The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-08-16
AT THE ELEVENTH HOUR.
By Beatrice sturgss.

Everything in the room betokened confusion and busy preparation for some event of considerable import. ance. A Ipile of notes Just finished lay on the desk, two trunks. one al ready strapped and the other stand ing open, indicated a journey; several frocks occupied the bed, plles of lin- gerie filled the chairs, various other feminine belongings were scattered about and a maid was hastily trans ferring them to the open trunk and the new handbag which stood on a table. Now and again she addressea some question to the girl who still set at the desk and who answered in monosyilabIes with preoccupisd air
 "Oh, put in or leave out whatever you like, Marie; it doesn't make a bit of differenceI" she exclaimed at last. impatientiy.
 Marie, wondering within, oheyed, but presently she came forward with something which she begged made moiselie to try on.
 iHTruIy, 1t must be seen. if 1t Is what you eaiI all right" she protested, and the girl rose and walked to the mir TOT.
 She was wearing & long loose gown of yellow silk and her nut-brown hair was caught up loosely upon her head. Marie stepped in front of her for nOmenLt Qlu GtlAC duJAShAhb ohN batting back with voluble express sions of admiration.
 The girl looked into the glass as if in a dream and then her heart throb- bed painfully. She had put off the full realization of what she was about to do and had lived in a vague hope that something would happen to stop it, but now as she looked in the mir TOT and saw herself at last envel- t.. nf a yUahdinT veil. the bitter truth came home. This bridal symbol. so sweet and lovely in itself, became suddenly hateful to her, for in all its fraflty it brought to her the stern realization that the next day at noon, in St. Johns Church. she, Lucy Rutherford. was to be mar ried to a man she did not love.
 How different, oh. how different It might have been!
 She tore off the veil and threw her self on the bed in a passion of tears. She never would do it, she never could do iti What did she care if Marie did seer The whole world might see, It could see tomorrow and they all could have their presents back-she didn't care. It didn't make any diff ference what her stepmother said or did or threatened--she could marry him herself, but as for Lucy she sim ply hated Hugh Goring all at once and she never wanted to see him againi
 She sat up presently and bathed her eyes in the water the discreet Marie brought to her, and felt better. Then as the maid turned again to her pack ing Lucy thought miserably of cer- tain night six months ago when she had quarreled so bitterly with Ralph Anderson and ho had left her pres ence without one backward look and A very vicious slam of the door Oh. how foolish and trivial lovers quar- rel seems when six months have gone by. Lucy knew that if she and Ralph once looked into each others eyes again 1t must and would be all right once more But how was this to hap nen? In the heat and suddenness of his wrath, Ralph had rushed away to 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-1f you are sorry, am, too. Lucy"
 Anyhow. he never replied. and may be by this time he was already m 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 had to do something"
 She rose and went over to her desk again, where from a secret hiding place she drew a photograph-a snap shot of an athletic young man In ten- his flannels with a racket in his hand and a bright smile on his face. Her eyes filled with tears as she kissed 1t, and murmured My sweetheart-I shall always love you"
 While her lips still pressed the pie ture. a sharp ring startled her.
 you answer it.. Marie; it's prob ably the caterer or somebody asking about tomorrow; tell them Mrs. Ruth erford Is out and to call up in the
 The surprised maid, knowing well that Mrs. Rutherford was in, stepped out into the hall to answer the teie- phone. In a moment she returned.
 Tt was for you, mademoiselle; a gentleman who insisted; so have turn ze switch"
 Lucy sat down again at the desk and took up the receiver.
 "Yes. this is Mss Rutherford"
 The voice at the other end of the wire was strangely familiar. It made her cheeks burn, her heart throb and her eyes shine. She almost dropped the receiver
 "Why, RalphP' she exclaimed.
 Again the voice spoke rapidly.
 'Yes" she replied. Tit Is d little late
 "What's thats Wanted to answer my note. We'll. you've had lots of time to do 1t in
 "oh. just received it today? I wrote 1t six months ago"