Hutchinson gazette., 1900-03-15

ant nelu III fehulHtbb loI Hllli WIN '''
way through the balmy Indian spring
evening toward tho pretty bungalow OF
Capt. Derwent OF the Gordon High
landers.
Don's pale cheek was flushed, and ne
carried his slim young figure, In its
Kharkl uniform, with more OF its olu
majestic swagger than had character
lzed 1t for many weeks, for he had beeh
twice in hospital since he had volun-
teered from homo for active service on
the frontier with the first battalion OF
the Sherwood Foresters.
He had only now Just recovered from
severe gunshot wound from an
Afrldl rife, received whilst leading a
score of his brave Derbyshire company
on a foragng expedition.
But the exhllaration Of hope more
than OF renewed health was account
able for his sprlnglng step and the
light in his large brown eyes,
The British mail had brought him n
letter from his cousin Roddy, when
afforded him much satisfaction, for II
contained the announcement of Rod
dys engagement to Dons sister, Diana,
thereby setting at rest forever q lurk-
Ing fear In Dons heart that Roddya
thoughts were centered on Capt Der
vents fair daughter, Lille.
The "White Lily" she was not In
aptly called In the cantonment,whither
she had accompanied her father from
Aldershot some months gone by.
Don rode at brisk canter through
the lines toward the green compound
where teak and peupul trees rose dark
ly against tho clear blue sky, and the
red nrenies flashed in and out among
the slender shafts of the graceful bam-
boos.
But In the minds eye of the soldier
II was another scene which suddenly
rose before him.
He seemed to see beloved and love-
ly landscape In fair Aberdeenshlre. He
heard the murmur OF n river and the
songof thrushes from the prlvet hedge
rows. He looked upon the lordly Scot.
tish home OF Gadie Ha, to which he
had grown up from infancy to believe
himself the heir, and his grip on his
mares rein tightened and the still un'
conquered bitterness of fierce dlsap-
pointment swept his heart anew.
His mothers deathbed confession
had proved his fostcr-brother, Roddy
to be the heir; but 1t was not against
Roddy that Don felt any personal
grievance-Roddy, one OF the gay Cor
don Hlghanders with whom he had
fought side by side through the recent
campaign Of the Tirah field force and
who had heroically saved Don's life in
the deadly thick OF battle.
No; It was against the cruelty Of
circumstances which had robbed him
at one fell blow of rank and wealth
and that natural case so dear to his in
most soul
For king DON" as his brother OFF,
GERS Jokingly termed him, was born to
rule with high-handed self-righteous-
ness, and to his proud spirit disinher-
itance had well-nigh been more bitter
than death. His uncle the present
Laird Of Gadie, might still allow him
ample means out Of the Gadle reve-
nues; but to Don it were small COM
pensatlon for his forfeited rights of
helrshlp.
He might yet succeed in winning the
peerless, heiress, Lille Dorwent, for
his bride; but as Don knew in his Sc
cret heart, 1t was only when Lille Der
went had Unexpectedly become an heir
ess his thoughts had ever turned to
her with anything akin to love, and
once already he had well merited her
rejection Of his proposal.
Alas! and alasl for It was loves
acutest suffering alone was to prove
to Don at last
Not to understand n treasures worth
Till time has stolen away the slightest
good,
Is cause for half the poverty we feel,
And makes world the wilderness Il is.
AS Don neared his destination he
rode forward more slowly, for he was
now conscious Of little quickening of
his pulse.
In the circle Of home society, an al
ready disappointed man would scarcely
veturn to his fair one, like a moth to a
candle, after a lapse of months: but
circumstanced as he and Lille were.
now cast for the time being together
in u foreign land, matters seemed very
different.
Capt, Derwent was absent with the
field force; Lille was alone in a
strange country, at present sharing her
bungalow with the young widow and
baby boy Of an officer recently killed
on the front, and to whom Lilies
heart had gone out in deepest SYM
pathy.
Don was subtly conscious that the
Lille Derwent Of to-day was very
different Lille from the coquette who
had toyed In the past with his Cousin
Roddy's boysh love, or even the Lille
VINO had repudiated his own offer OF
marriage with such scorn. For he
realized now that Lille had come to
know the solace Of reliance upon that
Divine Anchor, whose storm tossed
souls are never shiDWrecked.