The Portland daily press., 1883-05-19
r, PRESS.
SATURDAY MORNING. MAY 10.
My Terrible Wedding-day.
1.-THE Argosy.1
lcoNcLupEp FRoM YEsrERpAYl

smile as al ISTIOIc past. IL WIS u luOSl
full reality this charge against my husband.
sank upon the floor, overwhelmed for a
mome.t by the horror of 1t, Tbs next,
sprang 10 my feet, seized with a sudden sub
tie inspiration.
Summoning the waiter, said to him as
collectedly as l could: There is an old gem
tleman here, called Gooderngham--Mg.
Septimus GoodeIingham. l wish to see
him Immediately
He assured me that among so many peo-
pie no attention was paid 10 nsmes of casual
corners. If knew the gentleman's num-
ber'-
Fluid me his number, and this is yours
So saying, laid golden Drbe upon the
table. The waiter was not lgng in earning
his reward. The gentleman's number was
40; but he was out.
How should | know when he returned?
Cou.d / trust 10 any one in this huge hotel to
tell me? No. l would go to his room my
self and wait There was little difficulty in
carrying out my project Wrapping myself
in my large warm travelling cloak and put
ting on my bon.et, went up the staircase
to No. 40. The KEY was in the door. Not
the slightest lea have / how long sat
there in the cold and darkness; put at last
/ heard the handle turn, and Mr.. Gooder-
ingham came in
Never shall forget the look of unuttera-
Bile dismay that overspread his CHEEKY face.
as, raising the ca die he carried in his hand,
he allowed the light to fall upon me. Before
he could speak, grasped him bv the arm
and looking at HIM steadily, said, in so calm
voice it seemed to me as though an other,
not l. We're speaking:
MY husband has been arrested-chargei
with that dreadful crime yon were reading
of. He is inno .ent-l know he is innocent.
We were only married this morning Nj.
Gooderingham, something tells me that yon
can save himr
Il has been said that man is guided by
reason-woman by impulse; bgt should
say woman's guide is instinct, rather than
impulse, in such case as mine. Some
strange inst:nct-most surely it was not
reasob-caused me to believe This man could
save Edgar. So firm as he belief that il
gave me- fictiti US strength, and when had
related every detail that was known to me,
Iasked:
Now that you know all, what viii you
do?'
But l don't know ALL returned Mr..
Gooderingham. i only know only one side
yet, and that very imperfeetly; and / say
that, so far as eircumstantial evidence goes
it's eseugh 10 hang your husband OF any
other man. But now i'll work up the other
side, of course
To prove my husbands innocence@
No, young lady. To prove the truth
Was disappointed with this answer? mol
Ny faith in Edgar's innocence was complete.
To know the truth would prove it.
Mr. Gooderingham SAT for some moments
silent, lost in thought. Presently he asked:
by the by, you said there was a diamond
monogram upon the waich?'
yes
Again for few seconds he looked thought
full, as though his mind were occupied BE-
other matters than the ease in point. There
was panied, far-away look in his eyes
Il suppose these fancy watches are pretty
common now he continued. more as though
Speaking bis thoughts aloud than addressing
himself TO me. L didn't think so once. and
imagined / had chosen a present quite
unique, when | presented one, such as you
describe. to a lady. Poor thing. she was
very proud it then. Dear mel 1t is only
like the other day, that she-Were you
able TO make out the letters, or was it one of
those undecipherabe monograms that may
stano for anything? he asked, as though
new channel foI thought were opened out.
The letters were quite plain: they were
NJ. c.
If had suddenly accused him of the muir
der he could hardly have started more visi-
bly,:
'What% he cried, bending forward, and
grasping Systematically both arms of his
char. Not NJ. G. in Roman letters, on a
dark blue ground. Don't tell me that
Don'Ii don't!'
But it is the truth, Mr. Gooderingham.
You have described the watch exactly
Taose two letters stood out quite clearly on
a ground of dark blue enamel. But you
have discovered clnei Tell me?-for PHYS
sake tell me-
He jumped up, seized his hat, and was
rushing from the room. Vainly sought to
bar his passage
Useless to detain me. cannot plain.
In the morning | will tell you all | know.
1t may be all mistake, but-dear dear lis
coming perilously near home
With these enigmatical words, he left me
and buried down the siairs. Then slowly
and sadly sought my room, where sitting
down by the window, | kept my lonely vigil.
When midnight struck, knew my we'd
ding day was ended.
As the gray dawn frightened, the fog and
smoke to some extent dispersed, and the
Novembs sun, like great red ball Of fire,
rose higher a..d higher in the heavens. Was
it an adgury that my darkest hour was
past9
Some time after noon a commissionaire
brought me tiny, twisted note. II con-
tanned these words, written in pencil, hur-
riediy in Edgar's hand. sAl is we'll In an
hour or less / shalI be with you.' But the
reaction was too much. / flung myself up
4 short half hour more, and | was in Ed
CARS arms, laughing and crying aliernatels
al the strange JOY of it, and, in my newly
found happiness, forgetting to itquire, and
scarce caring 10 know, how il had come
about. But after little time knew, and
as briefly as possible, | will relate it here
When Edgar reached N after parting
with me on Saturday afternoon, he found a
telegram awaiting him from the firm Of ell
OF bod iva Il - Id
poihtment. II stated that The head Of the
hrrn v as obliged. unexpectedly, to start for
Paris Dext day, and desired Edgar, IL posi-
biz, TO meet him Ia London first, 10 receive
his final instructions. There was Just time
to save The O'Clock express to town, and
Edgar left by II, judging best not to Inform
me Of his sudden aud unexpected departure
He travelled alone from York to Petersbor-
ough.
At the last named station, when, after
few minutes delay, the train as on the
point of starting, young lady, apparently
III state OF considerable excitement ran
along the platform, and, pushing past the
guard who was about 10 close the door
jumped into The carriage beside my bus
band. They had proceeded some distance
before abe had sufficiently recovered breath
to speak. but at last, III gasps, she made him
understand she had no ticket, aid no money;
that she had run away from some greai
danger, and If he would have pity on her and
furnish her with sufficient funds to pursue
her journey, she would give him the address
of her uncle, by whom he would be repaid.
Her strange, excited manner alarmed my
husband Hoping to calm her h. handed
her his purse, requesting her TO take what
money she required. He saa her help her
self TO gold and silver. Then, with the
money aid purse still in her hand, she took
out her watch and tried apparently to de-
tach ii from the chain. Too impatient 10
eff CT this properly, she tore it off by sheer
force, breaking at the game Time the slender
plain chain If Indian gold to which it was
fastened. Then, placing the watch, togetn-
er with the purse, in Edgar's hand, she
said
Take that to Uncle Septimus; be will rec
ognize il and will repay you. l particularly
want him to have the watch. His adj
dress
She never spoke again, but with a stifed
cry, fell forward on the floor Of the carriage,
struggling and writhing in mortal agony
Edgar, guessing this 10 be either some par
oxysm Of madness or some sort Of fit, Crap
pied with her with all his might, but his ut
most natural strength was slight compared