The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1906-12-27
HALLIDAY'S
BRIDE
~ Louie MsrrDisid
l...., rI..la inu N, N N ls,nnin.An.


o'nennell hailed the bus at Twenty
tlsth street II would take him to the
ioor of the bank mud give him time %
lead the letter over again.
, He did not know how long he had
stood on the corner her letter crushed
! ia one hand. his eyes staring nj the
passing vehicles aud people, The let,
ter had been delayed. She had mailed
L over two walks before In Brittany,
aud less than week age he had read
of her marriage to Halliday merely 4
brief four or i've lines IN the cable dis
patches concerning noted Americans
abroad But she had written him that
ietter week before the marriage.
The bus stopped In front OF him to
let a passenger allght, Half upcon
sclously he accepted the invitation Of
Its open swinging door and slipped In.
to the corner seat ns Il swung ON
lelsurely up the avenue. There were
three other occupants OF the bus. all
women. He did not look at them Just
at that particular moment he did not
feel kindly toward the sex
Smoothing out the double sheet Of
pale gray note paper, he reread tho let.
ter from Penelope Graham.
You dear old boy, aren't you ashamed
to be 10 selhsh1 We sail on the Goth. Is
not that early enough1 You have be-
grudgod me every day Of this last chance
OF mine TO take a fling at the world Ms n
lone old maid In every letter you beg
me TO take the next boat back. And
really. Jack, ! know II will make you
feel worse, but we are having a splendid
timel Uncle Rex and the girls met us
In Paris and will 40 up TO Holland with
Aunt Nan as soon as Bess and ] start
for home. II has been a glorious trip,
and when ! think that next year II will
be you and | drifting together through
all these dear little old world corners
seeing the things we both love, why, do
you know, ! have even kept a notebook
that will serve as our guide, 30 as not
to miss one single place or picture that
| | want you to see Next year Jackl
Won't we be old married people then,
though! Uncle Rex says l don't act a
bit like young person about TO be mar
rled In three weeks, but It doesn't seem
like a coming shock at all-just part Of
the drifting and glorious happiness OF
life these days.
Bess and are TO sail on the 2Oth VIII
you meet us? | know you Will. OF course.
but ! can hardly wait to catch the first
glimpse OF you Oh. dear boy. sometimes
| am half afraid OF my own Joy and the
perfect peace OF II! Love IL tempestuous,
Bess says, and uncertain and full OF
wavers and quavers and troubles and
bubbles, and ! am only happy. But Bess
has never been IN love, 80 she cannot
know. Three weeks Mamma thinks
white ohrysanthemum will make the
prettiest decoration for the chapel and
ferns instead OF palms
O'Donnell read no further. Some
thing blinded his sight; something
seemed TO grip his throat and choke
him. She had written that letter to
him and then married Halliday q
week later.
The bus halted and one OF the women
stepped by him. He held the door open
mechanically. She was old and dress.
ed In a white embroidered Elton suit,
with fine white mesh veil, spotted
dalntlly IN black, drawn over her
wrinkles TO O'Donnell she looked
like the incarnation Of feminine lncon.
slstency.
Halliday. Stephen Halliday! Pen
had mentioned him in her steamer let. |
ter when they had crossed In June,
merely mentioned that he was on |
board also and that her uncle was glad |
to see him. He must be about thirty |
seven, a mighty decent sort Of fel- |
low, OF course, but not for Pen, his |
Pen, with her sensitive ways and dear,
precious, unspoiled illusions and ideals
of life In general and men In particu.
lar
Yesterday had been the Goth, when
he was to have met her. He had seen
by the papers that the Sirius was in,
and among the list Of passengers were
Mr. and Mrs. stephen Halliday. They
must have caught the first boat out Of
ODonnell opened the door second
time to let another woman out nt For.
ty y-second street He did not notice
what she was like. His head whirled
lizzlly, as though he were on the end
Of long rope clrcling through space
II was foolish to lose his grip just he
cause girl had thrown him over
diotlc. He would get through with
the bank and take run out Of town
10 freshen up, to forget
Al the next corner the last woman
,llghted. She wore white chiffon
yell and appeared to be In hurry.
D'Donnell sighed In relief 10 know he
was alone and looked about him. And
hen he started, every nerve tense aud
aut, for on the floor Of the bus, al
most at his feet lay the little gold
mesh coin purse that he had given
before she left for Europe.
Before he had lifted II In his hand
le was positive, even before he saw
Ter Initials on the top band, II had
urlous little ring on the chain 10 slip |
yer the finger, dull gold circle set In
iamOnds. For moment he held the
urse stupidity, staring at II with hun
ry, eager eyes. II was hers; sbo had
eld II In her hand moment ago.
suddenly reason began 10 tighten and
e remembered the woman with the
hifron veil. II was she Of course lie
nd not noticed. She had been In
urry naturally. Probably she had
ecogDIzed him and dreaded their
ieeting Without signaling for the
us 10 stop be swung down the steps
. the street and started headIong
ack 10 Forty.tbird street. looking for
woman with white chiffon veil.
She was nowhere IN sight. but be
epi on. II II were Penelope be would
nd her somehow And suddenly as {
e passed ihf postal station one of the !
doors opened and she came
ut tall, slender, dressed In gray, .
VITA the white chiffon veil over her
ace
"p .nr" be exclaimed. Pen. dar-
ng--