The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-06-04
A BUNDLE OF LETTERS
By ADEL1NE SERGEANT "The Idol Maker Etc
Copyright h Now
EL1NB SERGEANT, Author Of "rhe Idol Maker
{copyrght 1oos ~ central News ana rross Jxchanse

RtAMAHn1o eeNo1
Major wynyard Tenncll was we'll
known to DO brave man and had IN
fact, won the Victoria Cross "for valor;'
nevertheless, his heart sank within nm
and he felt a sensation OF absolute
fear, as he considered tho task which
he had been persuaded to undertake
ri can't think what was about" ne
muttered to himself, as ho sat perchea
on a low wall, at the foot OF an lInglisn
rectory garden, filled In this month OF
June with every variety OF bud anu
bloom especially Of roses. Tho scent , Or
them was waited to- Major Fenneii's
nostrils at every. breath OF the alternoo ,s
breeze. and recalled many memories OF
the past, when he had been first a school
boy, thon n young military cadet, then
n subnltern, nominated to an Indian
frontier regiment, ana saying fareweil4
to Celia Hartford, tho rector'sl daughter,
OF this very spot.
Celia had then been barely seventeen
and now sho was twenty. Fennell won-
dered wlstfully whether she was very
much changed by the three years that
had elapsed since his departure. In
those old days he had known her very
we'll, for her father and his father
had been friends, and he was FREQ to
visit at the rectory5 as often as he chose.
He and Celia had always been pals,
until BERTHE came upon tho scene. It
was he, Wynyard sFcnnoll, who had In
troduced BERTHE CharterIs to tho Har-
bords. and, therefore, he had no right
to complain II they treated the new
conner with the same friendllness which.
they extended towards himRlf; only Bcr-
tie, who was his Junior and of m Inn
passive, sanglino disposition, Ind gono
much further than Wynyard had donc.
He had not only made friends with
the rector and become Celin's friend
and conpanion-NYynyard himself had
done all this-but he had actually dared
to forget that celia was only n child,
and had made love to her in the most
open and hare-taced fashion. underneath
the very eyes Of the abscnt-mindcd rec.
tor, while FenneA demonstrate In
| vain.
What on earth does 1t matter 10
YOU" Bcrtie had said whether Celia
loves me or not? You weren't in love
with her were you? And as for her
being young, we'll, she will get older,
every day, No, r am not going to tell
the rector. Why should II Celia and
| i don't mean to be engaged; but we
understand each other. And we know
very we'll that we shall never change
so just let tho matter alone, there's
(
about love, and when you do, your views
will change" And he had gone off,
quite good humoredly whistling love
3ditty which Celia had sung to him the
night before, and casting Fennell's re-
monstrances to tho winds. He was a
handsome. bright-faced youngtser with
golden hair and laughing eyes; while
Wynyard knew himself to be somewhat
stern-looking and sombre, although by
nature one of the gentlest OF men
fennell made no further enquiries. He
went to India and Charters went with
MIN. And although they were in the
same regiment, they did not often aIludc
to Celia Harbord. Wynyard knew that
she wrote to BERTHE and he saw her,
photograph in a conspicuous position In
sRertie's quarters, for full six months
after the young man had left England;
but he never could ascertain precisely
whether he considered himself engaged
to Celia or not And sp three years had
passed away. and Fenfell had como back
TO England on leave, and was tho bearer
Of communication to Miss Harbord
which he felt some difficulty in making
Ask her to forgive me. and all that
won't You, old chap?" BERTHE had
groaned. remorsefully. TELL her how
difficult it is for q chap to keep out Of
flirtations, and how keen the girls
mothers are out here about getting them
married. There Is no doubt about It, I
was regularly hooked--not but what Julia
is gone OF the handsomest girls ] ever
knew, and L am awfully fond OF her
but I did not mean to throw little Celia
over, and II 1T had not been for that
champagne and Julia's mother coming
into the conservatory just at the wrong
moment, I should have steered clear OF
matrimony until I got back to England.
I 4 yyp a a mir rn1tr
with Sir Alexander II he had thought
that had kissed his daughter without
intending n proposal"
Sir Alexander, Julia's papa, happened
| to DO the general In command OF the
district In which Captain Carters's regl-'
| ment was stationed, and 1t would GER
| tainly$haye been very awkward thing
| to fall foul of him.
So Major Fennell came back to tho
| little Hampshire village, charged with
messages and with little packet con-
tanning, as he supposed, letters and other
mementoes of Bertcs Understanding"
with Celia. And he had promised to de-
| liver them to Celia in person. SO that he
might break the news to her gently, and
save, her from any shock.
| Because she was most nwfully fond
of me, you know" BERTHE had remarked.
And he absolutely refused to write to
|
girl Wynyard Fennell had consented to
do his although shelwll hate me
for It ever afterwards" he said bitterly
to himself. VIZ s5
q Being bent on so unpalat table an err
| rand, he did not announce his arrival to
| tho rector, but went to the village Inn.
and from thence dispatched note to
Celia. stating briefly that he had a mes
sage from Captain Charters for her ear
alone, and that lie would be glad II Che
could tell him at what hour he could
have few words with her.
"Why are you at the Inn and not at
| tho rectory?" Celia wrote. in response.
| IF you want to SEQ me alone. come
across the churchyard near the garden.
I shall be there between four and five
| o'clock, and you can come back to tea.
/ We have visitors In the house, so there
would not be much opportunity for ne
to have talk apart from the others, u
you came there first
1 This is why Major Fennell found hm--
/ fipey on tha Inv wall which divided