The Marshall republican., 1909-09-17


great impotence, arriving only the
day but one before the wedding invita-.
tions were to so out; and as the
bishop was away from town on a trip,
which annoyed and puzzled his sister,
1t fell to my lot to accompany her to
meet Mrs. Dimes.
1t had been years since l had seer
that lady and then but once and brief.
ly, but l knew her the moment she
came down the g%ang-plank, so exactly
did she look as l had been sure she
would; a large, ruddyish woman, in
an in~differently tailored cheviot, with
a mans keen eyes, a woman's nose,
the copious chins of the bishops de-
%scription, and a mouth inclining slight.
ly to gentleness, with a firm jaw; the
brusque, direct oma that one finds
in a thousand. She had come easily
into success, as the bishop had said,
and one could see that II Arson Dimes
had not accomplished anything for
himself, she must have accomplished
it for him, since a woman built In her
mold could not have been a failure nor
have allowed the man she married to
remain one.
II am ILL.," she said at once, as we
moved to meet her and she stopped to
offer a grayish cheek to her friends
lips. 1.-THE passage was frightfully
rough. l don't know when I've had
suci a trip. I must get home and to
bed"
She nodded briefly when / was pre-.
scented to her, declined the arm l
proffered, and, when we had finally
got to the carriage, leaned back and
closed her eyes, maintaining an abso-
lutte silence except when she aroused
herself to answer briefly some ques-
tion in the flow of Miss Winstanley's
solicitude. 1t was evident that NAL
de mer did not leave her in the most
amiable spirits in the world.
Henrietta Winstanley sank lower
and lower In her corner OF the car
rage, looking at me with appealing
and detected eyes. II was 10 wsn
der; to have waited all these nerve
wearing days on Mrs. Dimes and then
to have her arrive in this undone
and uncommunicative condition was
enough to sink even her buoyant spir-
its. For myself, I felt the hopeless
ness of the whole affair as I had felt
it from the beginning.
AS we neared the Winstanley house,
Miss Winstanley said, quite casually:
by the way, Hannah, the Hemin-
gray-Ankony invitations are out day
after tomorrow"
What" cried Mrs. Dimes. and her
eyes new open on the instant. why
didn't you tell me at once? I had no
idea 1t was to be so soon. l must
see Dean at once"
Dean was her agent and adviser.
Miss Winstanley revived imme-
diately.
Are you able?" she inquired ten.
derby.
Mrs. Dimes nodded, swallowed bard.
and tried to sit up. She was green.
ish gray and looked frightfully Ill.
1T isn't a question as to that" she
declared; II must see Dean this morn.
ing. at once. Aren't we almost homer"
You see she has come fortified"
said Miss Winstanley to me, as l was
leaving, after having assisted Mrs.
Dimes into the house.
| went back to my Office and man.
aged to put in the rest of the morning
and part of the afternoon, but my
nerves were ragged and my alarm as
to Mrs. Dimes condition was very real.
Miss Winstanley had mentioned the
physician she mean to call, and !
went round to see him late in the day
to inquire as to his patient, but his
report OF her was not at all encourag
ing and | almost wished I had stayed
away. He thought it probable that
she would not be out of bed for a fort
night.
Toward evening, as I came out Of
my club and started through Union
square, l became suddenly conscious
OF a slender familiar figure ahead of
me, and, Fastening, overlook Barbara.
She was walking rapidly, and she
turned at my salutation with a start,
as If her thoughts had been far from
her surroundings. Her eyes we're
feverish and ! could see at once that
she was very tired.
Are you walking homer" j asked.
May I come along?"
She looked at me, hesitating.
II don't think you had BETTER she
said. II am hurried and cross and alb
sent.minded."
I've seen YOU all three and still
found you fairly"
"Oh, don't muster out any silly COM.
pliments," she broke IN quickly. II
know that In my present mood I
couldn't inspire q genuine one; so
don't try to palm OF m spurious
ones on me. I'm not in the humor to
be easily deceived. But you may
come along II you're sure you don't
mind. Perhapa it's Just as well;
there isl have Just posted you a
note to say good-by,s
saEA-R A-lA -.L--a # ssrNTn -