But Maude was not quite
hardened yet; and the shame of her situation was tingeing her eyelids.
CHAPTER XVIII.
THE STRANGER.
Lord Hartledon was leading his bride through the chapel at the conclusion
of the ceremony, when his attention was caught by something outside one
of the windows. At first he thought it was a black cat curled up in some
impossible fashion, but soon saw it was a dark human face. And that face
he discovered to be Mr. Pike's, peering earnestly in.
"Hedges, send that man away. How dare he intrude himself in this manner?
How has he got up to the window?"
For these windows were high beyond the ordinary height of man. Hedges
went out, a sharp reprimand on his tongue, and found that Mr. Pike had
been at the trouble of carrying a heap of stones from a distance and
piling them up to stand upon.
"Well, you must have a curiosity!" he exclaimed, in his surprise. "Just
put those stones back in their places, and take yourself away."
"You are right," said the man. "I have a curiosity in all that concerns
the new lord. But I am going away now."
He leaped down as he spoke, and began to replace the stones. Hedges went
in again.
The carriage, waiting to convey them away, was already at the door, the
impatient horses pawing the ground. Maude changed her dress with all
speed; and in driving down the road by starlight they overtook Thomas
Carr, carrying his own portmanteau.
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