Chapter 32 Part 2

The plan agreed upon between us for carrying out of our intentions was this.

At the time appointed Mary was to excuse herself to her cousin upon the plea that she had

promised to take me to see a friend in the next town.

She was then to enter a buggy previously ordered and drive here, more I was to join her.

We were then to proceed immediately to the minister's house in Fairmont where we had

reasoned to believe we should find everything prepared for us.

But in this plan, simple as it was, one thing was forgotten.

And that was the character of Eleanor's love for her cousin that her suspicions would

be aroused we did not doubt.

But that she would actually follow Mary up and demand an explanation of her conduct was

what neither she, who knew her so well, nor I, who knew her so little, ever imagined possible.

And yet that was just what occurred.

But let me explain.

Mary, who had followed up the program to the point of leaving a little note of excuse

on Eleanor's dressing table, had come to my house, and was just taking off her long cloak

to show me her dress when there came a commanding knock at the front door, hastily pulling

her cloak about her, I ran to open it, intending you may be sure, to dismiss my visitor with

short ceremony.

When I heard a voice behind me say, good heavens, it is Eleanor, and glancing back saw Mary

looking through the window blind upon the porch without.

What shall we do, I cried, in very natural dismay?

...