The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1889-10-11
A B HEART.

were NdulSuiuS III SCdtLereu groups
over the sands Of the Soudan far from
the ghastly-looking spot which had
been the scene of the thickest of the
fight. AT dawn the ground round the
wells had been green with the up
springing grass with which nature
cover our ragged mother Earth. At
nightfall it was down-trodden with
the tread of men who there had met
and struggled for supremacy, each one
glorying in the death of some fellow
a who but for wars fell chance
might have been his friend had they
met in other lands among other sur
roundings.
The victors were now doing all that
lay in their power to relieve the suffer
ings of the wounded or to identify the
slain. No matter now if 1t were "A
comrade u a foe who lay upon the
sand; the last drop of water from a
weary soldiers canteen, or the last of
the treasured liquid in some officers
flask, was rendered us freely rs though
it had been his nearest and dearest
companion who was in need of it.
Small chance was theirs of obtaining
rest and food; for they had made u
forced Earch to intercept the enemy,
and tho wells were all but dry in the
oasis wherethe opposing columns had
OF last met.
A young officer was among the most
earnest of the searchers and at last he
came upon the one lie feared, yet
wished to find. For if alive, he must
try to fan the pickering flame of life
into an pnlV,I.i,.r {, nrl ry,,1n,
ed among the slain, he must write
home and torture loving hearts with
the terrible news.
1t was not alone for loves sake that
he searched; it was for honor, which
to him was 4 higher, more compelling
motive than any other could have
been.
The missing man was his foster.
brother, and, although humber in
rank, both in social position and in the
army, was an obstacle which stood be-
tween his superior officer and his real
isation of what had been his most
cherished hopes.
Allan Hartford was the heir to a
goolly fortune, and his fostcr-brother,
Richard Oldacre, was the only child of
his fathers gamekccper, whose wife
had taken Allan to nurse soon after
his birth. She had cared for him as
tendorly as though the blood which
flowed through his veins had been OF
her own, instead of tho purest patri-
elan purple, and Allan had ever
kept IL arm corner of his heart for
her.
Near Mrs. Oldacre's cottage stood
n~nother-thc retreat of a retired army
officer and his motllcrlcss daughter.
Little was known of them, save that
Ike father, Captain Rathbone, was n
cross-grained rccluse, and hat Nellie,
Ills daughter, was q lovely child, fast
growing into a beautiful young woman.
The fine home of tho Fairfords shell
tered upon the outskirts of the extern
sive grounds surrounding it a 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 husbands death, and in
another dwclt Nellie Rathbone, so that
even after his return to his own homo
tie old nurses foster-child could pay
her daily visits; and no matter how
unpleasant the day might prove, it
rarely passed without giving her a
sight of Alian's rosy face.
From the first, Nellie was the object
of the two boys affections. For a
while each was content with worship
ing the pretty child. and with %receiv-
ing her impartial smiles and thanks
for the various gifts they lavished
upon her. But, though of the inferior
rank, Richard was the more dominecr-
ing Of the two, and soon became FORE
most in Nellic's regard. There was a
curious resemblance between the fos-
t~er-hrothers. Both had fine, clear-cut
features, fair skins, and curly, yellow
hair; but Richards blue eyes had a
deeper shade in the azure, and his lips
had a tirmncss in their lines which was
foreign to Allan's eve gay, msoucidnt,
smiling face.
Eventually Richard had won the day
in Ncllie's affections. All thought of
worldly advantages faded before the
g%lances 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 SOL
dier's name, that great enemy of souls,
who even stands ready to whisper some
evil thought into the ear, had sug.
gesled:
"Diek dead on the battlefield, what
stands between you and Ncllie?n
Bat Adams check had taken on o
pallor which had been strange to il
even on the ensanguincd day through
which he had just passed, and with a
horror of himself for once barboring
sucli a thought, he had started with
fererish 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 young arms,
he bore him to the nearest ambulance,
anxiously experimenting what rough
arrangements could be made for his
removal, and watching eagerly fol
some sign of life.
After some time Dick opened his
eyes, and saw Allan standing before
HIM. lie was conscious.
Good be praisedw calculated the
young officer heartily. II feared you
were sleeping your last. Dick, but 1
hope you will have strength to weather
it now. Here, drink this"
Dick obeycd, but soon relapsed
again into inscnsibility. His wounds
had not been dressed, and the surgeon
pronounced them to be not necessarily
fatal, but added that only good care
and nursing could save him.
II will see hat he has it," was
Allan's reply, ard he kept his word SO
faithfully that before many days Rich
ard Oldacre was pronounced out of
danger.
One morning he had been lying
awake for q long time with many
thoughts busy in his brain.
Allan was using his knapsack for a
writing desk. Dicks eyes followed the
swift moving pen with languid inter-
est.
Allan glanced up and saw that his
charge was awake.
81 am writing good news to Nellie,
Dick. am telling her you are out of
1onOarn