The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1898-09-16

alt is time we were returning" she re-
marked.
Don't go just yet Miss Lindsay" he
pleaded putting out hand to detain her.
81 want you to listen to me for mo-
ment. won't keep you if'-
But already she was half hidden by the
shrubbery, and her only answer was be-
wildering smile. He had perforce to fol-
low
at seems more crowded than ever she
said as they picked their way through the
throng. "Ah, there are my mother and
Captain Havclock Shall we join themY
hope you are attending to your duties,
Ralph. Mr. Holland and have been dis
cussing Meredith and things. Tired, moth
erP Oh, you must be! Mr.. Holland, will
you find my mother seat somewhere
near the band. If you CAM The Hungari-
ans are so good.
Delighted, " he replied. Then lower,
81 may see you again before you go, Miss
LindsayY
"lf you can, she repeated.
She watched them until they were lost
in the crowd, and then deliberately led
Captain Havelock back to the little nook
Some girls have no originality. But it
was still empty.
Better sit down, Ralph, she said, tax
ing her old place.
Thanks; prefer to stand, " he said.
at is matter of taste-or of comfort.
She gave him swift glance. Not up to
Simla, is ity'
rpm sick of it. Beastly packl haven't
had chance of speaking to you all after
noon, Nell.
"Philanthropy is its own reward, she
said.
tits not that-Mrs. Lindsay is all right.
But there's that scribbling fellow who's
always dangling after you"
He is very amusing and clever"
''ls her He doesn't know one end Of q
gun from the other, and l suppose he
thinks that horses were invented to drag
the Chelsea bus, or wherever he stays"
why, dear boy, to be a groom is not
mans chief end. And you are very rude.
MIR. Holland speaks very nicely of you"
"Confound his impudence! And, by
way OF relief, he proceeded to kick hole
in Mrs. Gurdon s turf. Look here, Nell, F"
he said presently, I'm going off to
Egypt"
Indeed! l thought winter was the
proper senson. Won't it be rather warm
there just nowH" .....
THAT is, if they'll have me" he con-
tinued, paying no heed. i've volunteered
for Dongola. Kitchener is going up to
Khartum in the autumn-at least hope
So"
sin Cooks boatsY What funl'
1T will be-for Fuzzy and the dervishes.
But you might have the decency to say
you are sorry, Nell. mayn't come back,
you know"
so that Is why you told me?" she
asked. Don you think it is rather crude,
| Captain HaveloUk?" But she was not
looking at him, being engaged in tracing
fancy patterns ON the grass. Not that il
would have mattered for he, on his part,
was also regarding the point of the sun
shade with apparent interest
"Oh, dare say that writing chap would
have done it better" he said savagely.
"lts his trade. suppose you mean tC
marry the beggar, NellY"
His name is Holland" she suggested.
81 know that. You can see his portrait
in any illustrated paper for sxpence. Its
in them all. "
(Which is really no reason why hi
shouldn't be addressed properly, is it?
have some idea that have seen another
portrait in the same places, with the let
tiers ID. S. o. after the name. y"
"You need not get disagreeable. Be
sides, you haven't told me yet If you are
engaged to him."
Ill IL
other glance-"he hasn't asked Inc yet. "
81 suppose you will marry him
though" he persisted. Its natura
enough, perhaps he's genius and al
that-and of course I'm not. Wait a min
ute, Nell can't stand this any longer
and I'm bound to have it out for good
You were always cleverer than was, bu
you know what I've wished for ever sine,
| was an unlocked cub at Eton. Iwasn'
afraid to tell you then. You remember
Nelly"
Il remember thinking that those lick
ings-which you did hot get-might hav,
done you good.
"Well, you didn't say sol And oil tn
time was stewing in India it was tn
same, and when | was down with fever i.
the plains kept shouting one Names,
the doctor told me. :"
at was in very bad taste" she mur
INJURED.
"Oh! Then that fort on the frontier
with the Waziris bowling round--and no
five minutes sleep on end for fear the.
should rush us-and the grub running on
and the only idea in my head was to SO
it through somehow and get home to asl
you to marry me! There, Nell, it's out a
last"
She was looking at him now, but ther
was a world of reproach-and perhap
something else-in her eyes. You haven
asked me YETI she cried.
but, Aell-good heavens!-you don
mean to say
And then-well, in some mysteriou
fashion be managed to gain possession q
her hands and to say the rest withou
, words. AS for her:
You might have seen 1t, you FOOLS
boy |" she said.
And that was all
Except that, little later, she met Nj
Holland.
"Ihave been looking for you, Miss Limo
say, " he said. II have something to say
Not going already surely may call Il
night them | need not tell you what
is-perhaps you can guess-l-l hope So
81 think 1t would be better not to come
Mr. Holland, she replied giving him hi
hand. 81 am sorry, but-win you oblip