The Lambertville record., 1906-10-24
=. At the !.
Eleventh Hour
BY BEATRICE STURGES

IN,arythiuU In tha rn,,o hatoLa anad
.,rfnsion a,a h,,.., ,,.,nor,tior far
so,,o .,.o,t of ,ons;aarn,1a i,,no,t.nc.
Milo of notas ipst enisho5 lav an tho
-. -,
~, -. ,.,,'i-..
""'' '''e ''''ei s''.i''ii'e opeii' i'''''e"'eu
Joui h'3 SeN er"i i'oeAs oeeupieu Tue
ped, pileS OF lingerie h'ied the chalrs,
various other feminine belongings were
scattered about and maid was hastily
transferring them to the open trunk
and the new hand bag which stood ON
n table \ow onI again sbe addressed
so,,,,, ,,,,,.,tf,,, =, H., r,r, vi, stuI sat
- - i'''''o
~ iit"i'S anu WIN l'V'''ulieu an,
TN put Ill OF leave out Whatever
you IKE Marie. II doesn't make DIT
Of differences, she exclaimed Mt last
lmpatiently.
Marie. wondering within. obeved but
nrescntlv she came forward with some.
thtna n.hiah .,o ho.coa ,,aaon,o,sol,o
-
ileA' II must ne see" II II ~ VIVA.
you call all rlSht, she protested ana
the glrl rose ana walked 10 the mirror.
She was wearing Il long. loose gown
of yellow silk, and her nut brown hair
WAS caught up loosely ON her head,
Marie stepped In front of her for
moment did little adjusting and pat
ting this way and that and then step
ped back with voluhle expressions OF
admiration.
Tie girl looked into the glass MS If
in dream, and then her heart throb-
bed painfully She had put off the full
realization Of what she WIS about 10
do and lived in vague hope that some
thing would happen TO stop 1t, but now
rs She looked in the mirror and saw
herself 1t last cnveloped in the white
mist of wedding veil the bitter truth
came homo The bridal symbol. so
sweet and lovely in itself, became sud
denly hateful 10 her, for in all Its
frailty il brought 10 her the stern reali-
zation that the next day mt noon In st.
Johns church she, Lucy Rutherford.
was 10 be married to man she did
not love.
How different, oil, how different 1t
might have been
She tore of the veil and threw her
self on the bed In passion of tears.
She never would do 1t. she told her
sell over and over; she never could do
1t, What did she care II Marie did
seef Inc whole world might see! 1t
could see tomorrow. and they all could
have their presents back-she didn't
care. 1t didn't make any difference
what her stepmother said or did or
threatened could marry him her
sell. But, Us Tor Lucy, she simply nat
ed Hugh G9tlng all at once, and she
never wanted 10 see nm again.
She sat ul presently and bathed her
eyes IN the water the discreet Marie
brought to her ana felt better Then
as the maid turned again TO her pack
ing Lucy thought miserably OF n GER
tain night SIX months ago when she
had quarreled so bitterly with Kalph
Anderson hhd he had lett her pres
ehce without one backward look anu
n very vicious siam ol the door. ON,
how foolish ana Trivial lovers quar-
rel seems wlol SIX months have gone
by Lucy kfeF that If she aud Ralph
once locke ITO each others eyes
again it must and would be all right
once more. But how was this to hap
penf In the heat ana suddenness OF
his wrath Ralph had rushed away TO
the vague and indeiinable wilds OF
Texas. and Lucy never knew whether
he received that little note she sent
him the morning after their quarrel.
She had said only: Dear Ralph-if
you are sorry, | am too. Lucy"
Anyhow he never replied, and may
he by this time he was already In
love with some horse riding girl in
Texas, while she WAS supposed to be
making her last joyful preparations
for marrying another man.
"Oh, we'll" she had said to herself.
"a girl has to do something"
She rose and went over to the desk
again, where from secret hiding
place she drew a Photographic snap
shot Of an athletic young man in ten
mis- flannels, with Il racket In his hand
and bright smile on his face. Her
eyes filled with tears as she kissed 1t
and murmured, "My sweetheart
shall always love you"
While her lips still pressed the pie
ture sharp ring startled her.
you answer II. Marie It's probably
the caterer or somebody asking about
tomorrow Tell them Mrs. Rutherford
is out and to call up In the morning"
Ihe surprised maid' knowing well
tiiat MIS-. ltuiheriord was ln' stepped
out mo the nan TO answer the tele-
Pnoue' III iIioiheht she returheu.
was Ior YOU madeihoiseile-a
eehtiehiah VINO lhS'S'ed-so nave
turn re sWiieh'
Lucy SAT uo"h again at the desK ana
TOOK up tie receiver.
10 ui'9 - Mss hutuelioIu'
Inc voice at tlie other emu Oh the
wire was S',"nseiy i"iniiiar' 1t mace