The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-05-26
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WM &N&I0 4N3
 DONNA GABRIEL and MAD.
 ELINE ElUUAL who call them.
 selves "xhe Gabriel slstersv arc
 ClrHs performers. Years earlier
 nlaaes.ne ran away from her
 Wien Donna is injured by a
 fall from the trauese Nadelina
 arrangee for her Co be taken 10
 GRANDFATHER gTDDATSs
 farm to recuperaee. 10 please
 her partner Donna pretgnde 10
 be Madeline. she falls m love
 with BILL SIDDAL, Madeiine's
 cousin, and though she IS
 ashamed of deceivfng Bill and
 Grandfather she is afraid to tell
 the truth,
 Meanwhile Madeline marries
 CON DAVID, animal trainer
 with the circus, and Mith0uRh
 terrified of the Hons and tlgers
 takes part in his animal act.
 Back on the farm BllI confess.
 es his love to Donna and asks
 her to marry him.
 CHAPTER XVIII
 Donna and Bill decided to be married In September. From the day the decision woe made Donna was m fever of excitement. One moment she was determined to tell Hill the truth about her coming to the farm; the next she was just as detorrnined to go through with the ceremony, keeping him In ignor. ance as long as possible.
 The longer she postponed the telling, the more fearful she grew that in some manner he might learn the facts from someone else. She had visions of the real Made. line walking into the church just as the minister was about to pros nounce her Bilps wife; visions of an indignant letter arriving to in. form Grandfather eiddal that the girl he had taken into his heart and homo was an impostor; visions of Ell repudiating her, casting her out without even giving her a chance to defend herself.
 Although these fears overshad. owed her happiness, Donna contin. ued to reassure herself that Made. line could not do such thing. Throught the deception Madeline had won the man she loved. From her letters she seemed perfectly content to let another take her place at the farm and never to see hgl tVA9btVgb 0BHiUs
 Donna regretted that she had de. stroyed the iettors Madeline had written, for they would have sup. piled proof that the trickery had been of tho other girls planning. Now all she had to offer was her own word, for sho doubted that Madeline would come forward with any statement that might blaeken herself. Sometimes Donna wondered # Con knew the truth.
 Mrs Planter went about her du- tics with pinched lips and q silent dlsapproval that expressed itself in everything she did. Sometimes Donna could feel the narrow eyes studying her and the girl deter. mined thatp once she was 'Bili's wife, the housekeeper should be dismissed.
 Yet tho days Of preparing for tho wedding were, on tho whole, happy ones. Long hours with Bill only increased hor love for him. Although his physical magnetism, obvious good looks and cheery fia- ture had first won her admiration, now it was those sterling qualities of charncter--hIs sense of honor, unscifishnoss and high principles that each day made him dearer. The fact that she knew Hlll to bo tho soul of Integrity himself made her evon moro afraid to toll him what she had done.
 It was not so much her return to tho farm after her injury that made her feel guilty as 1t was the first deliberate deception that hnd brought her there. Looking back at those 24 hours when sho hnd Tod Bill to believe she was his cousin, whom she had taken advantaBo of tho old mans blindness. Donna's checks burned with shame.
 Loving Bill with every throb of her heart and evory breath sho drew, finding his presence dearer than life itself, she could not bring herself to risk the loss of her hap piness whom 1t seemed SO close within her grasp.
 She and Bill spent long, lazy days under the trees beside tho little stream. They discbvercd that they had many tastes in common, learned tho sheer, exquisite delight of siiences shared with another with whom words were unneces' sary. Now that he was nt peace, Bill seemed to have moro leisure and every possible waking moment he spent with Donna.
 Minnie Jonos, who was as pron. eient with Q needle as sho was with her tongue came to help make tho trousseau. It was simple one, suitable for e farmers wife, but because marriage to Donna was holy sacrament she wanted every- thing new. Fortunately, like many troupers, she had never banked her money but had carried 1t In sgrouch bag' around her waist and she was well supplied with funds.