The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1891-03-20

and clasped her hands. "She has been
to see me about Brer Nicholas"
The colonel started; his color came and
went in violent alterations, and he sank
helplessly into the nearest chair. "What
does this meant" he asked.
"Capt. Fletcher
"And does he make a go-between of
one of my old slavesr' Numbered the colo
uel, springing to his feet. ga meddle-
some puppy!" @
"No, father; it was Nom Bee who went
to him of her own accord, for my sake. 1"
The colonel sat down again, and Wini-
fred went on to tell the captains story.
Her father heard her without Interrupt
don; what he felt she could not divine,
for, the first shock over, his countenance
gave no indication of his thoughts.
sit must be truew she exclaimed, pas
sionately, when she had ended. "What
will you do about it?"
| Col. Thorne did not Immediately reply.
He could be as impulsive as Winifred
herself, but he could not be confiding.
"We have no assurance that Nicholas
still lives" he said, at last.
Winifred clasped her hands. "Let us
hope!" she whispered.
81 am very tired, just now" the col
onel sighed. 81 will lie down until din
ner is ready"
"He does not carel" thought Missy,
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 life? He would fain have
Nicholas at home again, but he could
not bring himself to say so.
When he reappeared at dinner he was
calm, and Immediately afterward he
ordered his horse and rode away. Missy
supposed that he was going to see her
Aunt Pauline and Flora.
1t was long past 10 o'clock that night
when the colonel returned, and it 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 it 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 babe her go to bed. He had
had his ride in vain, for Capt Fletcher
was away, on long delayed visit to ST.
Marks S, 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
a 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
conferred in 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 il 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 the 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 us"
"Let us find them first, said Winifred,
reddening; call other questions can be
settled afterward."
"How are you going to find them?'
Miss Elvira asked, with provoking meek
ness. nicholas is either dead or he has
forgotten us. For my part, I'd rather
believe him dead. He must be so
changed
Winifred sIiuddered. "You are very
cruel" she said, hoarsely. eff my father
would but have Capt. Fletcher here once,
Just once, we might find some clew."
"Winifred Thorne! Do you not know
that il your father were to bring that
man here your Aunt Pauline and your
Cousin Flora never would cross this
threshold again? 1t is you who are cruel!
Think Of Alcck, killed at Chickamaugal
The tears sprang to Winifred's eyes.
"It is life that is cruel" she said, sadly.
"But you need not be uneasy. 1t is three
days since Nom Bee came to us with the
news about Brer 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 l am
but a girl. What can do but assault
heaven with my prayers2"
COL Thorne had not seen fit to acquaint
his daughter with the fact that Capt.
Fletcher had written to decline the invi-
tation to visit Thorne Fill, 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, and
she was not backward in demanding the
COW and the pigs, nor did she hesitate to
hint that a few chickens, by the way OF
start, would be acceptable.
1t would be hard to say Just what il