Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1907-01-11
THE DAY BEFORE THE
WEDDING.
Continued from Section l.
Continued from Section

There now-you really do me credit
I'm sure my prescriptions better than anv
amount of appointments in Portland
Tara smiled; she was leaning luxuriousl7,
back against smart silk cushion-steerine
Ihey had talked hard for two hours and
mad found such large tracts of common
ground, that she couldn't believe that the
same two hours spet the length of their
acquaintanceship. She was living in the
present and finding it very delightful.
I wish you'd smile oftener," complained
her companion, surveying her with resnect
full appreciation; 'if you only knew how
we'll it suited your new companion. YOU
would"
I can't help thinking what an awful
nuisance l must be to you-really-when
you'd arranged to spend the day alone
I'm afraid you ought to be an even
greater nuisance than you are"
"Why?"
Because tomorrow happens to be my
wedding day, and by every right and re-
spectacle precedent l should be too full of
it to have room for any other thoughts -
Tara started slightly, and the boat gave
a jerk.
Your wedding day?'
eyes, wonder your look surprised" He
spoke heavily.
ooh! I'm so sorryx-I don't know quite
why it astonished me so-only-only I'm so
sorry for you fancy spending the day with
perfect stranger. l would never have
come, only somehow I fancied you were des-
perately lonely and rather miserable like
me-your face seemed to say So"
sit spoke the truth am miserable"
Miserable? And you're to be married
tomorrow
He shipped his oars and let the boat
drift, leaning forward and speaking quickly
81 don't know why l should confide in
you," he began, considering we're strang-
ers, as you say; but you've got just the face
that inspires confidence noticed that be-
fore you'd spoken, when you were trying to
recover from the shock of my clumsiness
My tales very simple, so simple perhaps,
that it won't even strike you as pathetic
It's like this. AS l told you, I've been out
in the wilds for the last ten years, planting
coffee and husting blacks. l only
nineteen when 1 started, and I'd given my
promise to a woman rather older than my
self that if l came back rich man I'd
marry her. Mind you, | honestly thought
myself mady in love with her at the time.
She was a good woman in every way one
of those strong, self-reliant, protecting crea-
lures who somehow always appeal to early
manhood. Once in a deadly illness, when
1 was quite a boy, she nursed me back to
life; our parents were friends; we were
brought up together. You can understand
how much 1 felt l owed ner."
"Well?" said Tara.
"Well, I wrote to her at regular inter-
walls for all that long time, and she wrote
to me-nice, breezy, encouraging letters just
the kind struggling young fellow likes TO
get and when, came home month ago
rich man, there was absolutely no reason
to put off the marriage, only-only--
"Only she'd grown plain, or passe, or
something's" suggested the girl little Dit
terly.
Her companion glanced up reproachfully'
"T expect I deserve that! !" he said, signing
'but l hope I shouldn't be quite such
beast AS matter of fact, she's tar nahu-
somer than when l left her; she's one Oh