The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1911-09-22
CHAPTER VI.
aormIy Announces His Candidacy.

GormIy Announces His Candidacy.
The hall into which Miss Haldane
stepped early the next morning had
been transformed into a perfect bower
of winter beauty. There had been no
time to buy anything; but the most
available pine trees on the place, of
which there were several had been
ruthlessly sacrificed, and under CORN
ly's personal supervision the hall, a
magnificent apartment under any cir
cumstances, had been layishly decor
ated with the fragrant evergreen in
honor of Christmas.
Gormly had been busy during the
night. He actually had not slept a
wink. So soon as he had got the
party safely to bed, he had gone to
the stable, and in default of anyone
else who could do so, he had himself
ridden across the country through the
snow and storm, which was even then
dying out, to notify the people at the
Haldahe place of the predicament of
the family and to arrange that maids
and men with proper clothing should
be brought over to his own cottage
early in the morning.
Hence Miss Haldane was under no
necessity of appearing in evening cos
tune at eight o'clock in the morning,
or of making a guy of herself in Mrs.
Bullen's extraordinary attire. She had
learned, of course, from her maid how
the news had been brought and how
she happened to be there with the
change of apparel.
Miss Haldane had not slept very
WELL for one reason her thoughts had
dwelt increasingly upon that strange
conversation she had had with her
host. She had awakened earlier than
the rest, had dressed Immediately, and
had descended to the hall i'm hope of
seeing him. Her pleasure and salts
faction sparkled in her eyes as she
extended her hand.
How delightfully."- Christmaslike is
the room; how good it smells" she
said after the first words of greeting.
IL am glad indeed that It pleases
you" answered Gormly, smiling. And
If you will permit me, | will repeat my
words of last night, or early this morn
ing, and wish you again a very Mer-
ry Christmas and Happy New Year
as we'll"
And l will give you back your wish
with interest" returned Miss Haldane
'as J did last night. | am sure that
we are all intensely grateful to you for
your forethought in having the maids
and clothes brought over. Felice, my
maid, has told me that you rode over
yourself very early this morning tC
carry the news of our plight, and tC
bring them, 1t must have been hare
riding"
1T took me back to boyhood days
Miss Haldane"
in the west?" asked the girl.
"Well, yes" wal the somewhat re
luctant answer, although the create
part of my boyhood was not spent il
he west"
And this ride in the storm, was I
ike the other rides and storms yol
nave experienced?
"This was very mild affair com
pared to those. | could wish it ha,
been harder"
WHY"
This time | was riding for anothe
woman, a different woman"
Miss Haldane rather thrilled TO tn
direct statement; but womanlike sh
changed the subject
Did you have this Christmas al
rangement of pines made in the hall ?
She asked irrelevantly.
For you-and your party" inte
posed Gormly with a perceptible brea
after the pronoun so as to allow tn
fact to permeate thoroughly. 81 wish
he added, that circumstances permi
ted me to signalize the season by o
fering you an adequate Christina
present.
II have, however, something thi
may possibly interest you, which
may venture to hope you may regal
as a personal tribute from me in liz
OF such a gift"
And what is that?" asked Mi