Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1890-07-05
81 win lie down until din

Vic uOtS nOt CtftE tbOukut 1ltcSNs
bitterly. How was she TO know that he
sought the privacy OF his own room to
hide the storm of mingled emotions that
shook his very lifei lie would fain have
Nicholas at home again, but he could
not bring himself 10 say so.
When he rcappeared at dinner he was
calm, and Immediately afterward he
ordered his horse and rode away. missy
supposed that he was going 70 see her
Aunt Pauline and Flora.
II was long past 10 o'clock that night
when the colonel returned, and IL gave
him thrill of unaccustomed joy to find
his daughter sitting up alone, to keep his
supper warm. At most did he hope that
she would scold him; but Winifred was
not actuated by anxiety on her fathers
account; she had the utmost confidence
in his ability to take care Of himself; her
object in sitting up for him was to win
his favor for her brother. What unspeak.
able comfort IL would have given her
could she but have known that he had
ridden to Tallahassee expressly TO see
Capt. Fletcher; but her father did not tell
her; he only bade her go 10 bed. He had
had his ride in vain for Capt. Fletcher
was away, on long delayed visit to st.
Marks, and Col. Thorne preferred TO wait
for an answer to the note he had left for
the captain before saying anything TO
Winifred
The news brought by Glory-Ann made
Miss Elvira very uncomfortable. She was
creature of habit, and she had formed
the habit, in the past eight years, OF liv-
ing without her nephew. She had prac-
tically forgotten him. Every hope that
ccntered i'm him had died the day she
heard of his marriage with Dosia Furni-
val, and she could not see now that his
return, granting that he lived, was to be
desired. Indeed, Miss Elvira preferred
to believe him dead, since never, never
again could he be the Nicholas Of old.
She had long persuaded herself that the
colonel would do his whole duty II he
made some provision for Nicholas in his
will; the prospect of having Dosia and
her children at Thorne Hill was regarded
by Miss Elvira pretty much as she might
have regarded an invasion of tho Bar
barians.
"You don't reflect how times are
changed, Winifred," she fretted. "And
there's no denying that Dosia cannot be
congenial; she isn't one Of u.s."
"Let us find them first" said Winifred,
reddening; "all other questions can be
settled afterward."
"How are you going to find themf'
Miss Elvirn asked, with provoking meek
ness. nicholas is either dead or he has
III rather
believe him dead. He must be 80
changed
Winifred shuddered. "You are very
cruel" she said, hoarsely. "If my father
would but have Capt. Fletcher here once,
just once, we might find some clew."
"Winifred Thorne Do you not know
that If your father were TO bring that
man here your Aunt Pauline and your
Cousin Flora never would cross this
threshold again2 II IL yen who are cruel!
Think of AleCk, killed at Chickamauga"
The tears sprang to Wiuitred's eyes.
ut is life that Is cruel she said sadly.
"But you need not be uneasy. 1t is three
days since Nom Bee came to ,is with the
news about Brcr Nicholas, and asked
my father Yesterday if he did not intend
to see Capt. Fletcher, but he said was
never to ask him that again. And am
but girl. What can do but assault
heaven with my prayers?'
Col. Thornc had not seen fit to acquaint
his daughter with the fact that Capt
Fletcher had written to decline the invi-
tation to visit Thorne Hill, conveyed in
that note the colonel had left with Mrs.
Scott few days before.
A week later Glory Ann took up her
permanent abode at Thorne Hill. She
announced her willingness TO accept the
house the colonel had offered her, aud
she was not backward in demanding the
COW and the pigs, nor did she hesitate to
hint that few chickens, by the way Of
Il start, would be acceptable.
1t would be hard TO say just what it
was that induced Nom Bee to return.
She hao been heard to tell CLANCY, who
was temporarily presiding over the
Thornc Hill kitchen, that "sence mawster
could tex care of ole Dicey, he mought
jes' ez well TEX care o Glory Ann" and,
also, she had been heard to declare that
she "wouldn' give handful o COW pease
fur desc young niggcrs o freedom what
had plum los track o dcy Manners
but If her solemn assertion was to be be-
lieved, her return was prompted solely
by affection for "little Missy" She in
formed Mrs. Henry, when she carried
back the side saddle, that she felt in duty
bound TO look after "dat chile" The
colonel, she explained. being only man,
couldn't be expected to know how TO look
after a girl; zen ez fur Missile -vlrey-
well, Miss Myrtilla, you know Missile.
virey amt got no succullation' what
ever Glory.Ann might mean by that.
Thus settled again at Thorne Hill, this
faithful nurse kept sharp eye upon
"little Missy" admonshing that young
lady as she saw fit, and criticising her
visitors freely, for Missy was sweet and
twenty" now, and had admirers not a
few. But the right man was slow TO put
III an appearance, or Glory Ann was hard
TO please. This one was stingy, that one
was wasteful, another had no manners
Glory-Aun was exacting as to manners
and yet another had no money, an in
superablc objection, in Glory AIMS opin
ion,
Il shall never marry Winifred would
say, gravely. IL am not like other girls.
mo, dat you amt, my honey"
Il shall spend my life for my Brel
Nicholas"
Don't you go promus dat too fas now
chile; yo' time ain come, said Nom Bee
with an air of prophecy that gave Missy
vague uncasiness, remembering how
many of Nom Bees sayings had come tc
pass.
But something happened soon tina,
Nom Bee had never prophesied.
CHAPTER XXNI.
AN UNEXPECTED GUEST.
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