Mildred: An Autumn Romance.

the first by any means , so perhaps he did not think so much about it as he might hav e done . Mildred had been ailing , no one knew why , and her aunts could not guess ; how should they ? So they went off with her to Hastings , to try change of ah , and then to the North of England to visit some friends , and then into Wales ; and the letter never reached Mildred till late in the autumn .

How did it find her then , ancl what did she think of the writer ? Some women's thoughts are difficult to fathom , and Mildred did not wear her heart upon her sleeve for daws to peck at . What the good people of St . Benet ' s thought may be easily guessed at from a conversation which took place between our friends Dr . May and Mr . Grice , the butcher .

The worthy doctor , who was always fond of a bit of gossip , and who used often to stroll over the way to talk politics with Grice , who was suspected of Radical views , but who hitherto had voted straight for'the Tories , was talking of the chances of the forthcoming election , it having been stated most positively that the General was going to accept the Chiltern Hundreds , and the name of Marmaduke was consequently brought to the front .

" And what ' s to become of the Captain ? " Grice had asked ( he had promoted the young officer , as is common amongst people of his class , out of compliment , I imagine ) . " I suppose we shan't hear anything of him now , and Mr . Dalrymple will walk in . " Mr . Dalrymple was the Whig candidate . " I can't say it ' s a bad job , I fear . " " You are right there , Doctor . I expect it ' s true what they say , ancl the gallant ' Captain has gone to the devil !" Grice was rather given to plain speaking .

CHAPTER AH . " A WEAEY LOT IS THINE , ' EAIR MAID . " LATE in the autumn of that year , as I have said , Mildred received Marmaduke ' s letter . It was a very long one , too long to quote here , and it was couched in affectionate , even loving terms . There was somethinghoweverunsatisfactory about itThe

, , . . writer accused himself of being about to do something which would probably separate them for life , but he entreated her to remember that whatever happened , come weal , come woe , she alone of all the world was the woman he loved best . Of course this letter made Mildred very unhappy , and the reports which got abroad concerning her lover , for such in her heart of hearts she knew him to be , perplexed and troubled her , though she resolutely refused to believe anjdhing against

him . Ancl so the weary time wore on . Two years ancl more had passed away , and not a word had been heard from Marmaduke , either by General Mathew or Mildred . The two years had age d the General more than he cared to own , ancl he found his heart softening towards his son , in spite of everything . When , therefore , he heard ( a brief note from a brother officer ,

written at the instance of Marmaduke who thought he was dying , had been received ) , that his son was very ill with yellow fever ancl not expected to recover , he at once wrote off entreating him to come home . Death had been busy in the 85 th ; several of the officers , Marmaduke ' s seniors , had succumbed to the fatal disease which infests our colonies in the AYest Indies , and the young officer who had turned over a new leaf and become a model of propriety , had . got his company , and was now Captain and Adjutant of his regiment . . So much the General had heard from the Colonel , who was an old friend of his , and he was disposed to receive his son with cordiality .