The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-05-16
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ran away from her grandfather
farm.
When Donna is injured by a
fell from the trapcze Madeline
arrcngcs for her TO be taken te
Grardfather SiddaPs farm to re-
ecuPcratc. To please her partner
Oonr, prctepos TO be Madeline
She falls in love with Bill Siddal
! ME- defines cousin, and though she
is ashamed of dcceiving Bill anc
Grandfather she is afraid to tel
e. truth.
Meanwhile Madeline marie:
Cor David, animal trairer with
the circus, and although terrified
of the lions and tigers takes part
ir his animal act.
! Back on the farm Bill confcsscs
his love to Donna and asks he,
to marry him.
NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY
CHAPTER XVIII
Donna and Bill decided to be
married in September. From the
day the decision was made Donna
was in a fever of excitement
One moment she was determined
to tell Bill the truth about hel
coming to the farm; the next she
was Just as determined to &c
through with the ceremony, keep
ing him in ignorance 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 some,
one else. She had visions of the
real Madeline walking into the
church just as the minister was
about to pronounce her Bilrs
wife; visions of an indignant let,
ter arriving to inform Grand,
father Siddal that the girl he hat
taken into his heart and home
was an impostor; visions Of Bill
repudiating her, casting her out
without even giving her a chance
to defend herself.
! Although these fears overShad
owed her happiness, Donna con
tinucd to reassure herself that
Madeline could not do such {
thing. Through the deception
Madeline had won the man she
loved. From her letters she seem
perfectly content to let another
take her place at the farm anC
never to see her relatives again
Donna regretted that she haC
destroyed the letters Madeline
had written. for they would have
supplied proof that the trucker!
had been of the other girls plan
ming. Now all she had to offel
was her own word. for she doubt
ed that Madeline would come for
ward with any statement tina
might blacken herself. Sometime!
Donna wondered if Con knew thu
truth.
Mrs. Planter went about hel
duties with 'pinched lips and 81
lent disapproval that expressed
itself in everything she did
Sometimes Donna could feel The
narrow eyes studying her and thu
girl determined that, once sh:
was Bill's wife, the housckcepel
should be dismissed.
Yet the days of preparing fol-
the wedding were, on the whole
happy ones. Long hours with Bill
only increased her love for him
ALTHOUGH his physical magnetism
obvious good looks and CHEEKY
nature had first won her admira
ton, now it was those sterling
qualities of characteristic sense
of honor, unselfishness and high
principles-that each day made
him dearer. The fact that she
knew Bill to he the soul Of in
tcgrity himself made her ever
more afraid to tell him what she
I had done.
! 1t was not so much her return
to the farm after her injury that
made her feel guilty as it was the
first deliberate deception that
had brought her there. Looking
back at those "a hours when she
! had led Bill to believe she was
! his cousin, when she had taker
advantage of the old mans blind
ness, Donna's cheeks burned with
shame.
Loving Bill with every throb OF
| her heart and every breath she
drew, finding his presence dearel
than life itself, she could not
bring herself to risk the loss OF
! her happiness when it seemed sc
close within her grasp.
She and Bill spent long, lazy
days under the trees beside the
little stream. They discovered
hat they had many tastes in com,
mon, learned the sheer, exquisite
delight of silences shared with
another with whom words were
unnecessary. Now that he was
at peace, Bill seemed to have
more leisure and every possible
waking moment he spent with
Donna.
Minnie Jones, who was as pro-
ficient with a needle as she was
with her tongue, came to helr
make the trousseau. 1t was a sim
pie one, suitable for farmer
wife, but because marriage to
Donna was a holy sacrament she
wanted everything new. Fortu,
nately, like many troupers. she
never banked her money but had
/ :, ! Z IL L.,