Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1889-06-03

cherished hopes.
Allan Hartford was the heir to a
goodly fortune, land his foster brother,
Richard Oldacre, was the only child
of his fathers gamekeeper, whose
wife had taken Allan to nurse soon
after his birth. She had cared for
him as tenderly as though the blood
which flowed through his veins had
been of her OWL, instead of the purest
patrician purple, and Allan had ever
kept a warm corner of his heart for
her.
Near Mrs. Oldacre's cottage stood
another-the retreat of q retired army
officer and his motherless daughter.
Little was known of them, save that
the father, Capt. Rathbone, was
cross-grained recluse land that Nellie,
his daughter, was lovely child, fast
growing into beautiful young wo-
man.
The fine home of the Fairfords
extensive grounds as sui f ossiiGss.5 < &c :.
number of cottages, the rents from
which formed an item in the income
of Allan's father. In one of these
Mrs. Oldacre lived after her husband S
death, and in another dwelt Nellie
Rathbone, so that even after his re-
turn to his own home the old nurses
foster-child could pay her daily Wis
its; and no matter how unpleasant
the day might prove, it rarely passed
without giving her sight of Allan's
rosy face.
From the first Nellie was the object
of two boys affections. For while
each was content with worshipping
the pretty child, and with receiving
her impartial smiles and thanks
for the various gifts they lavished
upon her. But though of the inferi-
or rank, Richard was the more dom
ineering of the two, and soon became
foremost in Nellie's regard. There
was a curious resemblance between
the two foster-brothers. Both had
fine, clear-cut features, fair skins, land
curly, yellow hair; but Richard's
blue eyes had deeper shade in the
azure, and his lips had fimness in
their lines which was foreign to AL
lan's ever gay, insouciant, smiling
face.
Eventually Richard had won the
day in Nellie's affections. All tho't
of worldly advantages faded before
the chances of the dominant, dark
blue eyes of the pleasant lad.
So Richard was really an obstacle
in the path of the young officer who
now searched for him, his face as
pale and anxious as though his life's
happiness depended on finding him
alive, and if wounded with a chance
of recovery.
For an instant, at the roll-call,
when no response came to the young
soldiers name, that great enemy of
souls, who ever stands ready to whis-
per some evil thought into the ear,
had suggested:
''Dick dead on the battlefield, what
stands between you and Nellie?"
But Allan's cheek had taken on a
pallor which had been stranger to
it, even on the ensanguined day thro'
which he had just passed, and, with
a horror of himself for once harbor-
ing such a thought, he had started
with feverish haste to find him.
At last, partially hidden by the
body of a dead camel, which had
fallen across him, Allan deserted him.
insensible, but alive.
Lifting him in his strong arms, he
bore him to the nearest ambulance.
anxiously experimenting what rough
arrangements could be made for his
removal, and watching eagerly foi
some signs of life.
After some time Dick opened his
eyes and saw Allan standing before
him. He was conscious
"God be praised?" calculated the
young officer, heartily. 81 feared
you were sleeping your last, Dick, but
l hope you will have strength tc
weather it now. Here, drink this. .
Dick obeyed, but soon relapset
into insensibility. His wounds hat
not been dressed, and the surgeon
pronounced them to be not necessari