The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-07-12
(Continued.)


 (Continued.)
 twill you please go to him, ana isk him to go into the library.
 ~Yes, miss"
 eWhy are you waiting?"
 Shall I tell him that you will come to him. missy"
 "Yes."
 The girl left the room, while Olive continued to look into the fire with the same stony stare.
 Again she read the letter through. This time slowly, word by word. sentence by sentence, as though she would weigh it's meaning carefully and judicially. When she had finish ed. she had apparently made up her mind. She rose to her feet, and LOOK a step towards the door, but she was unable to proceed further. Her brain yhirIed. she felt herself falling. Clutching the back of the chair she held herself for a few seconds, then, as if by a sudden effort of will, she controlled herself. Then she walked across the room steadily, opened the door. and went downstairs slowly. Her face even to her lips, was still ashy pale, and in her eyes was stern set look. There was no sign or weakness in her movements. and yet she looked as though she had been stunned When she reached the bot tom of the stairs, she looked slowly around her, as though she were not quite sure of her whereabouts. There was a dazed expression in her eyes. which suggested the look in the eyes of a sleep-walker.
 Again she seemed to make sud- den effort, and then she walked to the library door and opened it. John Castlemaine looked up at his daugh- ter's entrance, and was startled by her appearance. He was sitting in an armchair, smoking a last pipe be- fore going to bed.
 "Olive, my darling, what is the matter? Are you ill?" he asked tenderly.
 She tried to speak, but could not; then she moved towards him, and threw herself into his arms, while John Castlemaine held her, as he had held her years before, when she was a baby.
 The next morning Radford Leices- ter woke early. Contrary to his ex- pectations, no sooner had he placed his heal on the pillow the night be- fore than he fell into a deep, dream less sleep. After the excitement of the evening. nature demanded rest, and so she wrapped her kindly arms around him, as if she desired to be specially kind to him just then. When he awoke he could not for time realize where he was; but the truth soon came to him. He remembered, too. that it was the morning of his wedding-day. His heart gave a leap as the thought came into his mind, and then to stay in bed any longer was an impossibility. He dressed with great care, now and then look ing out of the window, and noting with satisfaction the blue of the skies and the sweetness of the air.
 "Only little while longer" he said again and again to himself. "I wonder how she will l ook as she walks up the church aisle on her fathers arm?'
 been discussed several days before, and everything was settled in due order. When Leicester had been asked whom he wished to invite to single name.
 No one at all ?'' John Castlemaine had said.
 'sNo one," replied Leicester. "I have no real friend on earth, neither man or woman. Yes, have a lot of acquaintances, but I do not wish them to come to my wedding. My father died five years ago. I can scarcely remember my mother. As for all the rest of the world-no, ] do not wish to invite any one"
 But you must so far conform to convention as to have best man."
 Must I? Very we'll, now let me think. Yes, Winfield will do. He's about the best chap know"
 He had barely mentioned his name, however, when he would gladly have recalled it. Like lightning the fact flashed into his mind that on the night of the wager it was Winfield who had suggested the name of Olive Castlemaine.
 That's all right" said MT. Castle maine He's just the fellow. So you will invite no one else?"
 'I would rather not invite him, ,' said Leicester.
 'sBut you must, Leicester I must positively insist on that. For my own part, think I should have liked you to have invited some of your chief supporters in your constitu- ency.''
 .eNo, mo-" said Leicester, "don't ask me; really I would rather not"
 And so, although Leicester did not like the thought of it, Winfield was