The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1884-12-05


aisle. leaning on her uncle's arm.
She took her place beside Oscar We're,
evidently trembling with emotion,
whilst he looked down on the bent
head, a mist before his eyes, n wild
throbbing in his heart, as he thought
that his prize was won.
He went through the service as in a
dream, only startled into sudden con-
seriousness when the clergyman said
the words for him to repeat:
II, Oscar, take thee, Henrietta.
For the full name seemed so long and
strange to him-never having thought
of her as anything but Netta-his own
little Meta.
The brides responses were said so
low that no one but the Clergyman
could hear them, and her hand shook
so violently that the ring slipped on to
the floor, before Oscar could put it
on her finger. But at last it was ovr,
and with long-drawn sigh he rose
from his knees to take his first kiss,
knowing that nothing could part them
now.
With reverent fingers he raised the
lace veil, and stopped, an eager light
in his eyes. The next moment he step
ped back as if he had seen a ghost
'.Miss Trevanionw
Sir Edwards hand was on his arm.
my dear boy, are you mad?"
yes" he cried wildly, looking
round with bewildered eyes. There's
some mistake-some horrible mis-
takem
Hush, for heavens sake! Come
| ...to q :
ion hurriedly, as CONSERVATION spread
from face to face, and the bride looked
as if she would sink through the floor.
"But my wife!" gasped the BRIDE
groom, striking his forehead with his
hand. .'Wherc is she? I-I-can't
see her."
''Don't be fool!'' said Sir Edward
sternly, though his heart was sinking
with fear ''You must be madr'
Captain We're drew himself up to lis
full height, his face deathly pale, hi
lips quivering.
''Netta Trevanion is my wife! II
this is a joke, l fail to see it.
''Oh, what is the meaning of itp''
cried the mother, wringing her hands.
"My poor child sha'n't stay here TO be
insulted. Come away! Come away!'
She tried to lead the bride into the
vestry, and Colonel Trevanion grasped
the bridegroom's arm.
''If there is mistake, heaven help
you, but Henrietta is your wife, and no
enc else."
Oscar looked from one to the other
with distracted eyes; then, rs he real
lied that he had been caught in trap,
out of which there was no way but
death, that Meta was lost to him by
his own act forever, something seemed
to give way in heart or brain, and he
fell with heavy thud across the flow
ers and laces of the brides train.
They lifted him up, and carried him
to the vestry, while the guests slipped
away in dismay and confusion. The
bride was taken home by her mother,
the bridegroom by his father, and the
clergyman was left to ponder over the
assigned Neutrality-suspicious..
1T must be signedr' he said, with a
shake of his head; but when he went
up to the Hall the next day to see
about it, he was told that Captain We're
had left the evening before, and nobody
knew his present address.
And where had Oscar gone?
Prone on her face, in the long lush
grass, lay Meta Trevanion, hidden
away in the corner of field, which be-
lorged to Lady Morton, an old friend
of her poor dead mothers. Henrietta,
with many lies, and one improved forg-
cry, had made her believe that her
faithless lover had deserted her for the
sake of her richer cousin, and, unable
to bear the sight of the preparations for
the wedding, she had fled to Devon
shire, where she was welcomed with
true affection.
AS the weeks crawled by, her spirits
sank lower and lower; but when the
marriage day came, she made valiant
struggle with her depression, and
laughed and talked so brightly that
Lady Morton fondly hoped that the
wound was cured. She invited an elig-
IDLE young man to stay with her, and
smiled with pleasure when she saw him
fall head over ears in love with her
young protegee. But when Lord Carew
ventured to hint at proposal, Meta
broke away from him like q frightened
deer, and, running as fast as she could
through little wood, threw herself on
the grass in an out-of-the-way nook,
and sobbed as if her heart would break.
The mere thought Of love brought back
her pain in all its bitterness, and young
as she was, she prayed to heaven to
take her.
Metal
| That voice which she had never heard
since they parted under the applc-blos-
SONS. Was it a dreamp
She started to her feet, and looked
round with frightened eyes. The next
moment she was claspcd in pair of
strong arms, and pressed to a painting
chest. One long, passionate kiss, and
then she broke away from him, her
breast heaving, her eyes flashing.
Go" she said, pointing to the path
through the wood; ''you have no right
to be here
mo rightp" asked Oscar hoarscly;
"have you forgotten that day in the
orchardp"
mo" Her lips tremblcd and her
breath came fast. ''You swOre you
| Al