The Colonel's Enemy.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3142, 20 March 1909, Page 2

The Colonel's Enemy.

gg |CHAPPIER XX.—Continued. Transparent as he generally was, lie managed to conceal his purpose till he bad gained the information he required, and he made a mental note of all the articles she praised, with the intention of sending everyone to her the next day. His affectionate ; generosity was sadly in need of an cutlet, and he chafed ac the restraint that was put upon him, "I wish she had a brother," ha said to himself. "I could have made a chum of him at once, given him a tempting little dinner, bought him a horse and a gun, stuffed "his pockets full of bank notes, and had a good time generally; but I hardly know what to do with har." He altered his opinion before their >walk ended, and then he would not have exchanged her for any brother. J3e found her intelligent, sympathetic and discerning; and he had confided to her the whole story of the colonel's disappearance by the time they reached the house, and she agreed with him that Dora must not know -what they suspected. Miss St. Hilary was glad when Lugard returned. She had superintended Mr Dacre's removal to the drawing room, and left him sleeping profoundely at last. Her own nerves were too far overstrung for her to follow his example, and in her state of wakeful anxiety, the major's arrival was a relief to her; but she looked at her maid in surprise when the girl told her that he had a lady with him. .

"I did not know he had any menus 3D London," she said. ' "What is the lady like, Lennox?" "I only caught a glimpse of her over the banisters, miss, and I should say she is young and rather nicelooking." To say that Maj. Lugard's companion was young and rather nicelooking was as far as the diplomatic Lennox cared to venture till her mistress had set the seal of her approval tipoh her visitor; and Dora did not hear this qualified description without a twinge of jealousy. The major -Was only her father's friend, she had no claim upon him, and yet she liked to think that she held the first, if not the only, place in his regard. But, her jealousy disappeared when she went down to the dining room; she saw there was nothing to be feared from the owner of that sweet and thoughtful countenance; even before Miss Walton was introduced to

her, Dora saw the resemblance; the Lugard face, with its straight, broad brows and steadfast eyes, was not to be mistaken; so she was not surprised when the major said: "This is my cousin Mary, Dora; I know you will rejoice with me that I nave found her." The deep pleasure in his • voice was not lost upon Miss St. Hilary, and she gave Mary her sweetest ■welcome for his sake. Before they had been 'together half an hour, the major's cousin had won as sweet a welcome for herself.

"And how strange it is that Maj. Lugard should have found you in the very house where Leonard lives," Dora said; "it is more strange still that Leonard has so rarely mentioned you to me.'' "There is nothing very strange in either," Misss Walton said; "the first is a mere coincidence, and similar instances happen every day; and for the other, Mr Leonard and I see very little of each other; when he comes d from husiness he is with his mother, for he is a most devoted son, and when he is not at home, I think I may guess that he is here." "Yes, he is here two or three evenings a week/ f Dora said, "perhaps more; but lam so used to him that he seems always here." ' Miss Walton gave her a reflective glance.in silence., This quiet matter-of-fact acceptance of Leonard's visits was an ominous sign to her; she would rather have seen the warm blood glow in the young girl's cheek at the mention of, ner lover's name, and she did not like that indifferent allusion to "two or three evenings a week, perhaps more"; and he was §ure that Leonard could have named the date of every evening w en duty to his mother or any other claim upon his attention kept him t away from Canon Street.

"There is something wrong here," Mies Walton thought. "I know how passionately fond he is of her,, and from what I have heard Mrs Dacre tay, she used to be so fond of him; but this of her's is not the love a man would expect. I am afraid on her part it was only a girlish fancy that has been displaced; but where and who,is the man?" Involuntarily her eyes wandered to the major, who was watching fehem both with grave and tender pleasure. Just as involuntarily Dora's eyes followed hers, and with the rapid preception of her sex, she saw what was passing in Mary's mind, and her beautiful face took the tint of a rasa. "How much better Dora looks already," the major said; "she has quite a colour, Mary; thanks to your visit. She is sadly in need of a nice companion, and I think you would suit each other very well." , "I am sure we shall," Dora said. "I like you very much already."

Miss Walton kissed her. The difference in their ages, her knowledge of the world, and the strength of her own character, made it easy for her to take this young girl to fcpr heart, as she would have taken a child; and she smiled with inward thankfulness at the major's blundering simplicity. It was so like a man to mistake the cause of that telltafe colour. He evidently had no suspicion of the truth as yet, and Mary was determined that he nevtr should have if she could help it. "I am glad you like me, darling," she said, "because, if present arrangements are carried out, we ; Jatall see a great deal of .each other.

By WINTHROP & H ARLAND. Author of "Lady Secret," "A Harvest of Shame/; „ The Elder Son> » « Lord ~'A.shton's Heir," Etc.

My mother and I are going to Ravenskerane; the major insists upon it; and you will be there when your father returns."

"That will be very soon," said Dora, brightly; "we are expecting a letter every moment, and when he is with me, I shall never leave him." "Until you are married, lou do not know what a cruel disappointment this delay has been already to poor Leonard. He is singularly unselrish, but he is sensitive, too, and he would not think himself well used if the wedding were postponed for any length of time." "I have not thought much about the wedding since I heard that my father was coming hom?," Dora said, with a troubled and thoughtful little frown; "and I would never leave him; Leonard would not wish mo to. It cannot matter whether we are married now, or in ten years' time, as we are engaged." "That is not a lover's view of it, vou pretty baby," Miss Walton said, with an indulgent smile. "His dream of luve includes marriage, and that includes his own wife at bis own fireside. Is it not so, Fred?" "Pray, don't appeal to me," said the major, rather hastily. "I know nothing whatever about such things, and if I must give an opinion, I think there is plenty of time."

CHAPTER XXI. .. THE VOICE H3ARD BY THE MAJOR'S MAN. The unexpected question had taken the major by surprise, or he would not have answered as he did; he remembered his promise to Leonard a moment later, that pledge of friendship in which the f younger man had such proud confidence, and the soldeir's conscience smote him. .' "I suppose a man's idea of marriage does include his own wife, and his own fireside," he said; "but it"strikes me there is an element in that view of the subject, which would not work well in the present instance. The colonel would not wish to postpone the wedding beyond a reasonable length of lime, but he would naturally want Dora to himself after such a long separation."

"Naturally," Miss Walton said. 'But Dora speakß of waiting for ten years." "A mere figure of speech, my dear Mary; the sort of things in. which ladies of her age are apt to indulge, without quite knowing what they mean. The colonel's only objection to an early marriage would be that it might take his child away from him. Now, if Leonard is a sensible fellow, and I think he is, he will bring Dora back to Ravenskerne after the usual tour, and settle down as one of the family. If instead of losing a daughter, St. Hilary gains a son, he will be more likely to consent to ths arrangement at once." ''Would you like the arrangement?" Mary asked.

[TO BE'CONTINUED.]