The Marshall republican., 1909-09-17

nJtle girl, ana lea me INTO ner sitting
room, closing the door carefully be-
hind us. She had a letter in her hand,
and as she extended 1t to me, | recog.
nized the bold chirography of Mrs.
Arson Dimes.
Clearly / was to have both sides of
this most interesting story.
Miss Winstanley was trembling
with excitement, and her eyes shone.
! could see that she was joyous in her
eagerness and anticipation, and | had
not till then realized how much she
had set her heart on the ridiculous
marriage which she and Mrs. Dimes
had planned for her amiable brother.
Read IT." she cried, as she thrust
the letter at me.
Expecting to read Of the bishop, I
was dumbfounded at Mrs. Dimes brief
lines.
Il shall be in America on the heels
Of my letter." she wrote. II am com.
ing to stop the marriage of Edward
Ankony and Barbara Hemingway. II
must not take place. l shall come to
you at once. l sail on the Cambria.
the 25th."
I looked up at Miss Winstanley, and
for a moment we stared at each other.
She sat in a low chair in front of me,
swinging forward in It, crushing her
stiff black skirts In the embrace of
her tense little arms.
Well" cried she.
What does she mean?"I exclaimed.
DO you understand"
mot at all" she admitted promptly.
That's why I sem for you. This came
last night, and I couldn't sleep for
thinking of It and trying to make 1t
out. But I can't; SO l gave 1t up and
sent for you. You see what possibili.
ties II opens"
They were indeed almost painful In
their strength and suggestion.
"One thing is certain" she went
on; Hannah Dimes is not the m
70 cross the sea to no purpose. She
knows what she Is about. The mo-
ment had news of Barbara's engage
ment, I wrote her, knowing that, as an
old friend Of the family, she would be
greatly interested. This Is her reply"
And you have no explanation-does
she dislike Ahkony?"
II never heard her mention him. I
think she hardly knows him."
she is fond of Barbara?"
"Oh, immensely SO. She must know
something"
Undoubtedly"
] tramped the floor, and Miss Win.
stanley did innumerable things as an
outlet for her trimming emotions. She
closed an open magazine, patted a de-
pressed pillow into plumpness. how.
cred over a bowl OF flowers, and
leased her spaniel, talking all the
time about what this might mean to
us all.
"You may put your faith in Hannah
Dimes" she said.
II wish l felt as sure Of II as you
do"
"She means Just what she says, and
she knows she can do 1t. The mar.
riage is as good as stopped, Mr.. Twin.
ing; you may take my word for it,"
Mrs. Dimes Is counting without her
host; they will not give each other
up"
Rubbish" she cried, confronting
me with IN indignant face. and snap
ping her fingers. why will you insist
that she cares for him? / tell you
she does not. Once the reason for her
marrying him is removed, you will
see."
1.-THE Lord grant that I may!"I ferv-
emily calculated.
you will" she insisted.
Mrs. Dimes should be here within
four days" l said, making a rapid
calculation.
She nodded.
What are we to do in the mean.
timer" l asked.
Possess ourselves in patience"
She was rapturously jubilant.
Il wish l could be as sanguine as
you," said I.
"If you knew Mrs. Dimes you would
be" she declared. II should have had
my doubts If any other woman had
written this, but l know how perfectly
sure OF herself she u.s."
Irecalled n failure of hers. Then
i remembered the bishops distress
and smiled.
I'VE must keep the matter entirely
between ourselves" said Miss Win
stanley. 81 have not even told my
brother what her coming will mean.
He Is a longtime friend Of hers; SO l
have told him that she Is on her way
to America, knowing that he would
be Interested to hear II, but l made
no mention OF her errand. nor do / 9 x
pect to-"
She was standing at the window.
looking out. She turned on the in.
slant and came toward me.
no try to be q little glad" she
cried.
'You know what a second disap-
pointment would mean." ! said. u
am trying not to hope too much"
-But you may hope all you like. ]