Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-06-28
BY J. II. FOSTER,
JAIL RIGHTS RESERVED. I

CHAPTER XxXIH.-A SLAVE OF THE RING .
1t was warm sultry morning at the
beginning of September, q couple of
hours before noon. The day was Mon
day. The numerous cotton mills on each
side OF Mitigate were in full swing, and
the low, inoessant hum of the countless
machines in the adjacent factories filled
the quiet cir with their vibrations.
The wide space of pavement at the
bottom of Mitigate was almost deserted,
only here and there was stray mill
worker to be seen, and the street itself
was wearing its most tranquil aspect. In
an hour or two the wide thoroughfare
would be busy enough when the many
stoIied buildings were emptied for d
brief space of their toiling spinners.
Presently hanson cab came rolling
down the street and drew up to the edge
of the curbstone right opposite the Star.
The driver, who was sprucely attired,
jumped from his seat, and, after daily
ing moment or two beside his horse,
marched into the old hostelry.
A little further up the street, at the
corner of the entry wherein the "Fac-
tory Queen and her unknown mother
had been found that wintry morn so long
past, two or three slatternly women were
standing, discussing their own and other
people s affairs with the freedom that
marks creatures of their class.
The arrival of the cab and the I'M
wOnted smartness of appearance of its
driver at once aroused their curiosity,
and one of the small knot of slatterns in
stantly remarked TO he. companions:
What up at the Star? That theer
carriage looks lahke o. weddin -
alt Is o. weddin' - another broke in.
"Eawr Dick towd me last meet as Nellie
Pemberton is going to marry that theer
young gentleman as wurks at Dick Har-
wood 's-Mester Mayhem they ca him.
That be it, sure snuff. -
A chorus of EXPLANATIONS flowed from
the lips of the other women at this state
ment, some of them disputing its ac-
curacy, Others accepting it without ques-
ton, but ali commenting freely on the
change of lovers the factory lassie had SO
suddenly made.
''The wench 'as soon forgot Mark
Eliot, - one of the gossips muttered,
with q sneer. "He's haply not deeud
yet. but that doesn't matter. Eawt o.
sect, eawt o. mahnd, it seems. -
"Nellie knows wor hoo's DONG an
other laughed. 500 gud-lookln' wench
lahke 'er thinks hersel too gud for
wOrkln chap. Hello, theer the weddin-
ers are!''
As the last speaker uttered these
words Nellie Pemberton and her FOSTER
mother, Nancy Ashton, came out of the
star and seated themselves in the vehicle
waiting at the door. Then the cabmau
mounted 10 his seat and the cab was
taken swiftly up Mitigate.
When the conveyance next came to a
standstill it was near to the side entrance
10 the Warringham parish church, and
on alightiug the girl and her companion
at once made their way towards the old
stone porch of the sacred edifice.
The two women were well but soberly
8ttired, and from their dress an onlooker
would not have been able to divine that
their mission there was a matrimonial
one. Nellie was closely yelled and the
unwonted paleneSs of her sweet face was
hidden from her dear foster parent.
But it was impossible for the girl to
hide her agitation from Nancy. Her
pulse was throbbing fiercely, feverishIy.
the hand that lay lightly on her COM
panion q arm shook like that of one who
was ague-stTicken, and her faltering
steps and quick breathing revealed what
her veil concealed.
"What Is the matter, Nellie?' Nancy
asked tenderly rs the porch was gained
aud they paused for a moment IN its
shadow. Are you i'll, wench! Yo're
tremblin lahke leaf. -
Nancy" Nellie cried in a strange,
broken voice, 81 have made mistake
a terrible mistakel This thing is a sham.
i do not love him as a woman ought to
love the man she marries Is it too late
10 stop 1t? wish we're dsadl''
The girls great eyes shone like stars
through the meshes of her veil as she
stood there facing the woman who had |
for nearly q score of years been TO her @ |
mother, and the despair in her heart |
rang out in her low iiDpassionsd words. |
"Not too late, wench, if ye' think |
yo' cannot be happy wi him. But why |
did you promise? Think of the bother it |
will cause now -
''Why did l ever promise?' Nellie |
echoed in n hopeless way. ~ was mad |
TO do it. thought might learn to care
for him in time; now know that shall |
never love again!'
Honest Nancy Ashton stood there, her |
comely, rosy countenance mirroring all |
the perplexity aud concern she felt at
that moment. Inside the church were
heT uusDduu huu W dlleT ASyuth HdlI- |
ing for the coming OF herself and the
fair, unwilling bride, and there Nellie
stood, her face rs white as the lace
which covered il, and her heart torn by
hundred doubts and fears.
What was she TO do? the iespairing
girl asked herself. Step into the church
and link her life for all time TO that of q
man whom she loved not, and yet had
been cajoIed into promising to marry; or
fly while she was quite free and face the
annoyance, the scandal her flight would
breed?
While the half distracted lassie pom
dered that question, circumstance threw
itself In the balance against her. She
half made up her mind to lily from the
porch when the inner door of the church
opened and Dan Ashton and Walter May
hew came hurriedly into the porch.
A little crowd of curious people had by
this time collected beside the church
door, and were now regarding the bridal
party with wondering gaze. This fact
only intensified the extreme difficulty OF
the poor girls position.
How could she explain her hesItance-
her fears and quslms in the face OF that
staring group OF bystanders, who would
perceive that hitch of soma kind had
arisen.
Had Mayhem been with her alone she
II.