Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1897-1902, 1900-04-20

way through the baimy Indian spring
evening toward the pretty bungalow OF
Capt. Derwent of the Gordon High
ianders.
Don's pale cheek was flushed. and ne
carried his slim young figure. IN us
Kharki uniform. with more OF It's ola
majestic swagger than had character
lied ii for many weeks, for he had Deen
twice in hospital since he had volun-
teered from home for active service on
the frontier with the first battalion or
the Sherwood Foresters.
He had only now just recovered from
a severe gunshot wound from an
Afridi rifle. received whilst leading
score OF his brave Derbyshire company
on foraging expedition.
But the exhilaration OF hope more
than Of renewed health was account
able for his springing step and the
light in his large brown eyes.
The British mail had brought him
letter from his cousin R0ddy. which
afforded him much satisfaction, Tor IL
contained the announcement OF Rod
0y'S engag cement to Don's sister Diana,
thereby setting at rest forever Turk
Ing fear in Dcns heart that Roldys
thoughts were cerfered on Capt Der
vents fair daughter. Lille.
The White Lily" she WIS not in
aptiy called in the can;onment.whither
she had accompanied her father from
Aldershot some months gene by
Don rode at a brisk canter through
the lines toward the green compound.
where teak and peupul trees rose dark
~ against the clear blue Sky. and the
red fireflies flashed in and ont among
the slender shafts Of the grace full bam-
bOos.
But in the minds eye of tho soldier
1t was another scene which suddenly
rose before him.
He seemed to see beloved and love
~ landscape In fair Aberdeenshire. lie
heard the muTmur OF river and the
songof thrushes from the privet hedge
rows. He looked upon the lordly Scot
fish home of Gadie Ha', to which he
had grown up from infancy to believe
himself the heir. and his grip on his
mares rein frightened and the still un-
conquered bitterness of fierce Gisap-
pointment swept his heart anew
His mothers deathbed confession
had proved his f0ster-brOther, ROddy,
TO be the heir: but it was not against
ROddy that Don felt any personal
grievance Roddy. one of the gay Cor
don Highlanders 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 hin
at one fell blow of rank and wealth
and that natural case 50 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 Gadie reve-
1ues; but to Don it were small com
pensation for his forfeited rights OF
heirship.
He might yet succeed in winning the
peerless. heiress. Lille Derwent. fol
his bride; but as Don knew in his Sc
eret heart. il was only when Lille Der
went had unexpectedly become an heir
ess his thoughts had ever turned tC
her with anything akin to love. anc
once already he had we'll merited hei
rejection of his proposal
Alas! and alas, for it was loves
acutest suffering alone was to prov
TO Don at last
Not TO understand q treasures worth
Till time has stolen away the slightes
good.
Is cause for half the poverty we feel
And makes world the wilderness il is
As Don neared his destination ht
rode forward more slowly. for he wa!
now conscious of little quickenine O
his pulse.
in the circle OF home society. an al
ready disappointed man would scarcel,
return to his fair one, like moth to ;
candle, after lapse of months: bu
circumstanced as he and Lille were
now cast for the time being togethe
In a foreign land, matters seemed yer,
different
Capt. Derwent was absent with tn
field force; Lille was alone in
strange country. at present sharing he
w hn
baby boy OF an officer recently kille
on the front, and to whom Lille
heart had gone out in deepest sym
pathy.
Don was subtly conscious that tn
Lille Derwent of to-day was a yer
different Lille from the coquette VIII
had tOyed in the past with his Cousi
Roddy's boyish love. or even the Lilli
who had repudiated his own offer @
marriage with such scorn. For h
realized now that Lille had come [
know the solace of reliance upon tina
Divine Anchor. whose storm-tosse
souls are never shipwrecked.
Don knew himself to be but rud
derless barque. drifting on shoreles
sea: but though faith awoke no re
sponsive echo in his own heart, he az
mired Lille none the less for tn
change which had made her true
and nObler woman than the though
less. somewhat heartless maiden Of tn
past.
The interest she had manifested
on's-convalescence. and his C;