The Irish standard., 1898-02-12

she were choking, rs though she must
haze air. Then she heard his voice,
decp-,onca. manly, tender, the very
tones her ears had been straining to
near few minutes before, and then,
sp.inging from her scat, her handker-
chief raised to and shrouding her face,
she too hurried to the rear door Of the
car and stood there clinging to the rail
for support. The man in gray, the de-
voted bridegroom, was Randolph Mer-
Ram.
And there at the rear door she how
cred until the clouds of clicking dust
drove her within. 1t was the mems end
OF the car, md fragrant cigar smoke
was drifting from the room in which
her husband and his cron.es were play
ing Whist. IL only the long car were
turned end for end. II only she could
get her l:"g and reach the womcn's toll
et-roum uroliserved. Let him, and his
and that girl-see her looking as she
was now mot for worlds! Get to that
toilrt-room and wash away the CRIME
and dust and ciudrrs, get out her alco-
hol lamp and curl that rehellions,
stringy trout" aud prinh and powder
and retouch these faded lnshcs and
brnws all this she must do before fac
ing him aud her. But how to get there
without bcing seen. She must pass
them 30 close as almost to touch his
shoulder. No! y furtive peep from
behind the brown rurtain into the dim
interior revealed the broad gray shoul-
= T.,
the scat. He was leaning over her,
looking down into her eyes, talking
earnestly TO her. There MAS no comfort
in the sight. 1t stung her TO instant
action. They were running swiftly
down grade now, following the wind
Jugs of the San Mateo. but she made
rush for her section. grabbed the hand
some silver mounted bag that lay just
within reach. and with bowed head and
bent form was Fastening on, when tho
forward trucks struck Il sharp curve,
the big car gave Il sudden lurch that
tumhlrd her into the section directly
In front of the hlissfnl couple, and
sprawlcd her ignomniously upon the
front seat. The occupant Of the other
was snnrin. commercial traveller. Her
bag dropped in the crash, fell to tho
floor. and burst open, ind before she
could recover herself or its contents,
the man in gray had sprung TO her mid,
had bundled an escaping scent flask
and other trillrs back into the rrccpta-
Gle. shut its silver lips with II snap,
and. lowing cour.cously. cndcavorcd
to restore it. Avcrt;ng her farr--cov-
~, :,l
she stru.r To risc and 90 her way, but
the car still swnycd and swung. lie put
forth n helping hand to lif. her to her
feet. but she did not see it, Scrambliny
out, still hiding her face. She seized
again her satrhcl. aud, never looking,
never speaking. hurried past him and
disappeared at the forward end of tho
car. leaving Merriam gazing blankly,
iiNctlly utter her.
Didn't She speak to you at nll?"
asked the bride, II moment later, ne
Merriam, with Il strange, dazcd look
on HIS face. returned to his seat by her
side. "l'm afraid slc's drcnhfuly hurt,
for her knee struck the scut-urm ever
SO hard"
And still Mcrrinm could not speak.
what is it. Randy :" she whispered,
after moments anxious study of his
face. "fou look so--unlikc yourself"
With IN effort he pulled himself to-
gctller. "Did you see her face. Floy,
denr? What was she lltr?"
"Why, she's II blonde With only got
n glimpse, Raluly-shc's Il blonde with
light hnir and blue eyes. She might
be pretty. Why. dcnr2" And the dear
came so timidly.
II Thought had seen her before,
but it's inpossiblc-n Go on and
tell me what Mrs. Grafton wrote YOU,
sweetheart. Never mind the cnI,sized
blonde just NOW"
But le himself could "mnd" no ono
else w,'rn, half m hour later, there
came tripping down the aisle from tho
ladies' toil"t-room II slender, graceful,
stylishIy -lraprd figure with such o
rndiantly-prrtiy girlwnmnn fncc--a
fair, sweet blonde, with lovely curling
hair, the brightest of big blue eyes, tho
ro%irSt of tiny mouths, with plimpscs
fsn"w-whitr tr"th as she slnilingly mp
preached and. with infinite grace, held
out II rrrttiIy gIovrl hand.
"'ro think that | should have been
here in time to tender my congratulate
TONS! Won't you present me to Mrs.
Morriam?"
And Randolph Merriam, for once in
his life, WA; utterly AT loss what to
say or do He rouI,l hardly speak. lEo
could hardly breathe. "lflny," lie final
~ said and his tone was ST strange and
cold this is Mrs. McIanr, of New
York, an acquaintance then
turned away MS Mrs. McI.anc cil,l$iycly,
drIirhtrdly bent over that she might
shake hands with the bride.
II was carly cvcnng--too early for
twilight. effects, yet the shadows wrro
falling thick ON Florence Mcrrinm's
wcddinEdny before the setting of tho
glowing sun.
CHAPTER ILL.,