Year: 1876

also, to impress on Mr.. Harper
mind the conviction that she was
really attached to me, md he ceased
therefore, to trouble himself about
Captain Cox. He liked me, and he
encouraged me, on purpose that the
odious captain might be thrown into
the shade. Such was the state q
affairs at the outset of Julia's tlirta
ton with me. But Rachel assured
me that I really had made an impress.
sion on the young lady's heart
though she had not by any means
given up the gallant captain.


l asked Rachel how this could be
--how it was possible that any heart
could bear two impressions at the
same time. She said she supposed
some Impressions were not as dccp
and iuefacenble as others. At ali
events, she believed that to Miss
Harper it was matter of no very
vital concern whether she mar
ried Captain Cox or Mr.. Bloxham ;
but that she was determined to have
one or the other: The fact is, the girl
was playing double game, and de-
ceiving both of us. All this was very
clear to me from Rachors story,
But she told me it was her own belief
that Julia would determine on taking
me, after all -thit for the very OK
cellent reason that Captain Cox was
engaged elsewhere. At least, that
was the story in the town since his
return to the barracks.


Poor Rachel shed great many
tears while she was telling me oil
this. She said that, having betrayed
her mistress, she could not think of
remaining With her. She was decid-
ed on this point. With warm express
sions of gratitude, 1 took her little
hand in mine, and said that would
be her friend-that she had done me
an inestimable service-that I was
glad to be undeceived-that the
little incident of deception in the
slippers had shaken my belief in Miss
Harper's truth, that altogether my
opinions had changed, and that I
knew thore were worthier objects Of
mya ffection. Then T spoke of her own
position--said that of course hor
determination was right--but that
she would confer n very great favor
on me if she would do nothing until
she saw me again. This she readily
promised =; and it was agreed that on
the following day, which was Sunday,
she should call on me during after
noon service. I pressed hor hand
warmly when L wished her good
bye.


She came ut the appointed hour,
looking prettier and more lady-like
than ever. She was EXTREMITY well
dressed. I shook hands with her
and asked her to scat herself upon
the couch beside me and then
asked her, luughingly: "What
news of Captain Cox 2" She said
there was not the least doubt that
Captain Cox was engaged to be
married to a lady in London; and
that Miss Harper, on the preco ling
evening, not before, had been made
acquainted with the f,lct. I then
asked Rachel what the young lady
had said on receiving back her letter
to the captain and learned that she
had been greatly excited by tho dis
covery, and had been very eager to
ascertain how much of the letter I
had read. When Rachel told her
that had read only the words: 81
am so delighted, my dear Captain
Cox, she somewhat recovered her
spirits, but this morning she had
pleaded illness rs an excuse
for not coming down to
break fast, and had not since left her
room.


There was at this time lying I'm
opened on my table note from Miss
Harper, which had been brought by
her father, IN hour before. l asked
Rachel to give it to me, saying :
"Now, lot us see, Rachel, whether
any new light is thrown upon the
subject" I think her hand tremb!oi
whom she gave it to me. I opened
and read l.:


my DEAR Mr.. BLoxHAM: Very
many thanks to you for your prompt
tude in returning the note, which,
stupid little bungler that am
("Not 80 worry little, is she, Rachel ?"
I paused to remark) II sent you by
mistake--I am very glad that had
not sent the other to Capt. Cox--for
although it docs not much matter if
ones letters to ones acquaintance
fall into tho hands of ones friends,
it is not at all pleasant if ones
letters to ones friends fall
into the hands Of ones nc
qaintance. I wrote to Capt. Cox
only to tell him how delighted I was
to hear of his engagomcnt~-for he is
going to be married to q Miss Fitz
Smythe--a very hdy-like girl who
was spending some time here with
tho Maurices, and was really quite q
friend Of my own"


had not patience to read any
more. l knew it to be all lio. So
I tossed the letter into the middle of
the room, ond said "Wc have had
enough of that" I was incff.bly