The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-06-04


sho began. '"But father will never for
give you for going to the inn In the
| village II / wcro you, should care
fully conceal the fact, and pretend that
you had arrived this afternoon, and
were coming straight to the rectory"
II did not know whether 1t would be
| convenient" said Fennoll, little stitily.
He did not fcel at home with this new
| Celia, who was O. woman now, and Tar
moro fascinating than sho had been as
n child. and who yet spoke to him In
| her old frlendly-almosb child-llke-
tones.
"Aro you going to stand on cerc-
mony7" she said, with q little laugh.
why, tho rcctory used to DO your
second home. But I forgot; you are a
| grand person now. Let mo congratu-
late you." Then, with sudden change
OF color, which took him by surprise. she
Ito gesture. ''oh, Wynn" she said. at
was superb"
| 'what--was superb" murmured Fen
nell, with q rather guilty look; for this
was not the reception that ho had bar
gained for.
Don't you suppose know all about
| it?" said Celia. Dad was flwfully proud
of your being n friend OF ours About
| your going back under fire, to fetch a
|
read all about 1t in the papers? And
we got some private accounts, too, and
we were aFfully delighted. Have you
been to Windsor yet? You must show
mo the cross rs soon ms ever you can.
We are all proud OF you, and you must
! get accustomed to our saying soa for
you look as stiff and grave as IL I had
offended you. You don't mind really, do
you, Wynyard 2,
| T I. +,
.Wynyard pressed them with q new feel
ing Of warmth in his heart, although.
| for the moment, he was almost spcech-
less
u didn't know you cared" he mur-
INJURED. 5
''Wcl, you ought to have known
said Celia, Indignantly. Didn't. Berthe
i give you all the messages I sent?' 5s
7 remembered he said something-he
was down with the fever at tho time.
80 perhaps he forgot
what wicked boy he is! shall
tell him 80 when write And what is
this special message that ] am to hear.
/ It ds just like him to make mystery
i OF the thing. instead OF saying openly
what he means. don't suppose there
IS any message that could not have
been given Just as we'll In the drawing
room. :" said Celia. with what Wynyard
81 think (r,ot." he answered.. quite
4 without tho responsive smilo for which
she had looked. II would rather speak
to you alone.'' ,i'35
What Is it?", she asked, trlfle ap-
prehensively yet with some resentment
1 in her tone. BERTHE was always SO fond
OF his little secrets she added tolerant
lY q a,ope <there p nothing really
He was very well when I last saw
him, said the Major. feeling that he
spoke rather woodenly; ..but he was
not quite easy in his mind. The fact is,
he is very young for his age, and you
must let that DO his excuse II he has
j seemed precip!tate: or-or-fIckle. He
thought you might like, perhaps. to have
these things again. and Major Fen
nell pushed forward a brown paper pack
ct, and looked anywhere but at Celia's
face--"he said you would understand"
IT don't understand in tho least" said
Celia. q5
She touched tho packet with tho tips
OF! her fingers and wrinklcd her pretty
brows. us there something for me-,
i then, in this packet?'' she said, in q
/. puzzled voice. rs TIA present7'
She began to pull at string and paper
as II to open it; but Major Fennell In
terfered.
lstt2'DOn w nc SAID. Ion u open IL just
now! Walt till I have told youth Il
begs you to forgive him"
Suddenly he broke off. Celia flashed
q look at him which he did not under
stand: a look of sheer amazement and
4 anger Then, without word, she tore
i the paper open. and, with crimsonlng
4 cheek, saw before her several letters in
her own handwriting, q couple Of photo
1 graphs, n silver cigarette case and an
! deliberately embroidered tobacco pouch;
which things she recognized at once.
''What-on earth-does BERTHE mean by
sending mo these, jthings?" sile said,
\ slowly
j gr"He thought 1t better to return them"
said Wynyard. with outward composure
and inward anguish; and ho begs that
i you will burn his letters. II you have any,
because"
"I see. TIc Is going to get married."
i The exclamation rang out as clear as
la pistol shot Major Fennell gasped q
little, but did not Immediately reply. He
i|had never admired Celia more than at
! that moment. So this was the way she
was going to take the news OF Bertie's
| detection: with q brave heart and an
j undaunted countenance. or course, he
4 was quite sure that her heart was bleed
ing all the time and he had rather eX-
i p0ctcd her 10 turn white ana Ial! ~ q
/ heap to the ground. But when he looked
i Mt her. he found that her color was q
| little higher than usual. and. after q
moments pause she broke into a laugh
F"Good graciousl So he thinks it neccs-
sary to send back my letters and these
4 u.Ings! Why, Dad gave him the cigarette
i case; not /. What made him behave IN
\ such an idiotlc way, Wyn? Is he sending
back all the notes and trifling presents
he has ever had from his acquaintance
| just because he Is engaged
"Ony yours, think" said Wynynrd
i gravely-'M ethinls the lady doth protest
too much.' was In his mind-"l suppose
he thinks that you would prefer to have
!, your letters in your own possession.
would you like to read tho lettersY'
said Celia, IN sudden scorn. There ls
4 nothing in them that all the world might
not see. lie is engaged, you say 70
whom?''
rI,s T,,,t, Mo n. n a