The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-08-10

u enough, set by
Itself on the great level prairie. Sone-
how, its isolation struck the rider ap-
| preaching it with new sense of tho
| loneliness of these western wilds He
| was young man, with a sunbrowned
| face, light brown beard, and long
wavy hair of the same color, tangled
by the rising breeze intoa wavy. pic
turesque confusion under the shade of
| his broadbrimmed, gray felt hat. The
rest of his costume-a gray belted
| jacket and breeches, with the revolver
at his belt-gave him a sort of guerrilla
aspect far from unbecoming. But his
features were Enthusiastically English,
and the clear brown eyes looked hon.
est and kindly Notwithstanding their
somewhat respondent expression, and
some traces of hard life"
| Ned Carew, in short, was type OF
many young Englis hman driven into
the perilous influences of wild, rough
life, partly through his own fault,
| partly through that of others. Just
then he was undergoing one of those
occasional ''spells" of bomesickness,
| generally associated with such days OF
enervating heat, when the great plain
seemed to pant, almost breathless,
under the suns untempered glare.
AS he drew near the ranch for which
he was bound. his eye was caught by
sight unseen for years-that of a grace
full figure in an English riding habit
sight associated with some of the
pleasantest and most painful memories
of his life. The lady sat her horse
well, as he could see at glance Who
could she be? On the former occasion
when he had visited the ranch, on busi-
ness with its inmates, these were two
young men, living in rough bachelor
way. He had not heard of the mar
riage of either. and he had not dreamed
of meeting a lady now. AS he watched
her ride up to the door his glance
strayed critically over his dusty attire.
He even thought of turning away to
seek the nearest village. But curiosity
prevailed over this newborn shyness.
AS he fastened his horse near the
house, his quick eye noticed that a
handsome elderly lady, who sat at an
open window knitting, turned to cali
to some one within. At the open door
he was met by tall girl, whom he
recognized at once as lady, despite the
linen apron which completely enveloped
her dress, and the partially rolled-up
sleeves which betokened some house
hold occupation. She had dignified
bearing, a finely -proportioned figure
in which he thought he recognized that
of the fair rider, nobly nodded
features, with the combination of dark
hair and soft blue eyes which suggest
ed an Irish type of beauty. With
clear complexion, slightly flushed with
exercise. Ned Carew thought she looked
like princess in disguise.
Notwithstanding his present rough
life and associations, Ned Carew had
not lost the instructive bearing of an
English gentleman; and this the young
lady seemed in her turn to recognize as
she explained that her brother, Mr..
Percival, was out on the prairie, but
would soon return, while his former
comrade had left the ranch some time
before. As she spoke, she courteously
showed the way into little sitting
room, which with its simple extempor-
lied furniture, had SO homelike and re-
fined an air that Carew's Heimweh was
intensifed and he surveyed the little
feminine adornments, the water-color |
sketches, the books, and CAST but not |
least the. elderly lady who gave him so /
kind greeting, with the relish of a
man whose domestic instincts had gone |
through long course of starvation. |
Miss Percival, leaving her mother to |
talk to the stranger, quietly went on /
with her preparations for the evening /
meal, in the course of which she fitted .
in and out. setting the tea-table In
dainty way in which he had not seen
table set for years. And though the
crockery was of the plainest, the fine
white table-cloth and the gracefully ar
ranged wild flowers would have set off
a less appetizing meal than that pre-
pared by Miss Percival's deft fingers
Very soon young Percival appeared.
with hearty welcome-for, IN these
solitudes, new acquaintance speedily
becomes a friend. Carew gladly ac-
cepted his hosts invitation to go TO his
room. and explained his business while
getting rid of the dust of his ride
When he returned he looked more like
his own self than he had done for
months; his forehead-the shaggy locks
brushed ont of the way-leaving Its
English fairness to contrast with the
eIn drowned shade below, and his whole
appearance more in keeping with his
mellow English voice and gentlemanly
bearing
Miss percival bad laid aside her apron
and appeared in plain but very be-
coming dark blue dress of some thin
material set off with dainty little coll
lar that might have come fresh from
Regent street Seated at the hospitable
BILE, Carew soon found his unusual
shyness disappearing under the infu-
ence OF the ladies' gentle courtesy, till
il seemed as if some ba!efui spell had
been suddenly broken, and ne could
think and talk more Ike his old self OF
happier days
When they rose from the table Carew
strolied over TO the book shelves where,
among a few favorite books, were
OF Sophocles and o1e or TWO q
Percivals old college classss5s A!usos.
mechanically. he took one down and
opened 1t with the sense Of greeting IN
Old acquaintance; and Percival snn be
were soon discussing Oxford professors
and dons Of the college dzys IN which
they had been so nearly contemporaries
Then the two young usea eoneI1dec
their business while the ladies' were
busy about their household duties