Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1909-10-29
CHAPTER TX.

| The steamer on which Mrs Dimes
| arrived was three days belated, to our
| great impotence, arriving only the
day but one before the wedding invita-
| lions were to go out; and as the
bishop was away from town on a trip,
which annoyed and puzzled his sister.
it fell to my lot to accompany her to
meet Mrs. Dimes.
1t had been years since I had seen
| that lady and then but once and brief
| ly, but / knew her the moment she
came down the gang-plank, so exactly
did she look as ! had been sure she
would; large, ruddyish woman, in
an indifferently tailored cheviot, with
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 woman that one finds
in a thousand She had come easily
into success as the bishop had said,
and one could see that If Arson Dimes
had not accomplished anything for
himself, she must have accomplished
1t 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 grayish cheek to her friends
lips. THE passage was frightfully
rough. / don't know when I've had
such a trip. | must get home and to
bed"
She nodded briefly when I was pre-
scented to her. declined the arm
preferred, 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 Winstanleys
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
riage, looking at me with appealing
and detected eyes. 1t was no won
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, ] felt the hopeless
ness of the whole affair as I had felt
it from the beginning.
As we neared the Winstanley house.
Miss Winstaniey said, quite casually:
by the way. Hannah, the Hemin-
gray-Ankony invitations are out day
after tomorrow"
What" cried Mrs. Dimes, and her
eyes flew open on the instant. why
didn't you tell me at once? l had no
idea 1t was to be so soon. I 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 hard,
and tried to sit up. She was green
ish gray and looked frightfully i'll
1T isn't a question as to that" she
declared; Il 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 was
leaving. after having assisted Mrs.
Dimes into the house.
| went back to my ONCE 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 meant 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 had stayed
away. He thought 1t probable that
she would not be out of bed for fort
night
Toward evening. as I came out OF
my club and started through Union
square. ] became suddenly conscious
OF q slender familiar figure ahead Of
me, and. Fastening. overlook Barbara.
She was walking rapidly, and she
turned at my salutation with start.
as II her thoughts had been far from
her surroundings. Her eyes were
feverish and could see at once that
she was very tired.
Are you walking home" I asked.
MAY come along?''-