18 TALES OF PINK AND SILK. 



principle that " to him that hath shall be given," that young 

 divine was then presented with a wealthy living in the Weald 

 of Kent, where a curate performed the vicar's duties for a 

 remuneration similar to that which the Rev. Rupert had 

 enjoyed when he had bid for the fair Gertrude's affections. 

 This left the vicar and his wife (nee Montague, " one of the 

 Kent Montagues") to devote themselves to the many social 

 duties which took up so much of their time. Miss Gertrude's 

 thoughts occasionally turned towards the park-like grounds 

 and the new vicarage, which the Rev. Rupert had erected 

 for himself; and on those occasions she might have been 

 heard to sigh. 



Then there was young Pole-Newton, who, as a penniless 

 subaltern, had laid his young heart at Gertrude's feet (ladies' 

 fives in boots) ; but it was returned to him in a bleeding 

 condition. Fortunately, the wounds were not so deep as some 

 that the gallant officer soon received, and they soon healed 

 while in Burmah, where he turned for occupation and 

 perhaps for an early death, he only secured distinction for 

 sundry acts of daring and gallantry. The death of an elder 

 brother brought him a couple of thousand a year, and a not 

 particularly impoverished estate, so that a few years later he 

 was enabled to marry the Colonel's daughter and give up 

 soldiering. There were one or two others whose matrimonial 

 efforts were nipped in the bud, but none were mourned for in 

 after years as were the Rev. Rupert Doubleday and Major- 

 Pole-Newton. 



Miss Enid had had admirers too, but unfortunately they 

 seemed to cool off just when the supreme moment appeared 

 to be close at hand ; each one fancied — of course it was only 

 fancy — that as they became closer acquainted with the divine 

 Enid, they observed traits of selfishness in her character,^ and 

 certain weaknesses of temper that boded ill for the future. 

 And so we find them dining alone this October evening, the 



