CHAPTER XLVI
THE RIVALS
All the time that Dudley chose to persecute me with his odious society, I continued to walk at a brisk pace toward home, so that I had nearly reached the house when Milly met me, with a note which had arrived for me by the post, in her hand.
‘Here, Milly, are more verses. He is a very persevering poet, whoever he is.’ So I broke the seal; but this time it was prose. And the first words were ‘Captain Oakley!’
I confess to an odd sensation as these remarkable words met my eye. It might possibly be a proposal. I did not wait to speculate, however, but read these sentences traced in the identical handwriting which had copied the lines with which I had been twice favoured.
‘Captain Oakley presents his compliments to Miss Ruthyn, and trusts she will excuse his ventur
