ
ent being all at once
First train in tho morning, my dear,
he said, j0yfully. Tho very FIRST train
III the morning
oh father dear" Nancy cried. in dis
may. "Not the 3 o'clock train,'
'Oh. well. no. not tho o'clock train
didn't quite mean that. ho admitted.
Nancy did not hesitate. but struck
while she iron was hot And the one at
s is very slow. dcar she said, mildly.
eve tried 10 once IL YOU remember, and
YOU sw-you found fault all tho way 20
st pancras Don't you think VIC had
better say the express at ll.lji It's such
q cor Portable train, yOu know, dear
Yes. of courso-of course exclaimed
the old man. testify. How duh you arc
getting. Nancy. That was the train !
meant. Of course.
"uow stupid Of me, marmured Nancy,
ia her gentlcst tones
She bad her reward, they reached Lon
don in time for her father 10 have lunch
and then 90 off 10 his beloved club, whence
ho came back 20 dinner-nOt because be
would not rather have dined there, but
simply from a sense OF duty TO his daugh.
term the best possible spirits.
Nancy knew from that that he was
better-that tho great wrench Of parting
with Stuart had passed over-sO She was
much more easy in her mind about him,
although she did not think it advisable TO
paw the promised visit 10 BlaukhGmpton.
Instead however. her friend Aileen
came TO stay with her, and the two girls
spent O very pleasant time together
There was not much doing, and tho town
was still rather empty; but at its worst
it was a lively change from BlankhamP-
ton
So the greater part Of November slipped
away, and Aileen returned home. leaving
Nancy to Der lonely life. for Mr. Earle,
being almost all day at his club, could
scarce be counted as having much to Go
with IT,
The dreary winter days passed by;
Christmas came and went-to the house
hold in Hans place a festive season with.
ont any festivity about it-then the old
year died ont and the New Year dawned.
And all this time there was no especial
news from tho Blankshiro regiment. IN
every letter they were longing for fight
ing. to get to the front for anything de-
cisiye which would bring the miserable
campaign 10 an end And at last there
came ga evening when Nancy opened The
Evening Standard 90 read: Great En-
gagement In Burmah, and TO see stand.
ing out. as in letters Of fire, two names,
Lieuts. james Beresford and Stuart Earle.