The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-11-14
HEIR TO A DUKEDOM.
CHAPTER IL.-CoNTINUED.
POOR OLD EVANS.

IL that reused her from her stupor OF ter
HI ror. The gentleman who had led MI
Rsohnrn into the room had placed him in
chair RING for a sponge and warm water,
and was now addressing himself to Meta.
"If Won are frightened, Miss Raeburn,
LET me advise you TO go away. Will attend
vour fathers hurts, which are not very scri-
Gus. | assure you"
"Yes. go away, Meta, there's dear
child. " said Nj Raeburn himself Il Shall
be all right presently.
But tile ring Of pain in her fathers ac-
cents revived Metals courage, and though
she could not repreSS shudder at his con-
ditiou, she hurried TO his side.
"No, papa, I'll not 60 away if can be OF
any use. Tell me what to do that will re-
lieve You, and whether l shall send Tor
mamma"
ION no account" was the hasty reply.
''There's no occasion for alarming her. A
little brandy and some stieking-p!aster VIII
heal my wounds.
An assurance which Mr. Raeburn's friend
so kindly seconded that Meta soon became
sufficiently composed to assist the strange
gentleman very deity in his surgery, and to
laugh a saucy laugh of amusement at the
appearauce her father presented when it was
finished.
"Patches may become court belle. but
they don't improve you, papa, especially on
the bridge Of your nose. How did you meet
With these u.ly cuts and bTu ses 81
1T was all through that jade OF mare.
replied Mr.. RaeDurn, testify. Il drove to
the station to meet my friend here, and we
were j. ggng home comfortably enough,
when the brute chose to shy at white post
that sic had passed without scare times
out of number. The consequence was that
Door old Evans ard were thrown out of the
trap on heap OF gravel, and it's mercy
that our neckS were not broken! Are you
sure, Evans, thateyou escaped without any
lnjury?"
Il thought l had at the time" was the re-
ply, "but / fad my right ankle Is beginning
10 swell and be very painful.
Perhaps it Is strained" said Meta,
quickly. Il will fetch ManSy. our house
keeper; SHE is skilful at curnSl SpraIns with
some old-iashioned lotion"
Mansy was soon in attendance with her
remedy, which greatly relieved the pain Mr..
Evans was enduring; and IN the course OF
another half hour Meta had established her
Two patients, as she called them. on old
fl shOned setteeS drawn up on either side
the che cry wOOd-fire, and was fitting from
une 10 the other. pressing upon them the
dainty little dinner served under her super
vision.
- Really, you both look very comfort
ablew she cried, gaily, when she had
placed a reading-lamp and the last PERIOD
reals on a table at Mr.. Evans elbow and
supplied her father with the cigar he would
not have been allowed to smoke had Sara
and Nina been present. How fortunate
it is That have nothing to do but nurse
you!
"Are we expected to rejoice that we are
in a condition to require nursing?" asked
Mi. Evans, looking amused.
He was very pale, and by the way his
brvws contracted every time he moved
It was evident he had been more seriously
shaken by his fall than he av0wed.
oh no, that would be too great de-
mand on your heroism." Meta responded.
Il was speaking selfshIy Without you TO
at end to | AIN afraid that, as mamma and
my sisters viii be absent for several days,
the time would have hung on my hands
heavily, for, Won see, | cannot make calls
nor receive visitors by myself, nor take long
walks very often, and papa has way OF
mounting his old cob and tTOttlng on directly
after breakfast, 10 be seen no more TIL the
dinner-bell rings"
And you would have been left entirely
to your own resources" said Mr.. Evans, so
alphabetically that Meta gave him CRATE
inl glance.
Yes, poor child" muttered her father,
1--WE all SEEN to have forgotten how dull it
must be Tor my little home-Oird when the
rest are Haunting thrir feathers abroad.
You must Invite somebody-one OF your
girl friends-Meta, to come and bear You
cOmlany.'
- could not spare time to be civil to her"
Meta declared. with two invalds on my
hands l shall be fully occupied. / shall
have TO read TO you, papa, and write all
your letters, for by the way your face Is
swelling it is certain that you'll not be able
t. see 10 do il for yourself; aud | must run
all Mr.. Evans errands Tor him as long as he
is prisoner to the sofa, and play the good
nurse TO both Of you 10 the best OF my
ability"
"Chut" growled Mr.. Raeburn, "what
do you know of nursing?"
- Ungrateful iatherl who was your chief
attendant for three long weeks?" retorted
Meta, sauciy IF you scOrn me for my
Youthful appearance III take to linsey
gown. cap and spectacles; and If you teach
Mr.. Evans to rebel against my authority I'll
put both of you on diet of water Cruel"
Seriously, Miss Meta said Mr.. Evans,
Al ought to rid you of my troublesome
presence. l am sure | could be moved TO
the village inn"
"Do you think, then, that we would let
yOU-papaS friend-leave US just as you are
in need of our care?" demanded Meta
warmly. PLEASE, papa, scold Mr.. Evans
for suggesting it. aud try if you cannot
bring him into better frame of mind, while
l go and see whether Man5y is getting a
room ready for him."
So Mr.. Evans said no more about remov-
~ Tic luliY bHt lOlu MCtd UIl
the morrow, as with ner aid and a stick he
Emped down to breakfast, that he had re-
solved to resign himself TO her charge, and
TO submit unmurmuringly to all the expert
mPnts which, as an amateur nurse, she
would OF course attempt to practice upon
MN.
"Pm glad one Of my patients promises to
be submissive" replied Meta, with merry
glance at her father, whose aches and pains
made him unusually peevish, for my re-
.u1h I ina nfTgn 20 nfrFh n
ready. | shall be so much engaged with papa
that Pm afraid l may have to neglect you,
Mr.. Evans"
-. l can find plenty of occupation in your
fathers library, Miss Meta"
All, then, you are fond of reading" and
she began to regard him with more Interest
than she had hitherto evineed In the quiet,
Diain-faced, mlddle-aged man. Would you
mind telling me some OF your fayorite au-
tbors ?"
Meta sighed profoundly when he men
toned names of which sue had scarcely
heard. but she frightened when he also
spoke in terms of praise Of books which had
long been her favorite volumes.
A call from her father put an end to a con-
Versaton tecming with interest to an intilli-
gent girl whose aspirations had never been
fO5tered by those about her; but Meta con-
trived to find excuses for peeping into the
library two or three times in the course of
tile morning; and though she was carefulnot
conceal her delight when he laid down his
6ook, and inviting her to seat beside him.
discussed 1t with her with all the zest and
acumen of a true scholar.
That half-h0ur spent in the library was
the first of many similar discussions, and in
the course OF the ensuing days Mr. Evans
and Meta learned to know each other as
thoroughly as only persons can who are
thus thrown together. He forgot her ex-
IRENE youth when she sat beside him eagerly
drinking in his teachings, and she forgot
that she tad thought him elderly and plain
when she saw his finely-cut features lit up
with enthusiasm and listened to his elO-
quence.
Mrs. Rseburn and her daughters pro-
longed their visit at the request Of their
hostess; Hattie, in one of her most careless
scrawls, apprising Meta that il was on Sara's
account they were staying.
p" The heir to dukedom is on the verge of
proposal" wrote Hattie, "and mamma is
delighted and Nina is furious because Cap
tain Dasent was very much attracted by her
beauty when first he saw her. It's my be-