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Diane took the paper and read: "D. and I are to be married to-night. Be ready to receive us to-morrow. "When did this come?" Diane asked, quickly. "About half an hour ago. I sent for you at once." "I see it's dated from Lakefield. Where's that?" Mrs. Wappinger explained that Lakefield was a small winter health resort some two hours by train from New York.
They were more numerous than they had been for a long time past. The meeting at Lakefield had changed her mental attitude toward Derek Pruyn, taking a large part of the pain out of her thoughts of him, as well as out of his thoughts of her.
It has grieved me more than I could ever make you understand to know that during all these months you have doubted me." "I'm sure of that," she said, softly, gazing into the fire. "But haven't you wondered where I was that night when you followed me to Lakefield?" "If I have, I shouldn't presume to inquire." "It's a secret; but I should like to tell it to you.
She had no time to indulge in memories, but a tremor shot through her frame as she took up the pen and wrote on a sheet of paper which he had already headed with a date: "I have bad news for you, but I hope I may be in time to keep it from being worse. I have reason to think that Dorothea has gone to Lakefield to be married there to Carli Wappinger.
"Supposing it was, it can be reopened if there's a reason." "But there is none." "That's all you know about it. There's a very important reason." "Since when?" "Since Lakefield." "Do you mean anything that Monsieur de Bienville may have said?" "I do." "That wouldn't be a reason for me." "But you don't know " "I can imagine. Monsieur de Bienville has already done me all the harm he can.
A runaway marriage, she informed him, had been planned to take place that very night at Lakefield, and she had come there as the companion and friend of a motherless girl, her object being to postpone the ceremony. The manager listened with sympathy, and promised his help. As a matter of fact, a gentleman had arrived, driving his own motor, that very afternoon.
"And did she?" "She fulfilled her engagement to the letter. As soon as she was seated I drove away; and for six hours I didn't hear a sound from her." "Six hours? Did it take you all that time to reach Lakefield?" "I didn't go to Lakefield. I took her to Philadelphia. My one object was to keep her from meeting the young man that night; but perhaps that's where I made my mistake." "But why?
Should there be any mistake you will forgive me for disturbing you; but I think it well to be prepared for extreme possibilities. I am, therefore, going to Lakefield now at once. A train at seven-fifteen will get there a little after nine. There are other trains through the evening, the latest being at five minutes after ten.
But now it was a matter of Greek meeting Greek, and she must be given to understand that he was the stronger. How she had discovered their plans he did not stop to think; but he must make it plain to her that he was not duped into ascribing her presence at Lakefield to an accident. "Is it an extraordinary meeting, Mrs. Eveleth for you?" "No, not for me," Diane replied, readily.
There had been an accident, she said, of which she had been able to get only imperfect information, but it seemed possible that Miss Dorothea was involved in it. She herself was hurrying to Lakefield, and it would be Simmons' task to find Mr. Pruyn in time for him to catch the ten-five train, at latest. He was to pack two valises with all that Mr. Pruyn could require for a change.
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