Mexico weekly ledger., 1889-05-16
CHAPTER XXXI.

There was a very quiet wedding at tho
Ianker's stately home Il few weeks later.
Mr.. EverlciSh would have deferred it 4 year
had the matter been left to him, but when
did he eyer deny any wish which Althea eX-
pressed? And Lyman, feeling himself very
unworthy, very humble. had his happiness
crowned by that great gift of love which he
had thought to renounce when he strayed
away from the path of honor, but which had
come to him freely when he returned to that
path of his own accord.
Only the near friends of the bride and
groom were present-Carol and Norris, as
a matter Of ~C0urse-and Uncle Amos beam
ing his approval upon the scene.
Though | did feel cut up when l heard
Of it first, Everleigh." he contided to his
old friend; lido you know that l had my
heart set upon my boy and your girl max
ing q match of it, but that little Carol has
beE1tched him, l can see; so it's all for the
best. They'll have to wait awhile. till Norris
makes a start, but he'll do it; that detect
i've business shows that he has the stuff in
him. l think it rather q pity that he don't
care to follow that line; but l tell you what
it is, Everleigh, you'll " him for your
partner yeti prophesicd the little man,
with a pardonable enthusiasm, which
brought a smile to the bankers face.
81 shall not want a better one, Amos,
since Lyman has chosen to go back to his
~clerkship. Of course, it was all that could
be done at this time, but l don't mind tell
ing you that l have a scheme to benefit them
both one of these days
The scheme was to admit the two young
men, upon their merits. to an interest in
the business, but it was not left to Mr..
Everleigh's generosity to bring about that
end
The marriage ceremony was over, the
wedding breakfast ditto; in half an hour
more the newly-wedded pair would depart
upon their bridal journey, when the bell
rang, and 4 visitor was shown into the IL
brary who had business with the bridegroom.
The brides glance followed him anxiously
as he left the room; Carol, too, had a vague
fear of some impending disaster, and Norris
read her thought in the slight cloud which
came over her fair young face.
"There is nothing to fear he said, reas-
suringly. "Lyman's troubles are all over;
he kept nothing back, SO there is nothing to
come up against him now"
a mist came into the eyes lifted to his.
"How good you have all been to my
brotherl No one seems to hold his fault
against him, yet l believe that very fact
makes him feel it all the more. Think how
hard it is for hin not to be perfectly happy,
even to-day
every hard. But don't you think it just
as hard that / should not be perfectly happy
when so very little would make me SO,
Carol2 Lyman does not need you any
longer. l do. When will you say yes to tho
question l have asked you-how often2n
\ mischievous CLEAN came into her eyes
now.
"Are you sure that you nave asked ita"
II know tina 1 have tried to q dozen
times, and that you would not listen. Is it
because you do not wish to hear me, Miss
Childera In that case / will not trouble
you again"
There was really Il hurt feeling in the
young mans tones. He had not felt so
sure of her love of late as he had on that
day when he drove back!with her from the
depot, when she had told him with all cam
dor not to set his heart on her. Suppose
she had meant then that she could never
love him. He had not taken it<n that light
at the time. He expected, when the shadow
was lifted from Lyman, that all would be
clear between them, yet Carol had succeeded
In holding him at arms length; she avoided
him; she checked tho burning words which
had risen more than once to his lips. Gould
this mean any thing except that she was
less fond of him than he was Of her!
She gave him a glance now from beneath
her dropping lashes.
even if I am willing to listen, Norris,
do you want Uncle Amos and Mr.. Everleigh
and all the rest to hear you, too"
"What do l care if all the world hears, so
YOU promise soon to be my wife"
81 suppose / must promise soon, then, for