The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1901-10-01
HIS DEAR
LITTLE GIRL
The Story of a Recreant Lover
Who Changed His Mind.

/ though there was no question of any for
NAL engagement between them, he had
assured her that their understanding was
as sacred a bond to him as any public
betrothal, and Of course she believed him,
for she was young and she loved him.
She was thinking of him as she walked
down the path to meet the postman. This
was her letter day, and Irish letters al
ways came by the midday mail to the
Devonshire village where she lived within
sight and sound Of the moaning sea.
1t was late in June, and the summer
wind tossed her pretty hair against the
cheeks, which were soft and flushed like
a peach. The postman was coming up
the HILL A smile crossed his weather
beaten face as he caught sight of the
waiting figure.
1.-TWO letters, missy, this morning." he
said, as he sorted them from his bundle.
'"That's all, miss"
Two letters!
She went out on the cliff side with
them. One was, of course, from Terence.
How we'll she knew his dear, untidy
writing! She smiled as she put it in her
pocket. That must be kept as a bonnie
bouche.
The other one was in quite strange
handwriting, and she tore it open, look
ing at its contents with bewilderment. A
blank sheet of paper inclosing small
newspaper cutting met her eyes. What
could it mean? The color faded from her
cheeks.
"We understand that an interesting en-
gagement will be announced before the
end of the summer, and we may safely
offer our good wishes to the beauty of the
year, Miss Sergeant, at the same time
congratulating the gallant fance on his
luck. Mr.. Dawnay is well known in
Dublin, where his regiment is at present
quartered."
The little bit Of paper fell to the
ground. OF course 1t was not true. 1t
could not be true. Some one was trying
to make mischief between them. That
was all. Why, he was hers-he had been
hers from the very first day that they
had met! The newspaper did not know
what it was talking about. She eyed the
envelope with disgust. Who had done
this thing? And who was Miss Sar-
geant2 Terence never mentioned her.
She pulled his letter out of her pocket
and opened it, reading it with a sudden
chill which quenched the happiness In her
pretty eyes.
My Dear Little Grill have hardly moment
for a letter, afraid this will be very short,
but there is SO much to be done here Just now,
what with polo and goodness knows what else
besides, that have enough to do to get every
thing done in the day. Pm going down to stay
Cork next week with people called
Sargeant-jolly house and end Of gayeties, Of
course. | wish there something had been scratch
ed oUt1 / could have managed to run over to you,
dear. but it is quite impossible. You see, there
and ,,,ok ho
within easy reach Of headquarters / don't know
that there is anything Of interest to tell you. !
have been thinking lately that it's bit rough on
you to be kept hanging for such inter-
minable time-not that I've altered, you know
that-but, you see, things are not looking very
bright for us, they2 It's awfully late. must
stop. Good night dear little girl. Ever yours,
TERENCE.
The sun was hidden by thick cloud,
the sea moaned on the rocks below, and
light wind rufled the waves. 1t looked
like a change in the weather But the
girl did not notice the signs Of change.
Her eyes were fixed unseeingly on the let
ter in her hand. She stopped and picked
up the little paper, which she had allow
ed to futter to the ground unheeded. No
need to read it again. 1t was imprinted
on her memory for all time. She wonder
Gu Will lucIc was lOL ASL " uOs 4huSA
it be Remuneration?
That was a question to be answered at
once, and before she turned her steps
homeward she had made her resolve.
"Our dance, Miss Sergeant"
The girl looked up.
SIS it? No; don't want to dance. Do
you mind if we sit it out?'
7 l.. 49, ~
look in his blue eyes which only amused
the beautiful Miss Sergeant. She had
seen that look so often that it made little
or no impression on her. Had she not
danced and firted through some dozen
seasons and received more than her share
of attention? OF course Terence was q
nice, dear boy, but as to anything else
she laughed at the mere idea. She was
striving for a higher destiny than that,
in spite of all the society papers and
their rumors.
Dawnay looked at her as she lay back
IN a low chair waving a great feather
fan to and fro. He believed in her thor
oughly. He believed that here was the |
lady of his dreams.
"Have you any more dances to spare |
me?" he pleaded. 81 know / was late, |
but that was not my fault"
mot one left" she said indifferently.
She talked to him in her low sweet |
voice, and he was quite content to sit In
the cool shadow and listen to her.
"And when do you go on leave% she
said lazily.
"That," he said steadily, entirely de-
ponds on circumstances"
Why had she never written to himi
Had she given him up without word
without even struggle?
The thought paralyzed him.
Truly he was to be sorely punished fol
his madness.
His eyes fell on revolver hanging
against the WALL but he turned away
with grim smile He was not the sort
20 run away from trouble when he found
himself face to face with it. He was no
coward at least.
Then, with an exclamation, he seized +
letter which was stuck up on the mantel-
shelf, possibly put there by his servant
on the previous evening.
1t was a letter from his dear little girl
after all! For minute or two he hardly
dared open 1t. Then he tore it open and
read its short contents with eager eyes.
Il should have written to you before
now, my dearest-fOr you are always that
only | have been very Ill and am only
now up on the sofa and can only write
you these few lines to say that l love
you, dear, love you so much that must
do what seems to me the only thing left
for me to do, and that is to give you
your freedom. l don't blame you, dear.
/ shall never think badly of you. AL
ways believe that l love you better than
anything on earth. sign myself for the
last time, Your Dear Little Girl"
Twice he read the little heartbroken
letter A knock at his door awoke him
from his miserable thoughts with a start.
Eight o'clock, sir" said his servants
voice.
Meaning the little girl you left in
she said, with a hooking
smile. "Oh, know all about her! Lord
Carruthers-you know him?-told me he
knew her people"
81 don't know what you mean," he said
hotly. There is but one woman In the
world for me, and she"-
He broke off. A couple were passing
their retreat, talking in light, laughing
tones.
"Rhoda Sargeant7 Oh, she will end by
Carruthers, of course. She is
only playing her usual little game with
that nice boy, Dawnay. She might spare
such youngster. That sort of woman
has no mercy
The voices trailed away into silence.
''You heard thatY said DawnaY In