Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1906-12-01
- At the r.
Eleventh Hour
ny BEATRICE sTURGES

some cVc,it of considerable Importance
\ pile OF mites Just finished lay on the
dcsk: two ,r.i'il.s. one already strapped
and the older standing open Indicated
a Journey: So cral frocks occupied the
bed. piles of lInecrie filed the chairs,
various Other feminine belongings were
scattered about and maid was hastily
transferring them to the open trunk
and the new hand hag which stood on
table. Now and again she addressed
some quest N to the girl who still sat
Mt tie desk ana who answered In mono
syllallcS ana with n preoccupied air.
"Oh. put In or leave out whatever
you Ike. Marie Il doesn't make biz
OF difference she exclaimed ut last
impatlently
Marie. wondering within. oheyed. but
presently She came forward with some
thing which she begged mademoiselle
10 try OF.
Truly. II must be seen II II Is what
you call III right" she protested. ano
the girl rose and walked 10 the mirror
She was wearing long. loose gown
OF yellow SILK. and her nut brown hair
was caught W loosely Oh her head
Marie stepped ~ front of her for q
moment. did little adjusting and pat
ting this way and that. and then step
ped back with voluhle expressions OF
admiration
The .lrl looked Into the glass as II
In drc.it, and then her heart throb
bed painfully She had put or the full
realization Of what she was about &c
do ana lived IN vague hope that some
thing woula happen to stop II. but now
as she looked In the mirror and saw
herself at last enveloped In the white
mist Of wedding veil the bitter truth
came home The bridal symbol sc
sweet and lovely In Itself. became sud
denly hateful to her. for In all It's
frallty II brought to her the stern reali
cation that the next day ut noon In ST
Johns church she. Lucy Rutherford
was n he married to Il man she did
not love.
How different. OH how different II
might have been
She tore OF the veil and threw her.
self Oh the bed in passion OF tears.
She never would do II. she told her
self over and over: she never could dc
Il. What did she care Il Marie did
see: The whole world might see. II
could see tomorrow. and they all could
have their presents hack-she didn't
care. II diJn't make any difference
what her stcpnother said or did OF
threatened she could marry him her
self But, as tor Lucy. she simply hat
cd Hugh t;orng all at once. ana she
never wanted to see him again
She sat up presently and bathed her
eyes In the water the discreet Marie
brought y her and felt better Then
;.s the maid turned again TO her pack
ing Lucy thought miserahly of Ger
tain night six months ago when she
had quarreied SO bitterly with Ralph
Anderson aId he had left her pres
ence with ut one backward look and
a very vicious siam OF the door. oh.
how foolish and trivial a lovers quar-
by, Lucy knew that If she aud Ralph
once looked into each others eyes
again II must ana would be all right
once more Eut how was this 10 hap
pen? Ia the heat ami suddenness OF
his wrath k"lpl had rushed away 10
the vague and indeiiaable wlds OF
Texas and Lucy never knew whether
o..
him the morning after their quarrel.
She had said only Dear Ralph-If
you are sorry. nm too Lucy.
Anyhow he never replied. ana may.
he by this time he was already In
love with some horse riding girl In
Texas. while She was supposed to be
making he last joyful preparations
for margins another man.
"Oh. we'll she had said 20 herself.
"a girl has - do something
She rose and Went over to the desk
again. where from secret hiding
place she drew n Photographic snap
shot of an athletic 9oung man In ten
mis- tlannels, with a rac..et In his hand
and bright smile Oh his face. Her
eyes filled with tears rs she kissed II
and murmurcd. My sweetheart.
shall always love you"
While her lips still pressed the pie
ture "A sharp ring startled her
You answer il. Marie. It's probably
the caterer or somebody asking abom
tomorrow TEL them Mrs. Rutherford
Is out and u call ~ III the morning.
The surpr "a maid. knowing wei
that Mrs Rutherford was In. steppcl
out into TIE ban to answer the tele
phone In moment she returned
1T was for YOU. 7dcmoiselle--a
gentleman Who Insisted 80 have
turn ~ switch
Lucy sat down again ut the desk and
took up the receiver.
"Yes. this IS Miss Rutherford"
The voice Il the other ena of the
wire was strangely familiar. II made
her cheeks brrn. ley he:r, tlrob and
her eyes shlue She almost dropped
the receiver
"why. Ralph" .he exclaimed.
Agnin thp voice s'tpl;e rtpifiv