The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-05-28

10 the means wnlcn tney emp.. 70 sanMn
her."
Maud ovington laughed si1very laugh
ss the General said this.
Surely, CRANKY" she said, carelessly,
''you have not been so foolish as to listen to
those horrible people againi I cannot for
get how you frightened me before by saying
the most ridiculous and extraordinary
things"
The General looked scrutinizingly at his
promised bride. Innocence and candor
seemed to beam like the light of morning
from her beautiful eyes.
"It is no matter for jesting. Maud" he
said, gravely. "Whoever these enemies are,
and whatever motive they may have, they
are relentless, subtle and implacable. You
say that l should not have listened. Did
YOU know all, you would wonder that am
here to-day to lead you to the altar"
"what, then, did they dare to sayT' ex-
claimed Mr.. Ovington, rising from his chair,
as if ready to denounce and defy the hidden
enemies Of his beloved daughter. "What
did these wretches dare to say against my
innocent chiid?"
"They say that which win not repest
answered CRANKY Dumont. II will not
pollute the ears of the woman love, upon
this day above all other days, by repeating
the infamous words which | heard the night
YOU we're injured and which were reiterated
last night There is no time to be lost. 1t
wants only ten minutes to the half hour.
Nv reason for anticipating the appointed
time is this: there is little doubt these peo-
ple-these secret enemies of Maud-will try
to be present at the ceremony; nay, perhaps,
will even be more daring and attempt some
indirect insult toward the bride as she enters
or leaves the church. / would prevent
this"
s'And it shall be prevented" cried Mr..
Ovington, energetically. "You are noble
fellow, CRANKY, and Heaven grant you may
be rewarded for your goodness! Come,
Maud, these people shall not enjoy the infa-
nous triumph of making you unhappy upon
your wedding day. l will take your car
riage CRANKY, and you can follow immedi-
ately. We shall reach the ohur h in five
minutes"
"You will find all ready" said the Gen
eral II have seen and spoken to the
clergyman, and all is arranged
At twenty-five minutes before eleven, Mr..
Ovington and his daughter assembled the
steps of the church. The General had taken
q hanson cab and had arrived before them
The clergyman was waiting to perform the
ceremony. The brides father and the sex
ton were the only witnesses of this strange,
hurried wedding
The day was dark and gloomy, and there
seemed something ominous Of evil to come
in this hurried ceremony. Out of place in
tho almost empty church appeared the
brides magnificent costume.
1t wanted five minutes to eleven when the
service was completed and the General gave
his arm to the bride to conduct her to the
carriage in waiting. As they left tho church
the equipages OF the guests who were tt
have assisted at the wedding began to ar
rive, and elegantly. dressed women and aris
tocratic men alighted before the steps of the
sacred edifce. 1t was Mr.. Ovngtons tass
to explain to these guests that there hae
been mistake in the hour for the ceremony
As the bride and groom descended tho
steps, Mr.. James Dalton met them. HI
bowed low as he approached the bride ant
stood aside, hat in hand, while she passed
him.
"Let me be the first to offer my congratu
lations to Mrs CRANKY Dumont,' be said
courteously.
"And let me be the second" said tht
voice of one Of the persons in the front row
Of the crowd which had already ASSEMBLED
about the steps of the church.
The person who spoke was a woman
ressed in the deepest mourning that can b
worn in memory Of very near relation
The bride turned at the sound Of this voic
and looked scrutinizingly at the person VIII
had spoken, but the womau's face was com
pletely concealed by a double veil Of bmcl
Grape.
The guests re-entered their carriages anc
followed the equpage of the bride and bride
groom to Mr. Ovington's mansion. mag
uifcent wedding breakfast awaited them il
he large dining-room, but the party wa
small and the long table looked dreary il
ts splendor under the cold light Of the De
eember day.
At about three o'clock in the afternoon
Mrs. Dumont assembled to her own apart
nents to change her brilliant bridal costun
or one more subdued. Soon after til
suests left.
The newly-married couple were to spen
heir honeymoon with the father of tn
bride, at his urgent request, and were not
leave the city for some time.
TTo RE CONTINUED.