Mildred: An Autumn Romance.

he Avas such a sinner . The two young men smoked silentl y for a few minutes , ancl by that time the cab had arrived at the camp , and the officers strolled up to Marinaduke ' s room . Late though it was , of course there was another cigar and brandy and sodas for two ( aB . and S ., they would have said ) , and the pros and eons were discussed of Marinaduke ' s last escapade . It appeared that for the last tAvo or three months , a certain Miss Jarvis , a blonde

young lady of fast manners , loud voice , and a good deal in the pretty horse-breaker style , had made a dead set at Marmaduke , Avhoni she had met at the County Flower Show held in the spring at Ipswich , where the band of the Guards played , and Avhich several of the officers thought it their duty to patronise . She was the daughter of a rich laAvyer of indifferent reputation . A man AVIIO took up dirty cases , and made his fortune by it . A dangerous man to meddle Avith—great in divorce and such like cases ;

a perfect terror to evil-doers and to Avell-doers too , if they once got into his clutches through any little Aveakness on their part . One thing had led to another ; Marmaduke had seen Georgie Jarvis at a public ball . Georgie Avas smitten , though six or seven years his senior at least , ancl had determined to win him by fan- means or fold . Mr . Jarvis added to his other avocations that of money-lender , and Georgie had been before the bait which had tempted more than one young officer to his ruin . The

laAA'yer kept a good table ; invariably left his card on the officers of the mess whenever a neAV regiment came into quarters at Colchester , ancl before the neAV comers had found him out had generally managed to Aving some of the pigeons . Georgie presided at the dinner table Avith a grace AA'hich is better imagined than described . She Avas undeniabl y fast , but somehoAV no one coidd say anything directly against her character . It Avas shady , but IIOAV shady no one distinctly kueAV . But time was getting on , ancl Georgie , in spite of many attempts , was not yet married . Her name was just a little bloAvn upon , and no one in the toAvn AA'ould marry her , that Avas certain , yet no one could distinctly say that she had ever gone astray .

The fact is , she Avas not moral or reli gious , she Avas only Avide aAA'ake . She meant matrimony—UOAV that she Avas twenty-seA'en ( she admitted to tAventy-four ) , for the full fledged beauty was getting a little faded . Assisting at dinners Avhere she did not leave Avith the ladies , but preferred to stay to imbibe an extra glass and listen to the gentlemen's stories , AA'as not altogether good for the physical any more than the moral tone , and Avhdst the young ensigns and cornets spoke of Georgie as " a splendid Avoman , by Jove , " the more experienced avoided her as they Avould a plague . Ancl Marmaduke had been caught in her toils . Long had she angled for him , and UOAV the prize was at her feet .

As Marmaduke told the story to his friend , Mervyn Knollys , it appeared that a month ago he had been hrvited to a dinner party of young officers ( a neAV regiment had just come into camp ) at Mr . Jarvis ' s . Georgie had been particularly attentive to him , ancl he had taken , he admitted , a little more Avine than was good for him . The rest of the officers had gone , and she had encouraged him to remain—had told hhn she would let him through the garden gate down by the summer-house , and shoAv him a cross cut

to the Camp . They lived a little AA'ay out of the toAvn on the London Road . It was a lovely summer night , bright moonlight , ancl they Avent—he did not know who first suggested it—into the arbour . Georgie had given him a rose , and he had kissed her . Well , yes , he had kissed her several times . In fact , he did a good deal of spooning ; he supposed it Avas the Avine , or the loA'ely ni ght , or the Avoman—and she Avas a very handsome Avoman . But , hoAvever , he could not tell exactly how it happened

ancl Avhether it was a plot or not , but presently he saAV one of the maidservants coming down the path , Avhen Georgie , uttering a loud scream , fell into his arms and went into hysterics , and the servant , running up in a state of excitement , asked Avhat Avas the matter in a meaning Avay , ancl then clashed off into the house for a jug of water . Presently Georgie came round , and , in a reproachful way , told him he had better go " now he had done his worst , " in the presence of the servant . He did not know AA'hat to do , he Avas so struck all of a heap , he said , and , instead of seeing her into the house , he slunk off as if he had been convicted of some crime . Still , he could not make