The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-12-27

rescuing child who, unless 1 mistake is
naturally truthful amiable and confiding.
OF her intelligence there is no doubt at
all, and she has had some education. 1t
will be my pleasant duty to strengthen
her good qualities, and to eradicate the
evil growths which, believe, are not vet
| established
II wish you all success" said George,
rising. You will take her to live with
! you, suppose?'
Yes; / shall hasten my departure as
much as possible on that account"
| Before descending to breakfast George
| inspected the family valuables, and order
| ed special precautions for the safety of the
| plate.
| He did not see the child again before
she left with Aunt Kitty. Young soldiers of
| large property do not often keep up much
| correspondence with an elderly relative
| George understood that his aunt was con-
tent, and that the disconsolate vulture had
made no sign. She was roaming the CONT
nent in search of some permanent resting
place. Having chosen Tours, Aunt Kitty
returned some months afterwards to make
arrangements, and George called upon her
/ in town.
He was shown into the drawing-room. A
very pretty, neat little girl rose from the
chair in which she had been buried with
| novel.
BLESS me"' cried George. "are you
Rosa?"
"Oh, am so glad to see you, Mr.. May
nard 1 wanted to thank you for your
| goodness to meT'
81 don't claim any credit, my dear"
| George laughed.
"Oh, that's because you are so kind! I
| shall never, never forget what owe your
Then pay it by remaining always good
| as you are now. Tell me the truth" he
added, merrily, sitting down and holding
l IL H.
| just minute now and then, after the aw-
! full life you used to lead? l should, know,
If were in your place."
She colored and laughed. You don't
know anything about my life, Mr.. May
nard.'
"Well, but don't you ever? can see you
| dor
"I-whisper, Mr. Maynard-I wish you
were in prison or something-under lock
| and keyl Then would show whether I'm
| grateful or mott Only that once! The door
| opened. "Oh, please don't say word to
| Miss Nugentp' She struggled to free her
self, and George was laughing so that he
| could not hold her. The reformation was
not quite perfected yet.
Two years passed. and his regiment was
ordered to India. George went to Tours
| to bid Aunt Kitty goodbye. He hoped to
/ find amusement during the three dull
| days of his visit in the society of his little
| burglaress, unseen since the interview re-
4 corded. But Aunt Kitty thought it inju-
| dicious to recall the dreadful old memo
ries, and she kept Rosa close. The child
/ was now IA, very small, but charming. AS
/ she shook hands with George her color
/ rose and her eyes had just the same
| roguish half-smile which he remembered
accompanying the whisper, please, I'm a
! girl" But Aunt Kitty had never once felt
/ regret She loved her charge almost with
I ma sci IL
| tender ways, not toward her benefactress
| only, but towards this ancient maid who
| defended a kind heart with an abattis of
| prickles
Aunt Kitty's single grievance was a sus-
| picion that Rosa communicated by some
| mysterious means with her father. The
only serious ground she could advance for
this belief was in fact. tribute to the
| girls aifectionate disposition. Loving her
| father dearly, as she confessed, Rosa
wouldn't have been so quiet had she not
| known he was well.
George learned indeed that this suspi-
| cion was correct. On the morning of his
departure Aunt Kitty observed that Rosa
was not WELL She had been found crying
| in her bedroom the night before-the very
| first time her tears had been seen-and
begged to be left alone. This morning she
was still quite unlike herself.
George went into the grounds to smoke
|
custom, and thus it CHANGED that he sa W
Rosa crouched against a tree, her face
in her hands. 1t was an attitude OF grief,
not pain.
MY poor chldr said he, approaching.
you are in trouble?"
"Oh, leave me, pleased And, oh, don't
tell Miss Nugentl''
II will tell no one, dear! But can't /
give you any comfort? am your oldest
| friend and not the least one, though
everyb body is. your friend" He knelt be-
side her and put his arm round her waist
Tell me what it is, little one. Perhaps
can helpl'
''No one can help! Oh, Mr.. Maynard, my
father is dead-and 1 was here, at the
theater, laughing, whilst he lay in pain
| at the hospitali Oh, dear-oh, dear He
was so kind TO me, and so handsome and
so merryl / never thought he would 6ie!'
She leaned on Georges breast sobDing
II was not the moment to express sur.
prise that father so loving and so loved
could train his child to felony George
thought he knew the type. Handsome,
| kind, and merry'-a laughing, reckless
ne'er-do-well, whose high spirits and fine
constitution masked innate sel1shness aad
villainy; gentleman" by birth and train
| ing perhaps, who had sunk even into
crime, but never lost his polish. If Rosd's
father was such type much became In
telligible.
George set himself to console the chilu
patiently and tenderly. He succeeded be-
cause he made her talk. But even then
Rosa avoided any detail of her fathers
life George gathered vaguely that he
had house with a garden, that he visited
| among respectable people in the neighbour
| hood, attended races, and was popular
everywhere. This was just what would
have been expected. His death was due
10 a fall from his trap"
For an hour they sat, until Rosa started
up.
"They will be looking for met Oh Mr..
Maynard / can't say how different ] feel!
think / can go TO dear, dear Miss Nu-
gent now. and listen to bert You are
going away to-day! / will say good-by
now" She offered her lips for kiss, IT
] live for a century, ! shall never forget
one atom Of al your gOodnessw
50 George went 20 india ana there,
after while. he fell into a scrape. The
doctors sent him 20 nurse "A wound at
Drumsala. where he met Mrs. Poele. a
woman az able a. attractive. whose hus-
band was pitied BY the good. and m0ckcd
by the ill-naturedi he tried 70 escape tho
| consciousness Of either insult BY aban-
donlng the wife, whom D. dared not ac-
i -. -