The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1912-11-14
CHAPTER TX.
THE WEDDING.

MY mind mIsgives me-" said Mar
garet, hen the two girls were at
their toilet the next morning. "'Tis
not too late, Prue, for reflection, and II
Ill betide' thea, dear, / shall feel as IL
/ had brought 1t on thee"
Prue turned from her mirror with
q petulant gesture. Tell me, Peggie,
truly" h said, with an air Of deep
concern, d you not think the hair
dresser has trussed my hair too high
on top? Would not a curl or two more
on the neck be an Improvement?
Prithee, unpin this lock and let It
fall intelligently behind my ear, All,
that's better" She turned back to the
mirror, and regarded her reflection
critically. Ar i too pale, Peggie? Do
YOU think a touch Of rouge-the least
t~ouch--would be becoming"
For the wedding, do you mean?
Faith, j always thought a pale, pensive
bride more interesting. Not that you
are either. a shade more color would
spoil you. ! think you are even a little
flushed. ~
lyon are pale, Peggie." said Prue,
looking fixedly at her. What's the
"oh, I dreamed all night OF troubled
water, Prue. You know that's III duck.
FTts not too late to give up this foolish
MARRIAGE"
Foolish marriagei Why, Peggie, tits
the first wise n / have ever content
plated. And as for a dream, why l
dreamed three times running Of a
black cat, and II anything BODIES good
luck that does"
"But suppose after all the object OF
the marriage should fail?" urged Mar
garet.
motto of the Wynnes: Cowards fayle.
II WHINE. Well, have failed often
enough, yet not from cowardice, God
wot! And stilf I am always hoping
to win, 1 scarce know what"
Your new motto will suit you just
as well" said Peggie, NH timeo.'"
"Ha ha, the motto of the De Cliffes.
inis? I've q mind to ask him, when
the deed il done, IL he has any direc-
lions to give about his ~hatchment, or
If I shall refer the matter to the head
of h house. "
e0h. Prue. are you utterly heartless?
Il declare, since : have seen the poor
young man ! am sorry for him n ]
wish / had not helped to turn his ex-
ecution into q JEST
Would you have me weep7" said
Prue, almost sternly. There is always
time enough for that when there Is
nothing else to be done. All, i hear
Sir Geoffrey's voice. You are dressed,
Peggie, prithee go down to him and
bring me word whether he has done
his part and Is ready-and wifing-to
give away the bride"
She turned for q last look in the
mirror as Peggie hurried away, and
the alf-scorpful smile with which
h surveyed her charming renec-
ton had none of the levity with which
she had so easily deceived her cousin.
Yet II certainly was not a picture to
provoke disdain. Never had the will
full beauty looked to greater advan-
tage. The restless brillianoy Of her
sparkling eyes, the changeful color
that flushed and paled her cheek with
each quick-drawn breath, the Nance
less but irresistible charm that ami
mated every feature, might have ex-
cused a more complacent glance. But
Prue, though by no means prone to
deal severely with herself, was q good
deal more ashamed Of her scheme than
she would have cared to own, even
to herself, and perhaps secretly longed
for some insurmountable obstacle to
stop her in spite of herself.
She was determined, however, that
she would not be the one to raise a
dificulty. She vas so unspeakably
mortified by h new light yesterdays
events a thrown on Sir Goeftrey's
rier between herself and him, gave her
keen satisfaction. That the possibility
of her inheriting a fortune from her
grandmother should have influenced
his pursuit OF her ever so slightly.
wounded her vanity, that nerve-cen-
ter OF her being: and that he should
have lent his countenance and help to
q scheme that would give her. even
nominally, to another man, no matter
how brief or indefinite the tenure,
dealt II an almost mortal blow.
He has yet a chance" she muir
INJURED. He may have found on
reflection that he can NOT bring
himself to sacrifice me for the sake
OF q couple Of thousand pounds worth
of debts, and he may implore me to
refrain for his sake. I might not be
persuaded-one can never answer for
oneself--but he would come out of II
without dishonor." She mechanically
smoothed a ribbon here and adjusted
q fiounce there and, half turning, tried
to obtain q full view OF her back In o
glass two feet square. "'Tis provok-
ing 70 be obliged to dress by guess
work" h commented. IT I were to
marry old Aarons i could have three
or four tire-women and q dressing
o with the walls ell covered with