The morning news., 1889-03-17
CHAPTER XVI.
AUpLEY's LETTER.

CHAPTER XVI.
AUDLEY's LETTER.
The next morning Kenard was lettering
idly about the garden, when soldier
passed him, carrying the generals letter
bag. As the man sal lIted him, Kenard
turned and followed him to the hall door,
feeling, however. only a very lanquid in
terest in the probable contents of the bag.
The general was very particular about
his letters, and always unlocked the bag
himself 1t was, therefore, carried at once
ilto the library, where he was sitting, and
Kenard went there also.
''Here is letter for you, my boy" said
the general, handing him one from amongst
his own correspondence; and Kenard saw,
as he glanced at the envelope, that it was
directed in Audley's handwri ing.
He opened it with Indifference, but
scarcely had he read the FIRST lines when an
exclamation burst from his lips, which
caused his father to look hHstily up at him,
and to the generals aStonishment he had
grown suddenly very pale.
Anything the matter, Kenard" asked
the general.
But Kenard made no reply; he had stag
gered back little, as if the mental shock
he had received had reacted on his body :;
but as his father spoke he pIlled himself
together, as it were, and without a word
walked steadily enough from the room.
The general looked after him somewhat
uneasily.
"Whatever can be the matter with the
lad@ be thought. Something about tha'
girl, l suppose" he presently concluded
a d once more turned hio attention to his
own letters, rejecting as he did So on the fol-
lies young men commit for the sake of that
strange absorbing passion, which to. him
was now as a forgotten dream
In the meantime, Kenard had gone hastily
up to his own bedroom, carrying Audley's
letter with him, feeling that 1t was impossi-
ble for him to believe in the evidence Of his
own senses. For this letter. which had
struck him blow so sharp, 80 keen, was
fr m Audley, to announce his engagement
to Ruth Forth. The man had written it
with hard relish, for he was in truth bitterly
Jealous of Seaforth, and his last intervie W
with Ruth had naturally tended to increase
this feeling.
Therefore, he was pleased to inf1ict this
wound on the warm-hearted, generous
young soldier who had been preferred be-
fore him. Audley was man many WON IN
had cared for aud loved, and he thought
himself very go1d-looking, which he un-
doubtedly was. He could not understand,
therefore, Ruth's great unwillingness to
marry him, and there was a curious mix
ture of pique and anger mixed with his
liking Other girls had wanted to marry
him often enough, but Ruth's GOODNESS to
him had only made him more determined to
win her. And now he had won her Sea
forth little guessed how, and his hour Of tri-
umph had come. So he had lost no time in
proclaiming this to bis rival, and with a
strange nuinbles at his heart, in which
greater anger, scorn and con empt were
mingled with bitter disappointment and
pain, Seaforth read and reread the follow
ing words:
DEAR SEAFoRTH-Pve got a bit of
news for you, and so write a few lines to
tell you that after all am going to make
the fatal plunge, and put the moose of
matrimony round my neck. l have pro-
posed for and been accepted by, Miss Ruth
Forth, and the old boy has given US his
parental blessing, and we are to be married
in fortnight! There, hope you think we
have lost no timer But / see no good in
waiting, and Miss Forth is of the same
mind. Will you come to the weddingl The
Forths, think, had an idea of both sisters
being ma ried on the same day, but
thought this was rather too much of good
thing, and so arranged that my execution
takes place first, Col Kenyon followi 2
suit in another fortnight Beaton goes home
tomorrow with his mother, and | think Is
pulling himself together again. | trust the
general and Mrs. Seaforth are very well,
and remain, yours faithfully,
"R AUDLEY."
"P.S.-If you want further leave time let
me know in time"
It seemed impossible to mistake these
words Unless Audley were mad ne never
could have writ en- them il they were not
true. Yet as the young man gaZed att EN-
with his dazed eyes, wild hope sudde ly
rushed luto his heart that it might, after
all, be practical joke of Au iley's; for it
could not. could not be that Ruth-his dear
sweet Ruth ould promise 20 marry one
whom she always sesmed literally to dis
like. To marry in a fortnight No, Ken
ard would not believe 1t. He started off,
therefore, to the nearest telegraph Office and
sent telegram to Ruth Forth, as he felt he
could not bear the agony Sf waiting for a
letter.
He telegraphed:
as Audley's news true or falsei Please
telegraph back at once"
And be waited at the postoffice until the
answer came-only three words-"It is
true" aud as Kenard read them, hope
seemed to die
He sat down and looked so pale that a
clerk in the postofiice asked him if he we're
ill, and brought HIM a glass Of water,
which Kenard eagerly drank. A sharp
phvsical pain had darted into his heart,
viii h was throbbilg violently, and for
few minutes he felt quite overcome. Then
a great wave Of bitterness swept over him,
mingled with inte lse agony at his loss. He
rose numb and cold. and after thanking the
clerk in strangely changed voice, he
walked out Of the postoffice and went into
the open air.
He sh vered as he did so, as il a chill had
struck hi u. 1t was bright day, and he
made haste TO get out Of the streeOs Of the
little town from which he had sent his tele-
gram 10 Ruth, and soon found himself in
the open country, the green lanes Of which
were decked in summer Raro. But every
ling seemed black in the young mans
heart, and he hazel his life as he went
along, and cursed the hour that he had been
born.
For 1t is terrible thing, 8 cruel, bitter
thing, 10 lose faith in one whom we have
truly loved. / makes all tbs world seem
false and valueless. and turns the sweetness
of our days to gall, and fills our lips with