Jolly Sally Pendleton: or, the Wife Who Was Not a Wife. Libbey Laura Jean

it had been Louisa instead of Sally," he mused, bitterly, "the fate that I have brought upon myself would be more bearable."

      He was so miserable as he listened to Sally's ceaseless chatter that he felt that if he had a revolver, he would shoot himself then and there, and thus end it all.

      CHAPTER XVI

"WHERE THERE IS NO JEALOUSY THERE IS LITTLE LOVE!"

      It was a relief to Jay Gardiner when he found himself out of the house and on the street. The short two hours he had passed in Sally's society were more trying on his nerves than the hardest day's work could have been.

      He groaned aloud at the thought of the long years he was destined to live though, with this girl as his companion.

      He had come at seven, and made his adieu at nine. Sally then went upstairs to her mother's room with a very discontented face, and entered the boudoir in anything but the best of humors.

      Mrs. Pendleton looked up from the book she was reading, with an expression of astonishment and wonder.

      "Surely Doctor Gardiner has not gone so soon!" she exclaimed.

      "Yes, he has," replied Sally, laconically.

      "I suppose some important duty called him away so early?"

      "He did not say so," returned her daughter, crossly.

      "Is he coming soon again?" questioned Mrs. Pendleton, anxiously.

      "I don't know," replied Sally; adding, slowly: "When I tried to find out when he would call again, he seemed annoyed, and replied, curtly: 'That will be hard for me to determine, Miss Pendleton. You must remember that those in my profession have few leisure hours.' He would not set a time. I had to let the matter rest at that."

      "He is not very much in love, then, I fear, my dear Sally," said her mother, reflectively. "Still, bad beginnings often make good endings. But I had almost forgotten to tell you the startling news, my dear," added Mrs. Pendleton, hastily. "Your aunt, Sally Rogers, is here. Louisa is entertaining her up in her boudoir. You must not be surprised, or show too much amusement when you see her. She is a sight. We would be eternally disgraced if the neighbors were to see her. She is fairly covered with rags – yes, rags! There are holes in her shoes; there never was such a bonnet worn since the time of the ark; and as for gloves, she disdains such an article of feminine attire altogether. I do not think one will have to wait long to come into possession of her fortune. But run up to your sister's room and greet old Miss Sally as affectionately as possible."

      Sally was rather glad of this intelligence, for it prevented her from having a very bad case of the blues in thinking over her lover's coldness, and how irksome this betrothal was to him.