Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1912-02-10
AT THE ELEVENTH
HOUR.
A Message That Changed the
Course of Events.
by BEATRICE sTuRoEs.

Everything In the room betokened
confusion and busy preparation for
some event Of considerable importance.
A pile OF notes just finished lay on the
desk; two trunks. one already strapped
ana the other standing open. Indicated
a journey; several fr0cks occupied the
bed, piles OF lingerie filed the chairs.
various other feminine belongings were
scattered about and maid was hastily
transferring them to the open trunk
and the new hand bag which stood ON
a tabIa1 Now and again she addressed
Some question to the girl who still sat
at the desk and who answered In mono
syilabIes and with preoecupied air.
"Oh, put In or leave out whatever
you IKE. Marie. II doesn't make bit
or difYereneeP' she exclaimed at Last
impatiently.
Marie. wondering within. obeyed. but
presently she came forward with some
thing which she begged mademoiselie
10 try on
Truly, II must be seen II 1t is what
you cnIl AL right she protested. and
thu girl rose and walked to the mirror.
She was wearing n long. loose gown
Of yellow siIk, and her nut brown hair
was caught up, loosely on her head
Marie stepped In front OF her for
moment. did q little adjusting and pat
ting this way and that and then step
ped back with voluble expressions Of
admiration =
The girl looked into the glass as II
In a dream, and then her heart throb-
bed painfully. She had put or the fun
realixat ion Of what she was about to
do and lived In n vague hope that some
thing would happen to stop II. but now
az she looked in the mirror and saw
herself at last enveloped In the white
mist OF a wedding ven the bitter truth
came home. The bridal symbol, SO
sweet and lovely In itself, became sud-
denly hatefut to her, for In all fits
frailty It brought TO her the stern re-
alization that the next day at noon In
ST. Johns church she, Lucy Ruther-
ford. was to be married to n man she
did not love.
How different, oh, how different II
might have beenl
She. tore or her veil and threw her.
self On the bed In passion Of tears.
She never would DO Il, she told her,
self over and over; she never could do
I'll What did she care II Marie did
see7 The whole world might seeI 1t
could see tomorrow, and they all could
have their presents back-she didn't
care. II didn't make any difference
what her stepmother said or did or
interchangeable could marry him her
self But, as for Lucy. she simply hat
ed Hugh Goring all at once. and she
never wanted to see him again
She sat up presently and bathed her
eyes In the water the discreet Marie
brought to her and felt better Then
an the maid turned again to her pack
ing Lucy thought miserably Of GER
tain night six months ago when she
had Quarreled 90 bitterly with Ralph
Anderson and he had left her pres
ence without one backward look and
n very vicious slam OF the door Oh
how foolish and trivial a lovers quar-
rel seems when six months have gone
byI Lucy knew that II she and Ralph
once looked into each others eyes
again 1t must and would be all right
once mere But how was this to hap
penf In the heat and suddenness OF
bis wrath Ralph had rushed away to
the vague and indefnabIe wfl1s OF
Texas. and Lucy never knew whether
he received that little note she sent
him the morning after their quarrel
She had said only: "Denr RaIph--Is
you are sorry, am too. Lucy"
Anyhow he never replied, and may
be by this time be was already In love
with some horse riding girl I'm TexaS
while sho was supposed to be maxim.
her Last joyful preparations for marry
Ing another man
oh, well" she had said to herself.
n girl has to do somsthtngr'
Shs rose and went over to the desk
again, where from q secret hidi1g
place she drew q photograph--a snap
Elroe OF an athletic. young man In ten
nfs nannels. with racket I'm hts hand
and u bright smile on his face. H.r
eyes filed with tears as she kissed IL
and murmured. MY sweetheart.
shall always love you"
while her lips still pressed the pic
tura sharp ring startled her.
You answer II. Marie. TITS probabiv
INV NAh13oE W HUAAlHb<<4F ASlkluE uDbNC
tomorrow. Tel them Mrs. Rutherford
b out and 10 call up I'm the morning
The surprised maid. knowing welr
that Mrs Rutherford was in. stepped
out Into the. ball to answer the tcie-
phone. In a moment she returned
1T was for you. madeInoiseIIe---
EentiemaR who inststed-so have
fnrn M SWITCH"
.Lucy nat down again at the desk and
took up the receiver.
yes. this Is Miss Rutherford
J Tina voice ar tho other eud OF the
wire WAS strangely familiar. 1t made
her cheeks burn, her. heart thrub and
her eyes shine. She aElnost dropped
the receiver
''wny. Ralphr' shs exclaimed
Again tim voice spoke rapidly
-Yes.- shs replied. cit II little late
fur q call
whats thatl Wanted to answer my
nntef Well you've had lots OF time to
Go IL In.
oh. fust received IT today7 wrote
Et MIX nonths ago.
Il doa't think much OF the way they
- Ha