The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-07-12
CHAPTER "

Two days after her friendly counsel
and advice 10 DR. Wilson. Miss Gray left
| Knagford and was away about n month.
When she got back her first visit was
20 Mrs. Lilburnes She had n good deal
To talk about. for she had been TO town
and visited the academy. and noticed the
toilets at a great garden party. and Mrs.
Lilburne was curious on many points.
and for an hour or two after lunch was
over the conversation continued. Then
Miss Gray escaped with her friend to
the seclusion Of the garden arbor. They
sat for a little while in silence, and then
Adelaide said suddenly:
Laura, l wish 1 could tell you how
miserable 1 am"
Miss Gray's glance expressed her SYM
pathy.
Has anything happened?" she asked
doubtfully
Nothing" Adelaide rerlied; "but he
| is still in Knagford"
HAS he spoken to you again?" Miss
] Gray demanded.
No" Adelaide replied; "he has not
had the opportunity. l have avoided
| him all l could. I've stopped at home
/ till people are beginning 10 wonder what
the matter can be. He goes everywhere,
and / am sure he means TO see me again
and to speak to me again. or he wouldn't
stop here. And / am so terribly fright
ened. so afraid of what he will say and
/ do-and the wedding so close now, and
! Augustus always talking about the
| honeymoon trip. / do think / am the
unhappiest girl in all England, just
| when"
Adelaide could get no further; tears
| interviewed. and sobs which she could
| with difficulty repress.
+
Miss Gray said, when her friend had
| grown calmer: you mustn't give way
| to it; you mustn't really. There is moth
ing to be frightened about. DR.. Wilson
may feel a little hurt, but then, you
| know, whenever "a girl marries, there's
| generally some man a bit doleful over
] It, But men are seldom as unhappy as
| they think they are, and, besides, you
know in these days people don't make
| scenes. 1t isn't good form"
81 shall be dEeadfully afraid" Adelaide
| said slowly, right up to the wedding,
| If DIR. Wilson stops in Knagford."
"Then we must get him to go away"
Miss Gray replied decisively.
Adelaide buried her face in her
hands When she looked up again her
cheeks We're crimson.
Laura" she said, "I wasn't quite
frank and truthful with you the other
day | wanted to be, but somehow
| couldn't"
she stopped Tor rev SECONDS, ana
| then went on hurriedly:
II did love him in those days. And
| we were engaged. He used to kiss me
! sometimes. And when l gave him the
| roses l gave him a lock of hair too.
| And there were more things i said
| If he were to remind me of them 1 know
/ / shouldn't be able TO bear IL. And yet
yeti don't want him to go away with
out my seeing him"
Miss Gray looked at her friend in
| silence. She was hurt by the previous
want of confidence, and now she real
lied the full Importance of Adelaide's
! confession.
The wedding dress came in this morn
ing from Plymouth" the other said
suddenly. but they sha'n't induce me
| to try il on"
Adelaide" Miss Gray replied
solemnly, "all this is very serious You
ought TO have told me all this before.
! But / really think that you ought to
| marry Mr.. Chessall, feeling as you do.
And yet now the wedding is so near"
You must find some excuse for put
| ting il off, Laura" the other cried
vehemently; you must indeed"
Miss Gray was very thoughtful as she
walked home.
Poor Adelaider'she sighed, "she has
had a great deal to go through in these
| last days But things will come off all
right, l expect There will be an explo-
sion, and then the great Augustus Ches-
sail will go on his tour by himself. If he
hadn't been so dreadfully tedious, things
might have turned out differently"
| Meantime Adelaide was still sitting in
/ arbor. thinking of many things. How
| will 1t all end2' was the question which
| circled round and round in her mind.
| BY and by her imagination began to
| paint the ending she scarcely wished for.
| Only within the last few days had she
| admitted to herself what her heart
| really prompted; now that she had
spoken to her friend, her ideas became
more definite, and she could surrender
| herself TO visions OF a future in which
| Augustus Chessell had no part.
She was aroused from her reverie by
voices in the garden. She recognized
/ sisters lively staccato. and then, with
/ an inward tremor, DR.. Wilson's deeper
tones. Soon they came nearer, and Ade-
| laide could tell what they were saying.
| you'll be back for the wedding"
| Maud said; Il shall be dreadfully disap-
| pointed If you are not"
| DIR. Wilson laughed.
| You want me 80 see you as brides
maid" ne said. "What vanity But I'll
| be back before then. l don't think
/ could stop away from you If tried
"And IT is only a month since you dis