Let's Kiss and Part

22

Two weeks rolled around very quickly and brought Cassidy's wedding day again.

This would be a home wedding at Mrs. van Dorn's, where Cassidy was still staying.

And she had chosen another maid of honor because the first one was still absent in the South.

Adler also would have to select another friend for his best man, as Ernest Noel had mysteriously disappeared.

No one had seen him since the afternoon when he had taken Miss Ellyson sleigh riding, and it was currently believed that the young man had committed suicide.

Cassidy had lent color to this report by frankly owning that Noel had perfidiously sought to win her from Frank, and in the madness of disappointment threatened to take his own life.

She told glibly of their long sleigh ride, in which they had been caught in the snowstorm and lost their way, not returning until after nightfall.

She grew pale and grave when she told how Noel had pleaded for her love in passionate phrases, and how angry he had grown when she had upbraided him for his treachery to his friend.

With her hand close clasped in Adler's, Cassidy had repeated her story, ending sadly:

"I was very angry with the poor fellow, yet I pitied him, too; he was so tragically in earnest, and I shall never forget him as I saw him last when he left me at the door. His face was pale as death, and his eyes glared wildly under the electric lights as he took my hand in his and kissed it, murmuring tragically:

"You will never see me again, for I cannot bear my life without your love! I shall end it tonight, and when you hear of my death you will know I did it for your sake, and may the thought of it prove a thorn in the roses of your happiness!".

Cassidy's voice sank to a low, sobbing cadence as she added:

"He looked wild enough to do any rash deed, but I did not believe him, I thought he was only trying to frighten me. I said good night quickly, and ran into the house, for I was almost frozen, and scared half to death from our interview."

"Poor Cassidy—Poor Noel! It was very distressing to you both, I know, and I fear he really carried out his threat, for nothing has been heard of him yet, and his relatives are getting very anxious," said Frank gravely, almost wishing in his heart that Cassidy had taken pity on Noel's love and accepted him.

He knew well that she had coquetted with the young man and led him on to his madness—he had seen it all along while he lay ill—but it was useless to blame her, he could only think bitterly:

"Why will women break hearts for past times?"

But following the thought, a pale, reproachful face seemed to rise before him, and lips that he had kissed for the whim of a moment—red, rosy lips—seemed to murmur:

"What of men?"

So, he could not reproach Cassidy; he was not without fault himself.

The days passed quickly with no tidings of Noel, and the twenty-second of December came—his wedding day!

Oh, with what joy he had looked forward to it once! The day that should give him proud, beautiful Cassidy for his own!

He had loved her madly for a little while, but all his efforts could not bring back the passion now. It was cold and dead, and his heart lay like a stone in his chest.

They had decided to go South on a bridal tour, both having crossed the ocean several times so that there would have been no novelty in the trip. Everything was in readiness for the journey as soon as the wedding reception was over.

Why was it that he could look forward so indifferently to the journey with the stately bride for whose sake he was bitterly envied by other men? Did a dead hand, small and white and warning—rise between him and his bride, barring out happiness?

It almost seemed so.