Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1895-09-13
THE COLONEL'S WIFE.

/ - 1890 r. y - " 49, -A&-A~ ~ -
The rupture was all about a two acre
field. Colonel Fairholme, J. P, wanted
it to fill out dent in his ring fence,
and Sir George Warburton stepped in
and bought it over his head.
"And you can consider your engage
ment at an end, sir, :" the colonel wrath,
fully informed his nephew and heir.
"No daughter Of that sneak's shall be
mistress of Broadwater.
Then Evelyn and Dick held a council
Of war on neutral stile.
"I've had similar INSTRUCTIONS said
the girl. "They're very much ipcensed
at present, but it won't last. Within six
| weeks somebody will be giving recon
ciliation dinner party. I know the dear
| old things SO well. %
But before the month was out Colonel
During the first few weeks after his
arrival in Melbourne he communicated
regularly either with his maiden sister
Or with Dick. Then there was a gap for
a couple of mails, and Dick was getting
uneasy and meditatipg cable of in
quiry when the anxiously expected let.
ter arrived.
MY DEAR BoY-I have piece of news for
you which, dare say, will surprise you very
much. After being confirmed bachelor for
nearly 60 years have found my better half at
last. I made her acquaintance at the table
| d'hote here and we we're married last Monday.
The lady is great deal younger than my
self, and may say, without boasting, az
charming in disposition as she is in appear
ance. You cannot fail to like her, and am
| sure you will both be the best of friends.
We are leaving in fortnight by the Qrmuz,
so you will know when to expect us.
HORACE FAIRHoL.ME.
P. S.-Please break the news gently as you
| can to your aunt. H. +.
A few days after the letter came a
brief note for Dick:
''Just few lines to catch the mail.
There is a tiresome delay in the final
arrangements, and find that I cannot
leave as soon as I hoped, as the berths
are already booked for Ormuz. Adele
will come on alone with her maid.
Meet her at Southampton. I shall fol
low by next orient boat: "
Dick wondered little at the arrange
ment, but did not fail to meet his I'M
cle's wife when the time arrived. She
was tall woman of % Or 80, undeni-
ably handsome and DESTROYS of winning
the good graces Of her husband S nephew.
Nevertheless Dick did not take a
fancy to her. In fact, she rather repealed
him. However, she quite won Miss
Fairholme S simple soul by compliment
ing her upon her housekeeping and re-
fusing to interfere with such admirable
management, also she professed great
interest in the estate.
81 am so fond of the country" she
! told them. "and your English scenery
is SO picturesque and homelike. I prom
Use myself q ramble every morning be-
fore breakfast. -
But one day Dick saw something
which gave him the curious notion that,
after all, it was not the beauties of ma
ture that attracted her. He saw Mrs
| Fairholme walking briskly down the
road outside to meet the postman-
there was only one delivery in that part
| Of the worldwide was about to leave
the Broadwater letters at ths lodge.
| She stopped the man, and he gave her
an envelope, which she opened and read
| Oh the spot.
"Hum u he reflected. $50 Mrs. Fair
holme is SO anxious about her CORE
spondence that she takes the trouble to
go out and meet it at half past a. N. "
That afternoon he was at the village
postoffice, and the postmaster, who was
also the grocer, happened to be serving
| himself
81 saw letter for you with the Mel
bourne postmark Oh it this morning,
SIR" he said, with the license of an old
tenant, II hope the colonel's well?''
William confirmed the statement en-
| phatically, and Furthermore volunteered
| the information that the new mistress
| Of Broadwater had met him on the
highway. near the lodge gates, and re-
quested him to hand the letter over to
| her.
"Thanks,'' said Dick lightly. "Of
course Mrs. Fairholme has forgotten to
| give it to me. I'll ask her about it. -
Conscious Of her duplicity, Dick could
scarcely force himself to be civil to her.
But she appeared not to notice his mo-
roseness, and in the evening after din
tler she rose from the piano suddenly,
as though Oh impulse.
"By the way she said, ''have you
NE key of the strongroom, Dick? I
meant to ask you before and forgot. I
should SO much like to see the family
| jewels. Your uncle told me that he has
some wonderful rubies which he
brought from India. Bring them down,
there's dear boyp'
The "dear boy obeyed without the
best grace in the world, and Mrs. Fair
holme admired the jewels and played
with them all like child with new
toy. But the rubies seemed especially
to captiyate her fancy.
"They are magnifcentp' she said,
and her eyes were almost as bright with
excitement as the gems themselves. 81
never saw anything like them. And
the diamonds are fine too. But those
old fashioned settings are horrible. I
shall have them all reset at once. Do
you know the address of good jew
eler?"
"Linklater of Bond street is one of
the best, believe. But, if you will
excuse me saying SO, don't you think
the matter will keep till the colonel's
return? I'm not sure that he would
care to have them altered. z"
"Oh, he won't object if it is my
wish, F" she said sweetly. II am going
into the town early tomorrow. I shall
wire myself to Linklater's to send one
Of their people to fetch them. :"
He quietly ran up to London in the
morning and paid visit to Mr.. Link
later, to whom he explained the cir
cumstances and then requested that the
stones should not be unset until they
heard from the colonel himself.
"But, my dear sir" the jeweler
said, 81 know nothing of these jewels.
No such telegram as you mention has
been received by u.s. -
The September afternoon was waning
when he got back to Broadwater, and
Mrs. Fairholme, superb in a velvet din
ner gown, swept across the hall to greet
him.
"You tiresome fellow" she said play
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