Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-08-24
CHAPTER XXvII.

~ 1UCKLEY hardly knew where he ER went, but soon found himself lD agaan near the executive man l sion. The merriment was at its height. Afraid of meeting some one who would recognize him, he walked on rapidly. He wanted to be in motion. It was the only thing. that seemed to deaden the agony in his breast. One moment he would clinch his hands and stifie groan of pain as he thought of Lydia's social triumph and her nearness to the man he de spised and yet dreaded, and he would pause and look up at the sky as if trying to read there a reason for his misery. He was again passing the DunIeigh house and was about to re trace his steps to his hotel when he heard the sound of an approaching car riage. He believed 1t to be the Dun- leighs' and darted into the grounds and back to his former hiding place. He was right.
 The approaching vehicle turned in at the gate and was rapidly curvtng to- ward the veranda when George noticed that one of the rear wheels was com ing off. His heart was In bis mouth, He wanted to give the driver warning, but it was too late. The wheel was off The carriage lurched to one side. There was chorus of muff1ed screams from within, and, to make matters worse, the horses took fright and be- gan to (rear and plunge. With no thought as to the tncongruity of his presence there at such moment Buckley dnrted from his place of con- cealment and ran to the aid of the la dies, who were loudly calling for help and trying to break the heavy plate glass windows. Buckley followed the jolting carriage along the drive and finally succeeded in jerking the door open just as the coachma8 drew his horses to stand in the light at the steps. George helped the ladies out.
 "Why, it's MT. Buckleyr' exclaimed Mrs. Cranston, in grateful astonish- ment It was a most awkward mo- ment. Buckley could only bow, his hat Cosby gave him a knowing look as she extended her gloyed hand.
 Tt was good of you" she said.
 Mrs. Dunleigh seemed so much ex- cited over what had happened that she took no notice of Buckley nor seemed to remark on the oddity of his sudden appearance at such an opportune mo- ment. The coachman unhitched the horses from the carriage and led them away leaving George in the center of the cluster of ladies. Kitty Cosby in troduced him to Mrs. Dunleigh, but that lady simply bowed and continued her nervous eXclamat1onS of horror at the catastrophe. 'I thought we were being hurled into eternity'- ...
 Tn our reception gowns, laughed Kit ty, who was calmness itself. "Pshaw! Mrs. Dunleigh, knew the old thing would simply drag and bump along till Harrison stopped the horses, but do believe you and Mrs. Cranston would have crushed the life out of Lydia and myself'
 ''Well, I'm glad it was no worse" de- clared Mrs. Dunleigh. Come on in. You'll all catch your deaths out here in those thin dresses"
 Lydia and George ascended the steps last, and she paused with him a mo- ment alone on the veranda. She had not spoken.
 'T have simply no explanation to make" he said, eying her contritely.
 Explanation" she said. 'Why should there be one?'
 "As soon as their excitement is over," he reminded her, they will wonder how I happened to be up here in the grounds at this time of night"
 "OhY' She raised her eyes to his in a startled expression.
 But you may know" he went on- ''you may know that 1t was simply be- cause was dying to catch glimpse of you. I was half crazed with desper- ation over 1t all all this affair in your honor given by that man the rumor over the whole state that you are to be-