The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1893-06-03

thin face and the steady gray eyes that
followed unconsciously Nell's every
movement, had guessed his secret, and
sympathized with him, wondering
much at the strength of the friendship
that could bear such a test-to be in
almost daily contact with the one
dearer to him than all the world, and
yet without one thought of self, only
for the sake of another, for the friend
who trusted him. .,
On this particular evening Nell was
looking her brightest, for it was the day
when she received her customary letter
from Charlie. She was more like some
fairy elf, Mark thought, than a nine
teenth-century young lady, as she fit
ted about the room in the ruddy glow
of the freight, busying herself with
preparations for tea.
"Hark-that was the postman's
knock!!' she exclaimed, d shadow pass
ing over her face. Il do not think
there will be any letter." she added;
and there was none
She made no complaint; she only
went over to the hearth-rug where
Charles great retriever lay, and buried
her disappointed little face in the dogs
warm furry coat; but the shadow was
still upon her brow when she looked up
again.
TT is because he is so busy" she said
half apologetically, addressing herself
to Mark. He has gone doubtless to
the hills for a few days shooting-and
perhaps he is not back yet"
Poor Nell! AS week after week pass
ed by without the long-looked for let
ter, the shadow upon her young face
q Os,ov Aopro,, o-l. 1onro,, 4i1T fIo,a ,ryoc
no sunshine left at all. 1t never oc-
Cured to the trusting little soul that
h ought to resent his silence. She
hoped on, ever making excuses for him;
and aunt Fanny and Mark shared her
belief in his blamelessness. They both
thought that illness might be the cause.
Mark was eager for news as herself.
He could not bear to see "sweet Nelr'
SO quiet. and her wan attempts at 4
smile panied him far more than a burst
of Indignation would have done.
Meanwhile the object of these hopes
and fears was enjoying perfect health
in his station at Secunderabad. Early
n morning, the only pleasant time of
the day, he was reclining on a lounging-
chair in the verandah Of his bungalow,
lazily smoking a cheroot. His untasted
claret was standing on a table near
him, and a book. which he was not
reading, lay open before him. He was
strangely altered; for time had not
dealt so kindly with him as with Nell.
His face had lost it's animation; he
looked almost haggard, and there were
dark circles round his eyes, which wore
an anxious, troubled expression.
Two letters were brought to him
presently, and he reused himself some
what languidly. One bore an English
post-mark, and was from Nell; the
other contained an invitation to dine
out that evening.
II must co. he said, IF only for this
once-it cannot matter much!"
Then he took up Nells piteous little
note referring to his silence, read it,
and flung it away from him with some
thing like a groan. Presently he picked
it up again.
Good heavens" he exclaimed, what
am I doing? My poor little Nell! And
she wants to know when / am coming
home! Well, l must tell her that it is
impossible just yet; there are so many
fellows on leave, and" And then he
sat down to answer the other note.
He was delighted to accept MI. Mum
ro's kind invitation; and, US he wrote,
delightful visions passed before his
eyes. His thoughts were not wander
ing back to his English home-to Rose
Villa and the little figure ut the garden
gate, although the violets Nell had sent
him were lying upon the table to re-
mind him; a very different vision occu-
pied his fancy. He saw a long spacious
room handsomely furnished in massive
Oriental style. The blinds were drawn
~ yx,ya& IN 1ynnn n,p% tho. h,,rsv,insr a F%o,,,,on ~,
sun, the punkah was lazily swinging,
an oasis in a desert, he thought. A SER
a white figure came forward and q
sweet, rich voice gave him welcome in
kindly, gracious tones.
The face answered to the voice. It
was a face that had made havoc of
more than one heart and Graham
thought it the most beautiful that he
had ever, seen. He did not scan the
perfect features-their classical regu-
larity did not strike him; he was only
conscious of a general richness and
warmth Of coloring-a pair of large
dark eyes with black lashes and sharp
ly-defined brows, and q sweet proud
mouth with lovely scarlet lips. Such
was the picture that he had first gazed
upon only six short months before, and
lit still fingered in his memory.
Inez Munro had, all unwittingly,
changed his whole life; and yet there
had been no firtation-he had not even
paid her attention, as 1t is called, and
he had no grounds to believe that his
feelings were ~reciprOcated. He did not
know how it began or when 1T began;
he only knew that ever since her met
her he had been a different man. Her
face was not the only charm that she
had for him; there was something SO
fresh and impetuous about the girl and
her quaint bright talk-something so
unconventional, SO ut variance with
most OF the ladies Of his acquaintance.
and vet SO womanly! AT first he would
not own even to himself the influence
she exercised over Finn; then, when he
became aware Of Its full extent, he was
too completely in her power to wish to
retreat. N
Wei, i win dine there this evening, Z,
he said Mt length, rOusing himself with
q Sigh; Nand then. Nell, Nell, why
are You % good and faithful, little
one Isam mot worth IT.
There vas u ball at the Residency;;
all h little fashionable world TINT
sgraevitated round the station was there,
and the hall set apart Tor dancing pre-
sented 4 brilliant spectacle, the innl-
merable lamps shedding a soft hight
over the assembled thro11g, the scarlet
uniforms, the gay dresses. and the fair
faces Il was allsVery bright and pleas
ant to look upon.
Charlie Graham scanned the crowd;
eagerly. Yes, there val Inez; she had
Just entered the B on herfather's.
arm, and was already surrounded w
admirers