Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1889-06-07

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She ,cas for a minute or ttco too terrified.
victory to the English troops. Unfortu-
nately. however, the loss on our side had
been FIVE killed. and eight men Of the
Blankshire regiment had been moro or
less severely wounded, one Of whom had
died on the way back to camp Besides
these, two officers of the same regiment
had been very severely wounded-Lieuts
James Beresford and Stuart Earle.
1t was, Of course, utterly absurd of the
correspondent out of the scene of action
to have sent home such heading to such
a paragraph as "Great Engagement in
Burmah"-orif he had not been response
bic for it. for the person who had done SO
but Nancy, poor girl, did not stay to
think of that. To her, it was the most
important battle that had ever been
fought in the worlds history-for were
not the two aoldiers in whom she took
more interest than in all the rest of the
army put together lying at that moment
grievously wounded, if not already dead!
In the shock of the moment her bitter
ness against her brother all died out, but
it must be owned that she thought of her
Beautiful Jim the most. She felt Jim's
wound racking her own delicate body; she
felt every JOLT of litter OF inequality of
his rough bed; she thought of the heat
and the flies and the absence of proper
attention; and she thought but little of
Stuart one way or the other.
Sho had already dressed for dinner,
very simply and plainly, in dark
velvet gown, with her pretty, slen.
der throat just showing from out
of its soft lace rufiles, and as she
sat by tho freside, her little tender
hand somehow got stealing up and down
the soft velvet of her gown, until all at
once the luxury of her surroundings
struck her with sense Of wrong, as if
by living among them she was doing q
positive injury to him who needed them
SO much more than she did. and to whom,
at that moment, they wero an impossi.
bility far out of reach
Not that she could help herself-her
duty tied her hard and fast in her fathers
house, just as fate had sent him to meet
what had already perhaps proved his
death-her father was SO old and-and
then, OIL she suddenly remembered him
in the midst Of her own trouble, remem.
bered that he would see the evening
papers at his club, and would look eagerly
for news from the front, and so would re.
ceive the intelligence Of his sons danger
without III any way having it broken ia
him.
Quickly almost as the thought struck
her. she jumped up and ran down into the
hall. where the FIRE was blazing away
cheerily and casting pretty CLEANS Of Light
up the tall quaint screen which formed q
sort OF chimney corner to it. There was
nobody there, SO without waiting to sum-
mon a servant to inquire if he had re-
turned home, Nancy turned and ran up
the staircase again, going this timc to his
dressing room.
He was not there. either. but az Nancy
pushed open the door after knocking
twice, his man Darby came out of the
bedroom with q can of water in his hand
HAS Mr.. Earle returned yet, Darbyr'
Nancy asked, breathlessly.
mot yet, Miss Earle" he answered,
with glance at the little horseshoe clock
on the chimney shelf; land it is twenty
ASiAutcS W o. EotucE 1e,5Ss lOE tudt CLOCK u
a minute OF. two slow"
Darby" said Nancy, trembling. There
has been great engagement-and Mr..
Stuart is wounded, severely wounded"
You don't say SO, maam," exclaimed
Darby, who, in common with all the serv.
ants both In HANS place and Earles Hope.
detested the heir to the old name. The
tone was not very sympathetic; in fact, 1t
expressed the well bred surprise of o good
servant rather than sympathy at all-but
he was sorry for Nancy, and his thoughts
went straight to the effect the news
might have upon his master. Il hope
the master will not sec the papers ut the
club. Miss Earle" he said, anxiously.
Nancy was about to speak, when Q
furious peal at the bell Of the outer door
sounded through the house.
There he is, she said, and ran out of
the room and down the stairs Just as the
servant, who had como up from below,
opened the door.
But it was not her father: and instead
Of his tall and striking figure appearing
out of the gloom Of the winters evening,
o short, stout and roseate gentleman
walked into the house.
''Oh! Sir George" Nancy cried, recog-
nizing one Of her fathers most intimate
friends
my dear young lady," said Sir George
st. Leger. kindly, Il am sorry-but there
is sad news!"
Il have seen the papers-I know
Nancy answered. quickly. ::'And my
father?'
BY this time he had drawn her to the
fireside. and was holding both her hands
in his.
Il am very sorry, my dear. that your
poor father has seen them, too" said he,
very kindly, land tho shock-it's NO
use my trying to spin it out; | told
them at the club that | was the wrong
man to send on an GRAND of this kind, |"
he broke off.
"Ohl go on. Don't keep mo waiting. %
Nancy said, imploringly. Tell mo the
worst at once. Is lie dead:"
ooh! no-no-no, my dear child" cried
the little old gentleman. eagerly; seer
tainly not-nothing of the kind. But it
was very great shock, of course. to our
dear old friend, and he had kind of
seizure-a faintness. or something of that
sort, and they arc bringing him home,
some of the others, in his own carriage;
go ] took cab and hurried on to say it
would be safer to get the doctor here as
quickly as possible. Just precautioh,
you know. my dear" pressing her hands
ere he set them free.
Nancy put the hand which was nearest
to him back into his.
How good you are" she said, turning
round at the same time. "Jones, will YOU
send out at once for DR.. Davies? Don't
let them lose moment. Darby; you have
everything ready for my father, have YOU
not!" ''
Everything. ma'am," said Darby. who
had been prepared for trouble of this kind
from the moment the young mistress had
told him the last news Of the young
master.
"You would like me to stay until thse
come, or is there anything that can d.
my dear!' asked Sir George, kindly.
"Oh! no. There is so little that any Of
us can do" she answered, hopelessly;
but do stay. please"
So Sir George drew her down on to the
coy couch, sheltered by the tall Chinese
screen, and together they waited during
tho few minutes, that seemed SO inter
long. before the sound Of the
carriage was heard without.
Naturally enough, Darby was the first
10 approach the carriage, and as soon as
lis eyes fell upon the helpless and
figure Of his master, he looked
'ver his shoulder at the butler and said,
Get Miss Earle out of |
ight-it's paralysis.