Lost And Saved ; Or Nellie Powers The Missionary's Daughter.

LOST AND SAVED ; OR NELLIE POWERS THE MISSIONARY'S DAUGHTER .

BY C . H . LOOM IS . CHAP . IV . NOW that the " Sparkling Sea'" is far out on the Atlantic Ocean , we will go back and relate a few incidents that occurred some years before the opening of our story ,

and which will serve to throw light on some of the characters that are closely connected with our narrative in the future . Charles Graham and Henry Powers were cousins and fast friends . They entered the West Point Academy at the same time , ancl graduated within a class of each other . Not particularly desiring a military career they resigned their commissions and entered into business life . The war with the Indians on the frontier of Mexico again awakened their military spirits , and they were each assigned a captaincy in the volunteers , and ordered to the seat of war .

While their regiment was encamped on the borders of Texas , they became intimately acquainted with the family of Colonel LeGrand DeForest . The Colonel was an old soldier , ancl his title was his old regular army title . He delighted in honoring his residence with military personages . The Colonel had a beautiful daughter , and Captain Powers and Captain Graham , who were among the frequent visitors at the house , being handsome young men , and she of a coquettish nature , received more than their share of

her attention . Being susceptible to the wiles of beauty , they both , before many weeks , found themselves in love with fair Gertrude , and laid their hearts and happiness at her feet . Henry Powers being the most genial and unassuming of the two cousins , made the most impression on Gertrude ' s affections , and before the regiment left for the front she was his betrothed bride . From that time forward an enmity sprang up between the cousins , which broke out in an open rupture at a social gathering of the officers of the

regiment , where wine flowed freely , and cards was the exciting game . Captain Graham accused his brother officer of unfair play , and from words they came to blows , and the result was a challenge . The party met and fought—Captain Graham received a wound which shattered his arm , and subsequently necessitated amputation . The wounded duelist was from a proiad Southern family and of a revengeful spirit . He now hated his successful rival with all the auimosity of his nature , and took an oath of eternal vengeance against his once fast : friend , ancl the woman who had rejected his love .

After the war Captain Powers married , settled in a pleasant village in Missouri , and became financially interested in the Overland Stage and Express Co . Everything he touched seemed to turn into money . The tilde of immigration setting further westward and a chance for speculation opening near Santa Fe , in New Mexico , Mr . Powers moved his family thence , and took up his residence on a beautiful piece of land on the outskirts of the city . Shortly after midnight , about a year afber Henry Powers had settled in his new 1

place , a band of marauders visited his estate , ancl setting fire to his home attempted to abduct his wife and child . Henry Powers , jfrom the door of his house , fired into the hand , killing the leader ; whereupon the rest fled . On removing the disguises of the dead man he was found to be Charles Graham , his old friend and later enemy . It was afterwards learned that after the war had ended , Charles Graham had married and settled in Texas , where he soon gave ' himself up to all manner of vice and intemperance , aud finally moving to New Mexico had become the leader of a band of