Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1904-10-28
CHAPTER XVII (Continued.)

We had been discussing Mr.. Jeffrey
and Miss futile when suddenly and
with no apparent motive beyond the
natural love of gossip which was her
weakness, she launched out into re-
marks about the bride The ceremony
had been late. Did know 1t? A half
hour or three-quarters past the time set
for it. And Why? Because Miss Moore
was not ready. She had chosen to ar
early enough for the purpose, but she
would Tot accept any assistance, not
even that Of her maid, and Of course
she kept every one waiting. "Oh,
there was no more uneasy soul in the
whole party that morning than the
bride" Let other people remark upon
the high look in Cora Tuttle's face or
gossip about the anxious manner Of
the bridegroom, she (the speaker could
tell things about the bride which would
60 to show that she was not all right
even before that OminOus deaths head
reared itself into view ut her marriage
festival. Why, the fact that she came
0OW lAStLiAo uAu WuO AAuhhASu WAl0Ouk
her bridal bouquet was enough. Had
there not been SO much else to talk
about, people would have talked about
That. But the big event had SO effec-
tually swallowed up the little that only
herself and possibly two other ladies
she might name seemed to retain any
memory Of the matter.
What ladies?" asked.
''Oh, it doesn't matter what ladies.
Two Of the very best sort. I know
they noticed it, because heard them
talking about it. We were all stand
ing in the upper hall and were all
crowded into a passage leading to the
room where the bride was dressing.
It was before the alarm had gone
around Of what had been discovered in
the library. and We were all impatient
enough for the appearance of the
bride, who, we had been told, intended
to wear the old point in which her
great-grandmother was married. I
have a weakness for old point and !
was determined to stand where I could
see her come out, even If lost sight
Of the ceremony itself. But it would
have been tedious enough waiting in
that close hall II the ladies behind me
had not kept up. a conversation, which
I, of course, pretended not to hear. I
remember 1t, every word, for It was
my sole amusement for half an hour.
What was it? Oh, it was about that
same bouquet, which, by the way, I
had the privilege Of staring ut all the
time they chatted. For the boy who
brought 1t had not been admitted into
Miss MOore's room, and, not knowing
what else to do with 1t, was lingering
before her door, with the great stream
ers falling from his hands, and the
lilies making the whole place heavy
with sickening perfume. From what
l heard the ladies' say, he had been
standing there an hour, and the timid
knock he gave from time to time pro-
duced in me an odd feeling which
those ladies behind me seemed to share.
Its shame" heard one Of them
cry. Veronica Moore has no excuse
for such thoughtlessness. 1t is an
hour now that she has been shut up
in her room alone. She won't have
even her maid In She prefers to dress
alone, she says. Peculiar in a bride,
isn't it? But one thing is certain
she cannot put on her veil without
help. She will have to call some one
in for that At which the other volun-
teered that the Moores were all queer,
and that she didn't envy Francis JEFF
frey. What! not with fifty thousand
n year to tighten her odditiesT return
cd her companion with shrug which
communicated itself to me, so closely
We're we packed together. L have
son who could bear with them under
such circumstances Indeed she has,
and all Washington knows 1t, but the
remark passed without comment, for
they had not yet exhausted the main
event, and the person they now attack
cd was Miss futile. Why doesn't she
come and see that that bouquet is
taken in? I declare it's not decent.
Mr.. Jeffrey would not feel compli-
mented If he knew the fate OF those
magnificent lilies and roses. pre-
sumo he furnished the bouquet
Miss futile has looked out of her
room once 1 heard the other reply.
She is in splendid beauty today, but
pale. But she never could control We
ronica.' Hush. You speak louder than
you think This amused me. and do