Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1892-04-21

'sMay come in, dear?' she said, tap
ping lightly at the room door.
''Oh, please, dear Miss Balderstone,
am so glad you are here!'
It was easy to tell how the girls time
had been occupied, for on the table at
which she had been seated was toy
easel on which rested the photograph
of military officer, while around it
were scattered a number of open letters
she had evidently been reading.
SIS that Sir Harry's portrait?" Miss
Ba1derstone asked. '"What a noble
FACET
''Noblei All, madam, you know not
how noble! So pure in heart, SO con-
siderate of others, so brave and gen
erous-aP perfect paladin of truth and
chivalry. Yes, that is the likeness of
Sir Harry Grahame," was the girls re-
Spouse, her eyes flashing a glowing
tribute to her dead friends memory.
''You were young when he took you
under his protection, were you not,
Kate?"
"a mere baby. I have no recollec-
ton of the scene, but have heard that
he rescued me from the stronghold of a
native prince at the point of his sword.
winning his way with me in his arms
through a host OF enemies.
"a knightly deed, in truth. And
then, Kate, as 1 understand it, he
brought you up as his own child"
He did. For time lived in charge
of an Ayah in his own bungalow, the
pet of the regiment, and when l was
ten years old he sent me to a boarding
school at Calcutta, where I remained
for nearly six years; then-ah! shall
fI,a How
ing and told me that must come to
England, for his sister had promised to
be mother to me and the climate was
not good for me. That-was-the-ver
! st-time-I-saw-him
Sobs choked-her utterance.
''And those letters-are they all his?''
Eyes, except this one which 1 received
an hour ago from Miss Grahame. Please
| read it,
Miss Balderstone glanced over the let
ter the girl handed to her. She was, 1
believe. take her for all in all, as
charitable woman as you could find.
but am afraid it was in no spirit of
Christian meekness that she read Miss
}, Honoria's communication.
| DEAR KATE: I inciose check on Drum
| mond'S bank for twenty pounds This must be
considered as closing our interest in your af-
| fairs. Lady Scarborough, howeveg, suggests,
! and heartily indorse the proposition, that it
would be mark of good taste II you were to
| adopt some other name than Grahame, which,
| with Miss Balderstone'S connivance you can
| very readily Go; and in case you are willing to
| accede to this very reasonable request, fur
Their sum OF fifty pounds will be placed at your
disposal. Very truly yours.
| "HoNoRIA GRAHAME."
''Sit down this moment, Kate, and
answer this insulting proposition" Miss
Balderstone insisted. There, are you
ready? Now, Begin
| miss Kate Grahane returns Miss Grahame' s
check and declines any further correspondence. -
But, dear Miss Balderstone," Kate
pleaded, but, nevertheless, writing as
she was hidden, '.you forget that she
is Sir Harry's sister, and that it ill-be-
comes one who owes so much to the
family to show such temper"
Temper, child! Do you mean to ac-
icuse me of temper? When did you ever
know me in a temper? l never was
calmer in my life, and-I should just
like to box that woman's ears Tell me
one thing-do you wish to act with the
spirit of independence that Sir Harry
would approve Of? You do? Then
send that letter.
So the check was inclosed and the let
ter mailed
But there was another letter to dis
cuss-the one from India
81 do not like to pry into your affairs,
my love-" the schoolmistress said; but
! did you not receive a communication
from India to-day?"
.sAh, yes. here it is. And to think
that the hand which wrote it is cold IN
death. 1t is from him. dear friend, and
comes to me as voice from the grave
VIII you read it. too?'
/ What charming epistle it is! Oh,
Kate, you have indeed lost friend in
this man." Miss Balderstone calculated
as her eye ran hastily over graphic de
scriptions of life IN an Indian village
amusing gossip CONCERNING mutual &C
quaintances, and occasional words o,
tender solicitude and gentle admoni
tons. with here and there clever pen
and-ink sketch of some grutesque figure
mo BE CONTINUED.