Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1907-09-20
CHATTER XVIII.

I
TNOM had done well to stay be-
hind. There was SO much to
make ready that none of the
| others knew where to begin I'M
til he showed them. At his best in
most emergencies, he was resolved to
| strain every nerve in this one aud SO
perhaps show some little gratitude at
last. The opportunity was unique.
Tom seized it with characteristic ar
dor.
He began by putting Mrs. Fawcctt
on her mettle, invented the dinner for
her and got old Fawcett out of his
wife's way by sending him to a neigh
boring nursery for the asparagus and
the green peas. Peggy he set to work
to make the beds, while he himself
gathered flowers for the table, flowers
for the ladies' rooms, flowers for the
veranda upon which the bride must
tread. The new flag, bought for this
day, had never been unpacked. It was
soon flying bravely from the Flagstaff
on the lawn. And by o'clock Tom
had his table exquisitely laid, but it
was nearly before the currlcle lamps
slone through the open gate and the
horses swept up to the veranda, where
Tom stood In ardent readiness.
| He had spent the interim in array
Ing himself most carefully In all his
mental finery, in shaving for the Sec
ond time that day, In laying out his
masters evening clothes, in gathering
the books which had been left upon
the shore, in reading and re-reading
the poem that expressed his case, In
talking to Peggy and in thinking of
Claire,
The whole situation put him sadly In
mind of Claire, but he was not think
ing Of her MS the horses trotted up. He
had forgotten all about her when he
heard her voice. Next moment the
curricle bridged the stream Of lamp
light issuing from the hall. And Tom
stood among the roses lie had strewn,
silhouetted against the doorway, with
out moving hand or foot or once lift
ing his unseen gaze from Claire Hard.
ing's face.
What follawed seemed to be happen
ing to another man. Dnintree cried to
him, and he helped the ladies' to get
down. He touched her hand. Their
eyes never met. Daintree jumped
down and led Claire on his arm
through the roses. Fawcett came up,
the curricle was gone, and Tom stood
alone in the drive, watching the ladies'
| go upstairs within, followed by their
maid and Daintree, and after that he
stood watching the staircase until
Daintree ran down 1t and had him by
both hands.
"You dear, good fellow, you have
thought Of everything" he cried. "You
couldn't have done more II you'd been
the happy man yourself. and shall
never forget it-especially the flowers"
Nor l." cried Tom bitterly.
why, what's the matter?"
you might have told me who 1t
was, sir. recognized Miss Harding
at once. Her family used to come to
our village for the shooting, and her
father was my fathers enemy. It's
hard for me to meet her like this after
that. I'd have run away II I'd known"
Precisely why I didn't tell you" re-
Joined Daiptree triumphantly. Come.
come, my good fellow. know all
about the relations between the two
families, and you mustn't flatter your
self that Miss Harding will remember
you. You've altered considerably, for
one thing, and dropped your surname
on purpose to spare you any such rec
lognition. Miss Harding won't know
4 you from ADAM
81 would rather not wait upon her
all the same"
Daintree showed his teeth.
mot wait upon the lady who Is to be
my wife and your mistress? You dare
to say that to my facet Let me find
you at your post when come down
stairs or take carer
And he stood a moment at the door,
with the most significant and malig-
nant expression, after which he went
upstairs to dress, leaving Tom to re-
greet for the first time his impulsive
confession of completely in the Castle
Sullivan outrage and to reflect upon
the many sides of the man whom
Claire Harding had come out from
England to marry. Memories laahed
him by: the score. He had seen how
the tyrant could treat his servants and
his dog. He had pitied the bride In
the abstract, and was 1t to be Claire
Harding, and was he to stand there
and see them married
Ills head was In whirl Of conflict
Ing emotions and nnxieties Still stun
ned by the mere shock Of seeing her
whom he had never thought to see
again In that outlandlsh place and all
fbut another mans bride, he was faced
by nm Immediate dilemma which called
Tor instantaneous decision. II Claire
were to recognize him Mt dinner, then
she was pretty certain to betray se-
Icret which Daintree on the other hand,
Twas almost as certain to guess IL his
servant absented himself after what
had just passed. Well, Claire knew
lbest why she had made a secret where
lnone was necessary. But II more trou-
lble was to come Of It, let him be there
to take her part. Let him be there
forever to watch over her in those
passionate hands! And Tom found
himself mechanically lighting the can
lies on the dinner table and lowering
|the shades to lessen the chance of his
face being seen.
While he was so engaged the inner
door opened, and Tom and Claire stood
fhte to face.
Her eyes were great with horror.