Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1908-01-24

others knew where to begin un-
eli he showed them. At his best In
most emergencies, he was resolved to
strain every nerve In this one ana SO
perbaps show some little gratitude at
last. The opportunity was unique,
Tom seized it with characteristic ar
dor.
He began by putting Mrs. Fawcett
on her mettle, invented the dinner for
her and got old Fawcett out of his
wife's way by sending him to a neign-
boring nursery for the asparagus ana
the green peas. Peggy he set to WORK
to make the beds, while he himself
gathered flowers for the table, flow srs
for the ladies' rooms, flowers for the
yeranda upon which the bride must
tread The new flag, bought for this
day. had never been unpacked. II was
soon flying braveIy from the flagstafr
ON the lawn. And by 5 o'clock Tom
had his table exquisitely laid, but II
was nearly before the curricle lamps
shone through the open gate ana 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 as the horses trotted up. He
had forgotten all about her when he
heard her voice. Next moment the
curricle bridged the stream OF lamp
liQht issuing from the hall. And Tom
stood among the roses he had strewn,
silhouetted against the doorway, with
out moving hand or foot or once lift
ing his unseen gaze from Claire Hard
ings face.
What followed seemed to be happen
ing to another man. Daintree cried to
him, and he helped the ladies to get
down. He touched her hand. Their
ewes 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'
90 upstairs within, followed by their
maid and Daintree, and after that he
stood watching the staircase until
Daintree ran down it and had him by
both hands.
"You dear, good fellow, you have
thought Of everythingw he cried. "You
couldn't have done more If 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 If I'd known"
Precisely why didn't tell you," re-
Joined Daintree triumphantly. "Come,
come, my good fellow, / know all
about the relations between the two
= families, and you mustn't fiatter 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
ognition. Miss Harding won't know
you from Adam"
81 would rather not wait upon her
all the same"
Daintree showed his teeth.
'Not wait upon the lady who Is to be
my wife and your mistress? You dare
to say that to my face? Let me find
you at your post when 1 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 dashed
him by the score. ne had seen how
the tyrant could treat his servants and
his dog. He had pitied the bride in
the abstract, and was it to be Claire
Harding, and was he to stand there
and see them married?
His head wasin whirl OF conflict
ng-aarUtfons and anxietles. Still stun
ned by the mere shock Of seeing her
whom he had never thought to see
again In that outlandish place and all
but another mans bride, he was faced
by an immediate dilemma which called
for instantaneous decision. If Claire
were to recognize him at dinner, then
she was pretty certain to betray Sc
cret which Daintree on the other hand,
was almost as certain to guess II his
servant absented himself after what
had Just passed. We'll, Claire knew
best why she had made secret where
none was necessary. But If more trou-
BILE was to come Of 1t, 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
dies 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
face to face.
Her eyes were great with horror.
She shut the door behind her and then