The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-07-12
THE ARBOR In THE GARDEN.
CHAPTER I.


when Mrs Liiburne returned from the
picnic and dsmounted NJ her own garden
gate from the three-horse brake which
had carried the party. she assured Mr..
Chesgall that she had had a most enjoy
able day. and she meant what she
said Mrs. t.ilburne was fond OF pie
MICS. and this had been very success
ful one. Miss Lilhurne. too. told Mr..
Chcssall that she had enjoyed herself
immensely. and then when he smiled
back at her. well pleased. she wondered
whether she had been perfectly candid
and truthful Instead Of going into the
house she sat down on ono OF the garden
seats TO think the matter over. In the
frat place. she was quite sure that she
ought 10 have enjoyed the picnic very
much indeed for she was engaged 20 Mr..
Chessall. and he had got up the whole
thing chiefly TO please her-he had told
her so-and had consulted her weeks be-
fore as 20 who should be invited and
about all the other arrangements Then
the weather had been perfect and nobody
had been lll-natured or gloomy,
sun. Miss Lilburne felt that the af-
fair had not been very lively. and she
was inclined 10 think that II was because
Y
scene Of their festiyity hnd been Kelving-
ton castle. "A famous old ruin. and MIR.
Chessall had discoursed on It's antiqi-
ties az great length, lie had talked a
great deal 81 English history and told
several anecdotes She had read them all
before; history and anecdotes alike were
I'm the Antiquities of South Devon"
and II WAS plain that Augustus tMr Ches-
aalD had got up the subject from that
NHYIff NnI 81 %
very slow he used such big words, and
she had noticed somebody yawing while
ne lablrcd ON. And I'm the midst OF his
eloquence she had been picturing the
future When they were married they
would still be living In knagford and
friends would come and stay with them
I'm the summer Knagford was such
pretty place and there was such good
flshing-and all these friends would be
taken 10 Remington castle and her hus-
band would discourse 10 them as he had
done today. and she would hear the same
stories over and over again. The pros
pect seemed a little depressing
AT the same time she felt that she
ought not 10 feel like that one may
detect faults In a husband; lover must
be perfect.
Miss Lllburne's reflections were inter
rupted by her mother. who came out
into the garden. holding card In her
hand
Adelaide" she said. do you remem-
Der the Christian name OF that Or VIII
son who used 10 live in Knagford?'
A light blush sprang 60 the girls cheek
as she replied.
~ think it was Ernest mamma; am
nearly sure of IT,"
Well" Mrs. I.iIburne continued, hand
ing the card TO her daughter, IA DR..
Ernest Wilson called while we were out
this afternoon; / suppose it's the same.
But it's five or six years since he went
out 20 Australia or somewhere there,
so I wonder what he can want at knag-
ford now?"
Adelaide did not reply for some time:
at last she said slowly:
II expect il is the same man, mamma.
But IL was BorneO he went to. not Aus
tralia And he has come To see George.
You know what friends they were"
Here Mrs. Lilburne's youngest daugh-
ter Maud. a tall, good-looing girl Of
eighteen. emerged from a sort OF rustic
arbor of trells-work and overhanging
Creepers.
All! you picknickers are back again."
she said abruptly. I'm very glad
didn't go; / had most interesting
novel-quite exciting And I've just
finished it. and everything turns out
beautifully"
Then her eye fell on the card which
Adelaide was still twirling between her
fingers.
II saw him." she exclaimed. Its the
tall doctor-you remember him, AIDE
laide who used TO go fishing with
George. Only he's got dreadfully brown.
] was In the arbor, you know, and
could see quite well, though he couldn't
see me. When he found you weren't
in he came away very slowly and he
stopped right in front Of the arbor, and
I was afraid he was coming in. But he
didn't"
This incident had quite changed the
current of Adelaide's thoughts. but they
were buster than ever in the new direc-
ton they had taken. AT the high tea,
which, in Difference TO the solid nature
OF Mr.. Chessalfs lunch, had replaced the
usual dinner, she was very absent
minded, and had 10 endure much
railery from her younger sister, who
supposed she was thinking tencerly OF
the absent Augustus. Later on. Mr..
Chessall came, and Adelaide and he
strolled about in the garden together,
while Mrs. Lilburne sat under the YER
anda and beamed on them benevolently.
This was the usual course Of procedure
in fine weather. Generally Mr.. Chessall.
when left alone with this betrothed,
hadn't very much TO say, but on this
occasion the picnic had given him some
material and put him in excellent vein.
He was able to make depreciatory. re-
marks on the dress Of more than one
young lady who had been present. and
he found this exercise Of his sarcastic
powers very agreeable. So Adelaide's
abstraction passed unnoticed, and the
evening went by very pleasantly, and he
was quite surprised when he found II
was time 10 go.
As he pressed Miss Lilburne's hand at
parting he murmured. six weeks and
five days"
The reference was to the wedding day.
Since that interesting date had been
fixed Mr. Chessall had never failed TO
remind Adelaide every time ne took
leave Of her at night, Of the exact num-
Der Of days which still interviewed. He
had an idea that this-or something like
this-was expected Of him.
CHAPTER II.
The next morning Mr.. Chessall called
at Mrs. Lilburne's before II o'clock.
She was not very pleased at being
called off from housekeeping cares. but
disguised her annoyance admirably.
Adelaide is out" she said. walking
with Miss Gray. She didn't expect you,
I'm sure"
Mr.. Chessall smiled complacently at
the mention Of Miss Gray. Adelaide's
friendship for Miss Gray amused him
nightly.
Il shouldn't have come so soon," he