THE COLONEL'S ENEMY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3119, 19 February 1909, Page 2

THE COLONEL'S ENEMY.

BY WINTHROP B. HARLAND, Author of "Lady Elgin's Secret," "A Harvest of Shame," "The Elder Son," "Lord Ashton's Heir," Etc.

CHAPI'ER IV.—Continued. The lawyer had already given him the most important points of his family history, but he had plenty more to say after dinner, details that Lugard listened to with interest, and treasured up for future use. He heard enough to keep him awake, and he was glad when th? restless night came to an end. Such bnef intervals of sleep as he had, wert strangely disturbed by troubled dreams of Mrs Walton and her daughter, Col. St. Hilary, and Dora. He rose with a mental depression, wMch he tried in vain to shake off, till the lawyer's carriage was .brought round, and they were on their way to the local train for jßavenskerue.

That part of the journey was soon ;accomplished, and another carriage, an open one, was waiting for them at the station in the small town that took its name from the Lugard property. A splendid equipage this, with a pair of well-matched horses, and two well-trained servants in the Lugard livery. , / , The major returned the respectful salute with a kindly smile. He was always considerate to his inferiors, and he had made a reputation that the household retainers and the tennantry should not find their lot a hard one under his reign. They went through several miles of i country lans before the lodge gates were reached, and they had nearly a quarter of a mile of carriage drive before the house came into sight. It was a noble building, picturesque and massive, on the crest of the hill, and it could not have found a better setting than the wintry landscape that stretched away on every side. Few men eared less for the outward signs Hnd appendages of wealth than the major did, but a proud thrill went through him as he realised that this stately Enelish house was all his "How the de«r old colonel will'enjoy it!" he said, with a reflective smile. "Before I left India it was settled between us that we should live together. Thera shall be room and welcome, too, for his daughter's husband, as half St. Hilary's interest in life would be gone if he could not have Dora with him."

"They are not married yet?" ."Mot yet; they will be early in the new year, soon after the colonel comes home."

"In the profession," Mr Kessiver said, "we are being reminded of the old proverb which tells us that there is many a slip twixt the cup and the lip; and we, have yet to learn what the colonel will say to this intended marriage when he has viewed it in all its aspects; You gave me the whole story of the engagement last night, and I had it in my mind then what I am saying now. I will not say it was unfair, but it was unwise to let the engagement be made."

"I cannot agree with you," the major said; "there was nothing unfair about it. Mr Dacre left her a free agent for twelve months, filled his house with company, and let har go without restraint into the .best society, so that she might choose, for herself."

"And if Mr Dacre most earnestly desired, the marriage to take place, he could not have hit upon a better stroke of policy. Miss St. Hilary was bound to her young lover by everything that cjuld influence an innocent and grateful nature. She was an inmate of his uncle's house, she had, his constant companionship and tender devotion, and the twelve months given choice only, drew ihem together. If I were in the colonel's confidence I should advise him to delay the marriage for twelve months more. That time spent here at Ravenskerne, in the midst of our county society, might guide her to a very different choice." He took a side glance at his client, and saw a warm glow force its way through the bronze of the soldiers' face, in spite of the keen December air through which they wew driving. "I thought so," he said to % himself, with a smile of satisfaction at his own perception, "the major is in love with her. Just as it should be."

The carriage drew up at the door —wide open now —and Lugard saw the large hall thronged with servants of both sexes. Mr Kessiver introduced him, and the major shook hands with the housekepeer and the steward, a gray-haired couple who had served he family for over half a ■century. He turned to the others, .nearly thirty of them, with an encouraging smile.

"Mr Kessiver tells me iyou were •all in my uncle's service," he said, •"and I hope you will remain in mine,; it won't be my fault if you .don't."

He would rather have reviewed a regiment of soldiers than madf> that brief speech here; but few as the words were, the manner in which they were spoken warmed every heart towards him. He told Dora it was the most trying .ordeal he had ever undergone, when he wrote to her later in the day. He gave her full account of Ravenskerne when he had explored it and he promised to be in London for Christmas if he could; but there were legal matters to settle, the steward's accounts to j;o through, and the country gentry to receive; hard work, as he said, playfully, when he wrote again a few days afterwards, for the tide of hospitality had set in, and he found himself pledged to pay visits and keep open house for a month ahead at least. ■ "But," as the last words of ms letter ran, "nothing shall keep me from eoing to meet your father when *: e -hir> that brings him home is in We cannot tell what effect the vnvage may have upon Liu., tin-.: 1-e v.iil /••ant the car* of a

CHAPTEDR VI.

frier.d who knows him well. So let me know the name of the vessel, as soon as you hear it from him, and I shall be anxiously on the lookout for Mr Dacre's telegram."

THE COLONEL HEARS NEWS OP HIS ENEMY. The new year came, and with it the day on which Dora's wedding should have taken place; but the ceremony so fervently desired by Leonard seemed likely to he postponed indefinitely for the colonel. Though he wrote regularly every week, he had not yet made his final prepartaions for leaving the burning skies under which he had served his country so long and faithfully; but the welcome information came at last.

It was near the end of January when Dora received the preaous epistle which told her that her father had taken passage on the Dido that would leave Bombay within a fortnight. "1 will put up at tne Corn wal lis Hotel, and wait for the major and Mr Dacre, as you suggest," he wrote. "I dare saj I shall be glad of a few hours' rest after the voyage, for I have not been quite so well since Lugard left me. He always took a great deal <of work off my shoulders, but 1 never noticed how much he really did till he was gone. "And I am glad, my 'darling, that, like a good little girl, you have been dissuaded from coming to meet me. It ds muoh better for you to remain at home and wait for me. I kno'v what an English winter i?, thought it is many years since I saw one; and a journey from London to Liverpool in such weather would be as dangerous as crossing the Atlantic. The major and Mr Dacre will take every of me, and you will tell your guardian that 1 am .looking forward to our -meeting with more than ordinary pleasure. Leonard's letters pleased me very much. He is such a kind, thoughtful and considerate fellow that I am sure he will not mind if I am to keep my little girl to myself when I come home. And tell the major ana Mr Dacre that I will wire a few words as soon as the Dido .is in the Mersey, then wait at the Cornwallis till they come to me."

Miss St. Hilary allowed her lover to read every word of that communication. She was not always so generous with her father's correspondence, as young Dacre took care to reimnd her on this occasion.

"It is all very well for the colonel to sweeten the medicine lor me," he said; "but I do not see why our .marriage should be delayed agai because I am thoughtful and considerate. By the way, Dora, you generally show me your father's letters, but you took particular care not to let any of us see the one the major brought. Dora changed colour silghtly and touched his shoulder with a soft, caressive hand. [to be continued.]