Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-04-27
A WEDDING TOUR.
Continued from second Page.

40 "eneeO " AnUW IL mdOdm0 was the
lady whose husband had been left be.
hind and to offer hundred apologies
anC explanations. One of those fools at
Moutbard had proclaimed 20 minutes
pause when there were but 5. II he
had but heard he would have put il
right. but he was at the. other end of
the train. But madame must not be too
much distressed. A few hours would
put it all right.
Then there is another train?" said
JaDey. her poor little head buzzing be-
tween excitement and relief.
"Not for some hours, said the guard.
Madame will understand that there is
not more than one 'Rapide' in the mid
die OF the night, but in the morning
quite early there is the train omnibus.
Oh, very early, at O'Clock. Before
madame is ready for her dinner mon
sieur will be at her side"
mot till evening. them" said Janey,
with again o sudden acceleration of the
movement of her heart.
The guard was desolated. "Not before
evening. But if madame will remain
quietly in the. carriage when the train
arrives at the station will find the ON
nibus of the hotel for her. will see to
everything! Madame no doubt knows
which hotel to go top
Janey, as a matter of fact, did not
know. Her husband had told her none
Of the details of the journey, but she
said with q quick breath of excitement !:
Il will go to the one that is nearest,
the one at the care. There will be no
need for any omnibus
"And the baggage? Madame has her
ticket?''
II have nothing" cried Janey, eek
cept my travelling bag. You must ex-
plain that for me. But otherwise-oth-
erwise, I think can manage
Madame speaks French so WE'LL"
the man said. with admiration. It was
indeed piece of good fortune that she
had been made to acquire the language
in the country. and that she was not
frightened to find herself in foreign
place, surrounded by people speaking a
strange tongue. as many a young Eng
lish bride would have been. There was
moment Of tremendous excitement and
noise at the station while all was ex-
planned to a serious chef de care, and a
gesticulating band of porters and attend
ants, whose loud voices, as they all
spoke together, would have frightened
an ordinary English girl out of her wits
But Janey, in the strange excitement
which had taken possession of her, and
in her fortunate acquaintance with the
language, stood still as a little rock
amid the confusion. II will wait at the
hotel till my husband comes" she said,
taking out her travelling bag and her
wraps and maintaining a composure
worthy Of all admiration. Not q tear,
not an outcry. How astonishing are
these English! cried the little crowd,
with that swift classification which the
Frenchman loves.
Janey walked into the hotel with her
little belongings. not knowing whether
she was indeed walking upon her feet
or floating upon wings. She was quite
composed. But if any one could only
have seen the connection within that
youthful bosom! She locked the door of
the little delightful solitary room in
which she was placed. It was not de-
lightful at ALL. but to Janey it was q
haven OF peace, as sweet, as secluded
from everything alarming and terrible
as any bower. Not till evening could he
by any possibility arrive-the man who
had caused such revolution in her life.
She had some ten hours Of divine quiet
before her, Of blessed solitude, of
thought. She did not refuse to take the
little meal that was brought to her, the
breakfast of which she stood in need,
and she was glad to be able to battle
her face. to take of her dusty dress, and
put on the soft and fresh one, which
happily had folded into very small space,
and therefore could be put into her bag.
Her head still buzzed with the strange
ness of the position. yet began to settle
a little. When she had made all these
little arrangements. she sat down to
consider. Perhaps you will think there
was very little to consider, nothing but
how to wait till the next train brought
him, which, after all, was not a very
great thing to do. Appalling perhaps to j
u little inexperienced bride, but not to |
Janey, who had travelled alone SO often
and knew the language, and all that
But whoever had been able to look
into Janey's mind would have seen that
more was there, very, very
different thing from the question of how
best to await his coming back. Oh, if |
he had loved her, Janey would have put
up with many things! She would have
herself out of all her private |
She would have been 50
grateful to him, SO touched by the af- |
lection which nobody had ever bestowed |
upon her before! But he did not love
her. He cared nothing about herself, |
Janey. Did not even know her, or want |
to know her, or take into consideration |
her ways or her wishes. He was in love |
with her pretty face, her fresh little |
beauty, her power Of pleasing him. If
ever that power ceased, which it was
sure to do. sooner or later, she would be |
to him less than nothing. the dreary lit
tic wife whom everybody has seen at
tached to . careless man. Janey felt |
that this was what was in store for her. |
She felt a horror Of him and his kind |
Of loving. which had been such miser-
able revelation to her. She felt the re-
- Il ~