Year: 1877

When the Flying Scud discharged
her cargo and passengers at the London
Dock, there landed among them gen
tleman who had been absent from Eng
land nine years. All the while he had
passed under the burning sun of India.
He had suffered as soldiers do. He had
fought as soldiers fight. HO had met
the soldiers fate of scars and wounds,
and one of them had invalided him
home to England.


1t was the first time he trOd her shores
for nine years, as we have said, and for
the first time in any year he was going
to see his son, the little boy born after
he left home, and whose birth had been
his mothers death.


Captain Penryn had only been mar
ried year when he was ordered abroad
with his regiment. Six months from
that day letter had reached him. tell
ing him his wife was dead. The letter
was written by an old nurse, the only
friend who had been with her. 1t ended
thus:


"The baby, as fine child as | ever
saw, is thriving. I've done my best for
it. Its mothers last wish was | should
keep it, and perhaps, sir, as some one
must, you'd as leave | as any other. |
shan't be unreasonable in my charges,
and Pm very fond of him already.


"With my duty to you in this dread
ful trouble, your servant,


ANN GOLDEN"


The poor broken-hearted man almost
sank under the awful news. He had
loved his wife passionately, and when
the baby was old enough to travel she
would have come to him in India bray
ing its terrible climate and the life of a
soldiers wife abroad, because they
could not live apart. Now he did not
want little baby on his hands, and
he wrote to Ann as soon as he could
command himself to do so, appointing
her his nurse.


Every quarter since that time he had
sent money to her for the child's board
and clothes. A receipt was always re-
turned with cher duty, and the young
gentleman was doing WE'LL" and this
was all he knew Of Ellen's boy-the
child of love that had been as strong
as it was tender.


Now that his foot was upon Eng
lands shores again, and the meeting
was very near, Captain Penryn felt new
thrills of father-love through his sol
dier's heart, and longed for his boys
presence.


"He would take him to himself he
said. "They would live together, shar-
ing each others joys and sorrows. He
would make a man of the bOy-not a
soldier, for he knew the trial of sol
dier's life too well; but something very
honorable and creditable. He should
be proud of him, and he hoped-ah,
how he hoped-that Ellen's child would
have Ellen's face"


"My beautiful girl," he said to him
self, with the tears standing in his eyes
chow little thought of this hour when
| kissed her gOod-byW


And then his heart grew even warmer
to the pledge of their mutual love.


lie had the address that Mrs. Golden
had given him in his pocket. lie
glanced at it now to refresh his MEM
ory as to the number. A plain respect
able street in one of London's suburbs;
he remembered it well.


"But my boy shall see better things,
now that am here" he said to HIM
self. 81 am not rich, but can deny
myself many things tomake him happy,
Will he love me, wonder?"


Then he thought how his own heart
had been won by toys and sweetmeats,
and coming to shop where the former
were sold, paused before the gay win
dow. and began to make Il mental
choice between red and gilt stage
coach and horses and train of bright
blue carriages. lie had discarded both
for a box of scarlet-coated soldiers,
when suddenly he felt tug at his coat
tail, and turning round, he
found grimy little hand in, half out,
of his pocket. He caught it at once,
with his handkerchief in it, and gripped
1t tight.


lie was a soldier, and to soldier the
keeping of law and rule is a great
thing. TO give the little thief to
policeman, and appear against him next
dov. was his first thought; but as the
creature stood there, shaking and whin-
inc the fact of his diminutiye size
struck the Captain forcibly. lie per-
ceiyed his youth, which was extremes
and he saw that, besides being young
aud small. and wan, and dirty, ana
,ocged. he was deformed. His queer
lit1ie shoulders were heaped up to his
oors and his hands were like talons, so
long and bony were they. the cap
tain held the wrist Of this mannlklh
firmly still, but not angrily'