Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1907-01-18
ROCKVILLE MARYLAND FRIDAY MORNING, JANUARY Is. 1907
HALLIDAY'S
BRIDE
BY Louise Merrif1sid
Copyright, 1908, by M. M. Cunningham

O'Donnell hailed the bus at Twenty
sixth street. 1t would take him to the
door OF the bank and give him time to
read the letter over again. I'D
He did not know how long he had
stood on the corner, her letter crushed
In one hand, his eyes staring at the
passing vehicles and people. The let
ter had been delayed. She had mailed
it over two weeks before in Brittany,
and less than week ago he had read
of her marriage to Halliday--merely a
brief four or FIVE lines In the cable dis.
patches concerning noted Americans
abroad. But she had written him that
letter week before the marriage.
The bus stopped in front of him to
let passenger alight. Half uncon-
sciously he accepted the invitation Of
its open swinging door and slipped in.
to the corner seat as 1t swung on
leisurely 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 the let
ter from Penelope Graham.
You dear old boy, aren't you ashamed
to be SO selfish? We sail on the e0th. IL
not that early enoughf You have be-
grudged me every day OF this last chance
of mine to take fling at the world as q
lone old maid. In overy letter you beg
me to take the next boat back. And.
really. Jack. 1 know 1t will mako you
feel worse, but we are having O splendid
timei Uncle Rex and the girls met up
in Paris and will go up to Holland with
Aunt Nan as soon az Bess and I start
for home 1t has been Il glorious trip.
and when l think that next year 1t 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 notebook
that will serve as our guide, so as not
to miss one single place or picture that
/ went you to see! Next year, Jeckl
Won't we be old married people then,
thought Uncle Rex says 1 don't act a
bit like a young person about to be mar
ried in three weeks. but II doesn't seem
like O coming shock at adjust part OF
tho drifting and glorious happiness of
life these days.
Bess and are to sail on the 10th. VIII
you meet us? know you will, of course,
but I can hardly walt to catch the first
glimpse of you. oh. dear boy. sometimes
l am half afraid Of my own 10y and the
perfect peace of i'll Love 10 tempeetuous,
Bess says. ana uncertain and full Of
waivers and quavers and troubles and
bubbles and ! am only happy. But Besa
has never been in love. 80 she caDnot
know. Three weeksi Mamma thinks
white chrysanthemums viii mako 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 a
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 white embroidered Elton suit,
dalntily In black, drawn over her
wrinkles. To O'Donnell she looked
like the incarnation Of feminine incon-
sistency.
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, mighty decent sort of fell
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 10th, 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
Cherbourg.
O'DOnnell opened the door second
time to let another woman out at For
ty-secOnd street. He did not notice
what she was like. His head whirled
dizzily, as though he were on the end
OF long rope circllng through space
1t was foolish to lose his grip just be-
cause girl had thrown him over
idiotic. He would get through with
to freshen up. to forget.
AT the next corner the last woman
alighted. She wore white chiffon
veil and appeared to be In hurry.
ODonnell sighed in relief to know he
was alone and looked about him. And
then he started, every nerve tense and
taut, for on the floor OF the bus, al
most at his feet, lay the little gold
mesh coin purse that he had given
Penelope before she left for Europe.
Before he had lifted 1t In his hand
he was positive, even before he saw
her initials on the top band. It had
curious little ring on the chain to slip
over the finger, dull gold circle set in
diamonds. For moment he held the
purse stupidity, staring at 1t with hun
CRY, eager eyes. 1t was hers; she had
held 1t In her hand n moment ago.
Suddenly reason began to tighten and
he remembered the woman with the
chiffon veil 1t was she, OF course lie
had not noticed. She had been In a
hurry. naturally. Probably she had
recognized him and dreaded their
meeting. Without signaling for the
bus to stop he swung down the steps
to the street and started headlong
back to Forty third street, looking for
a woman with a white chiffon veil
She was nowhere In sight, but he
kept on. II It were Penelope he would
find her somehow. And suddenly as
he passed the postal station one Of the
swinging doors opened and she came
out, tall. slender, dressed In gray,
with the white chiffon veil over her
face.
"PenP" he exclaimed. Pen, dar-
ling
And then the white veil was raised
and he found himself looking into
Bess' dancing, laughing blue eyes and
holding her extended hands in his.
Don't shout on the street, Jack"
e..