Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1908-02-20
CHAPTER XXI.-(Continued.)


of the next day, glad Of any excuse to
stay away from the family, talkng--all
but Mrs. Noah-of Guy and what was
transpiring in England. They had failed
10 remember the difference in the longi-
tude of the two places but Maddy forgot
nothing. and when the clock struck four,
she called Mrs. Noah TO her and whis-
pered, family:
They were to be married at eight in
The evening. Allowing for possible delays,
it's over before this, and Guy is lost
forever
Mrs. Noah had no consolation to offer,
md only pressed the hot, fever.sh hands,
while Maddy turned her face to the wall
and did not speak again. except to whisper
incoherently as she half slumbered, half
woke:
Did Guy think of me when he prom
ised to love her, and can he see how mis-
erable l am?"
Maddy was indeed passing through deep
waters, and that night, the fourth of De-
cember, the longest, the dreariest she ever
knew, could never be forgotten. Once
past, the worst was over, and as the rarest
metal is purified by fire, so Maddy came
from the dreadful ordeal strengthened for
what was before her Both Agnes and
Mrs. Noah noticed the strangely beautiful
expression of her face when she came
down to the breakfast room, while Jessie,
as she kissed her pale cheek, whispered
You look as if you had been with
angels"
Guy was not expected with his bride
dragged on Maddy felt that the waiting
for him was more intolerable than the see
ing him with Lucy would be. Restless
and impatient, she could not remain quiet
ly at the cottage-wh.le at Aikenside,
she longed to return again to her own
home, and in this way the time wore on,
until the anniversary of that day when
she had come from New York and found
Guy waiting for her at the station. To
stay that day in the house so rife with
memories of the dead was impossible, and
Flora was surprised and delighted to hear
that both were going up to Alkenslde in
the vehicle hired of Farmer Green, whose
son otficiated as driver. 1t was nearly
noon when they reached their destination,
meeting at the gate with Flora's brother
Tom. who said to them:
We've heard from Mr. Guy; the ship
Is in they'll be here sure tonight, and
Mrs. Noah is turnin' things upside down
with the dinner"
Leaning back in the buggy, Maddy felt
for moment as if she were dying Never,
until then had she realized how, all the
while, she had been clnging to an inde-
Enable hope, a presentiment that some
thing might yet occur to spare her from
long lifetime of pain. such as lay be-
fore her if Guy were really lost; but the
bubble had burst, leaving her nothing to
hope, nothing to cling to, nothing but
black despair and half bewildered she
received the noisy greeting of jessie who
met her at the door and dragged her into
the drawing room, decorated with flowers
from the hothouse, told her to guess who
was coming.
Il know; Tom told me Guy is coming |
with Lucy" Maddy answered, and reliev- |
ing herself from Jessie, she turned to
Agnes, asking where Mrs. Noah was and
If she might go to her.
oh. Maddy, child. I'm sorry you've
come to-day" Mrs. Noah said. as she
chafed Maddy's cold hands, and leading
her to the fire, made her sit down.
Il did not know it, or | should have
stayed away Maddy replied; Il shall
not stay. as it is. | cannot see them to-
day. Charlie will drive me back before
the train is due; but what did he say?
And how is Lucy?"
He did not mention her. There's the
Dispatch and Mrs. Noah handed to Mad
dy the telegram received that morning,
and which was simply as follows:
The steamer is here. Shall be at sta
ton at FIVE o'clock p. m.
GUY REMINGTON"
Twice Maddy read it over, experienc-
ing much the same feeling she would have
experienced mad it been her death warrant
she was reading
AT five O'clock | must go before that"
she said, signing as she remembered how,
one year ago that day she was travelling
ver-the very route where Guy was now
travelling with his bride Did he think
Of itE Think of his long waiting at the ,,
depot, or of that memorable ride. the
events OF which grew more and more dis ,
tinct in her memory, making her cheeks .
burn even now as she recalled his many
acts OF tender care.
Laying the telegram on the table she
went with Mrs. Noah through the roons .
warmed and made ready for the bride. lin
gering longest in Lucys. which the bridal
decorations and the bright fire blazing in c
the CRATE made singula-ly inviting. As /
yet. there were no flowers there and z
Maddy claimed the privilege of arranging I
them for this room herself Agnes had I
almost stripped the conservatory; but J
Maddy found enough to form most taste t
full bouquet, which she placed upon q
marble dressing table; then within a sin I
of paper which she folded across the Tor, ]
she wrote welcome to the bride"
'sThey both will recognize my handvrf,-
ing; they'll know I've been here" she
thought, as with one long, last look AZ
the room. she walked away.
They were laying the table for dinner
now. and with a kind Of dizzy, uncertain
feeling. Maddy watched the servants hur
rying to and fro, bringing out the choicest
china. and the glittering silver, in honor
of the bride Comparatively, it was not
long since a little. frightened hOmes!ck
girl. she first sat down with Guy at that
table. from which the proud Agnes would |
have banished her but it seemed to her |
an age. so much of happiness and pain |
had come to her since then. There was |
a place for her there now, place near