Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1902-03-13
m ys~~~0 Vu~gnaS
NoRAzs lest
From
Darkness
To Light
BY MARY CECIL HAY


must be long and wcarisOmc ordeal,
from which Wills mother had most kind
~ released her.
81 shall be- very glad of tea" she said,
when she and the quiet goycrncss, with
the tired eyes, were left together again.
81 am very hungry; are you, Miss Ar
cherY
"Ony rather replied Helen Archer,
with a smile for the friendly, bright
faced girl who was so fresh after her long
journey, and so unsubdued in this subJu-
eating households II have not had jour
ney as you have had"
IL hope you live here always" said
| Nora, in her pretty, coaXinE voice.
mo-" Miss Archer answered; II come
! every morning and 90 away at ! o'clock.
| never before stayed even so late as
| this. Tonight the footman Is to see me
home at TO-
us it far2" questioned Nora, looking
earnestly into the worn face, and asking
| the question In no spirit of curiosity.
| May | 90 home with you some day and
| see your dogs2"
Up to the roots Of the hair, already
sprinkled with gray, the slow, panied
| color mounted in the face to which no
loving, ilnttering words had ever maze
the blush familiar. But Nora, in her in
nate modesty, understood no cause for
| this. She had not proposed seeing father,
mother, brother or sister, for her own
delicate feeling had grasped at once the
possibility of there being lonely home
like her own; but OF course Miss Archer
had dogs and cats, and perhaps hens and
chickens, and-ah, even perhaps tall,
h., 4. I. H..
why had she colored and looked SO sad
at the mention of her home?
IL ought not to have asked that" con
fessed Nora, humbly, until ! had tried
to make you take me as a friend"
presently" said Helen, laying her
hand on the girls shoulder, you will see
how little you will be tempted 10 make
me friend, however may wish to call
you so. My-my home is u good way off,
Miss st. George, through many ugly,
noisy streets; and have no dogs, no cat
even, and there is no one but myself"
Then" observed Nora, speaking very
earnestly-"I can only beg that some day
you will let me come when you know me
better, for | am very lonely, too, and |
have had lonely home"
Some day! echoed Helen-and smiled
then, for she could never guess what that
coming was to mean.
Miss Archer" cried gay voice at the
door, as it was opened a little way AMI
head was popped in, "how do you like
your new pupil? Is not she beauti--
Nora, never dreamed of seeing you here!
They'll thought they told me you
were resting"
WIllnnThhU Enatnn 10,
now, shaking both Nora's hands at once,
and looking into her face with the most
eager delight and unfeigned admiration.
- am SO glad to see you, so rejoiced to
welcome you in my mothers house.
cannot tell you what a joyful day this
seems to me. All the way from Guild
ford the train seemed crawling like n
snail. Poynz said it was delightful, and
went to sleep; but was aggravated to
madness, knowing you would come before
| was here to welcome you. Nora, you
have grown more beautiful even since
we parted Il week ago"
And older" Nora supplemented,
standing back against the heavy, colorless
curtain, with the easy grace which be-
longed to her. "Do you and Mr.. Poynz
! live tOsetherW
No; but Poynz is often down ut Hea-
! ton, and he was coming up to-day. Where
are the girls"
"Who are the girls?" inquired Nora.
! with laugh in her eyes.
Sisters, Of course. They were not
surely lie paused, and turned to
Miss Archer
The Misses Foster are Mt home" she
announced, in that manner of quiet apa-
my which grows on solitary natures, as
the moss grows on solitary graves.
What are their names, Mr.. Foster?"
asked Nora, still with the smile. in her
eyes; Il understood that one was little
girl who would learn with me; and now |
cannot tell them apart"
They are awfuly alike" assented
Will, in his cordial way, "only Gena is
calmer and cleyerer-Genevieve her name
is, but we call her Gena. Indeed, | call
her Jenny sometimes, but she objects to
that elegant abbreyiatiOn. The other
your fellow-pupil, dcar-is Victoria. |
suppose the second bell will ring in n min
ute or two. | must dress like lightning
Once more, Nora, dear it is delightful to
see YOU here. Good-by now for Ave min
utes."
| AhA' AooNCl NlluhSt observed Miss
Archer, after he was gone, that YOU will
dine with them, and he will be disop.
pointed And then she looked into the
girls face, with a power of scrutiny
which grows natural to a skilfuI teacher.
and, almost as easily as she had read
Nora's simple Inconsistencies of any.
thing beyond the old childish friendship.
What change would it make in the beau.
tiful, girlish face when it should be
known at last?
But these thoughts, OF which Nora was
so unconscious. We're not allowed to lin
ger on this evening, for Nora chatted
pleasantly to the governess, now quantity,
now with unexpected thoughtfulness, vet
always with charm which made Helen
Archer wonder much.
Have you really finished tea, Miss st.
Georgef You were so hungry, you said. +"
II have really finished. What are we
to do nowT"
I'VE must so to the drawing room"
Nora followed Miss Archer up the
staircase, and into a large high room
with tiny white chairs and couches sprin
| Killed. over 81 nnln ppnan arnaf ill., ,,,,,.L