An Autumn Manoeuvre.

Thames Star, Volume XIII, Issue 4356, 16 December 1882, Page 1

An Autumn Manoeuvre.

Young Dunsmuir was considerably startled at receiving a letter from pretty Mrs Hambleton, which opened his eyes to the awkward fact that the lady considered his attentions as quite serions. For some time past he had been growing uneasy at Mrs Hambleton's highly flattering demeanour towards him. When he renewed acquaintance with the woman who had jilted him many years before, he had bo thought of drifting into a dangerous flirtation. The truth was that the seven years which had elapsed since they had parted had completely cured Frank Dunsmuir of his boyish infatuation. Upon his return to England with his regiment, he had almost forgotten Eglantine Maine, or could hardly realise that the stockbroker's wife, whom he had accidentally met at a garden party, was the divinity whose fickleness had cast a gloom over his youthful ex» istence. Yet Mrs Hambleton still retained

her beauty, though she. had lost the fresh* ness of girlhood, and young Dunsmuir could not resist paying her the attentions she assiduously courted. But he perceived Bhe was a foolish, frivolous woman, weak and impulsive, greedy of admiratiou, and not over-burdened with intelligence. Mrs Hambleton seemed bent upon regaining her ascendancy brer her old lover. It may be that his face and figure inspired her with general admiration. She certainly used all her powers of fascination to keep him by her side, and Dunsmuir yielded, partly from fatal good nature and partly from gratified vanity. But his regard for Mrs Hambleton was of a veiy lukewarm character, and consequently he was not oblivious of the dictates of prudence and propriety. When the jealous husband scowled at him he felt honestly ashamed of himself, and Mrs HambletonV foolish} letter —written evidently after a domestic scene—only hastened a resolve which he had long ago formed in his mind to put an end to this equivocal Btate of affairs. Dansmuir.therefore, consigned the letter to the flames, and told his man to pack up his things immediately. His first impulse was to write to Mrs Hambleton and form* ally break off their acquaintance. From such an extreme coarse, however, his feelings not unnaturally revolted, while prudence suggested that it would be unwise to commit himself by sending a sentimental farewell. Upon the whole, he thought it best to take bis departure without attempt* ing to offer any explanation, and leave the lady to draw her own conclusions. At the last moment, however, a brother officer looked in at his rooms, and mentioned incidentally that he was going to call upon Mrs Hambleton.

" By-the-bye, I wish you would leave a a card for me, old fellow, and tell Mrs Hambleton I've gone fishing in North Wales," said Dunsmuir. " Very well, 1' replied his friend; and Dunsmuir started off on his expedition without thinking any more of the matter. He took up his quarters at a quiet inn in the neighborhood of Snowdon, and devoted himself to the pursuit of his favorite pastime. Frank Dunsmuir was an enthusiastic fisherman, and thought nothing of sacrificing his night's rest to the prospect of sport. He would camp out in a primitive fashion, regardless of heavy dews or fall* ing rain, in order to be ready, rod in band, at the scene of action when the first streak of dawn appeared on the horizon. It was after one of these occasions, when his zeal had been rewarded.by a highly satisfactory take of fish, that he was met on his return to the inn about nine o'clock in the morning by the landlady, whose face bore an ominous expression. " If you please, sir, a lady have arrived," said the buxom hostess. " A lady! Did she ask for me, Mrs Roberta ?" exclaimed Dunsmuir, in amazement. " Yes, sir. She came by the night mail from London, and arrived quite early this morniDg. But she won't take bite nor sup nor rest till she have, seen you,"i said

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