The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1893-05-27

afternoon; the wind blew with a sigh
Ing, sobbing sound, and the barrack
square wore a very dismal aspect. Only
a few weeks before and everything had
looked very different; October sunshine
was filling the place then, a few birds
were still singing their sweet songs,
and the %colonel's strong, CHEEKY voice
might have been heard now and again
as he crossed the old familiar ground.
Now all the beauty and brightness had
gone from the place. The colonel was
dead, and the colonels daughter sat at
the window, and, with fearful eyes,,
gazed out at1ohe bleakness and dreari-
ness. Her thoughts were with the dear
old father who had made her life for
the past three years like some fair
dream, and now he was gone, and the
world seemed very real and dark to
MS sweet Nell" There was no n
left to her but the old aunt with whom
she had lived while the colonel was in
India; n the mOtherless girls heart
sank within her as she thought of the
return to the life she seemed to have
left so far behind her; her fathers al
most womanly tenderness towards her
and the love and indulgence which had
been shOwered upon her during the
three short years they had lived to-
gether, formed a strange contrast to
Nelrs childhood, spent with her maiden
aunt, peaceful and happy though it had
| been.
Il must try to he brave; but, oh, what
shall I do without him?" she said to
herself.
A tall figure presently crossed the
square, stopping beneath the window
Il and Shlrn1v RINGING tho ho11
Are you ready, NellY" said a pleas
ant voice at the door. Il have ordered
a cab to be here directly; can I help
you and Miss Fanny with your goods
and chattels?'-and the speaker, en-
tering, looked round the dismantled
O and at the little figure in black
that rose to greet him.
The pale face frightened at his
CHEEKY tones, as most faces did when
Charlie Graham looked kindly upon
e with his handsome, serious eyes;
he was a distant cousin of Nell's, and
had been in her fathers r~egiment-in-
deed Col. Foster had regarded him al
most as a son, and the young fellow
had been allowed to enter the house
whenever he liked.
You will be good to her?" were the
old soldiers last whispered words to
him, and he laid his hand upon Nell's
bowed head. The request might have
meant little, but the earnest entReaty
in the dying mans Eyes would never be
forgotten by Charlie Graham.
The colonel had moro taran once e K
pressed the wish that the boz, as he
called him, should inherit his modest
little fortune; and low could it be bet.
ter managed than by his marrying
'sweet NellT" Not a word had been
breathed to the girl herself; she liked
Charlie more than any one else she
knew, but at sixteen she was as limo
cent of love as any child. 1t would BIZ
easy enough to be good to her, Charlie
thought; she looked SO small and fragile
as she stood there in the dim light, Will
her blue eyes raised wistfully to his.
Sorry to leaYe the dismal square
Nely' he asked, taking her cold little
hands in his and drawing her towards
the fire.
n A sob was the only answer, and down
went the golden head upon the sleeve
of his rough coat.
$50 hard to leave the dear old house?
Yes, I know it. "Tis hard for me, too,
dear; I miss him at every turn"
He let her cry on in silence; there
was no need Of more words; she was
SO Ire of his sympathy. Perhaps his
own feelings prevented him from speak
ing; he had lost a kind and very true
friend in the colonel, and the blank in
their lives seemed greater than ever
to them both on this the last day in the
home where the old man had been mas
ter and head.
The unwelcome sound of wheels and
Miss Fanny'S voice in the hall recalled
them both to the present.
b brave, dear!" he whispered. "No,
I am not going to leave YOU" as she
chung to his arm, II am going to- see
you and Miss Fanny and your baggage
safely into Rose Villa first"
When she drove away on that dull
November afternoon, little Nell was
not so wretched and desolate and lone
" as h imagined, for she had at least
q tmpulsive young heart full of pity
and love and care for her:
Spring had merged into early sum-
mer, when a long blue envelope came
n morning for Charlie Graham, en-
closing a letter which was destined to
change the peaceful serenity of that
idle and happy time. He was to hold
himself in readiness to embark for In
dia in July-s0 ran th order; and as
soon as duty would allow him he rushed
down to Rosa villa to communicate
the news.
1t was a hot sultry afternoon, and
both ladies' were out. The servant did
not know where they were; but she
thought Miss Nellie had gone to the
beach. To the beach Charlie according
ly went. s
The sea-shore was not much appre-
ciated by the Inhabitants OF Seagate,
and it certainly did not offer many
Attractions long stretch OF single,
no sand to tempt the pedestrian to a
ramble, no rock or cliff or shade OF
any description to protect him from
the suns rays.
There, sitting in the shadow OF a
fishing boat, sat the little black figure
that the young man had expected to
see.
.How peaceful it all seems!n he said,
throwing himself down beside her.
doesn't 1t look, Nell, as It 1t could
never change? I wish that 1t were 30,
and that we might 60 Of just as we are
| for the next hundred years. That does
not look much like it though-d0es 1T"
and he placed the obnoxious letter in
her hand.
She had turned her pretty face to-
wards him, lighted up with d glad well
coming smile, when he joined her, and
he watched her keenly now MS she read.
| Not TINT he was waiting to observe
the effect OF the news upon her--con-
ceit did. not form a part Of Charlie
Graham's characters he was gazing ct