The Newtown bee., 1891-11-06

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through, let the newly welded couple
and their friends depart,
Three days after the celebration Of this
strange wedding, Hopkins came to me
and said that two strangers wished to
inspect the parish register. They declin-
ed to give their names and he wanted to
know if he ought to accede to their wish.
Telling the clerk that he had done
right in coming to me, | accompanied
him to the church, where the two strang-
ers were waiting.
There I found tall, well-bred, but dis
sipated-looking man of perhaps so years
of age and with him stout old gentle
man, with pink face and bushy white
whiskers. | declined to show them the
register till L knew who they were; and,
though they disputed my right to the in
formation, eventually the old gentleman
handed me his card, from which [ learn
ed that his name was Cornelius Strange
and that he was solicitor. This was
enough for me. L babe Hopkins take
down the ponderous volume and lay it
on bue NeSGIy tdDIes
The younger of the two men pounced
on it and turned with an agitation which
he could not conceal to the last entry in
the registry of marriages.
"Done, by all--!" he exclaimed.
Remember, sir, where you are,' |
cried sternly.
The stranger gave me look of haugh-
ty Indifference, burst into hooking
laugh and walked out of the vestry, his
companion following him.
1t will readily be believed that [ took
an early opportunity of walking over to
old Dams cottage. did not expect that
l should find his wife there; probably,
thought, he had himself left the neigh
borhood. In this surmise, however, [
was mistaken. The sergeant was at
home busying himself about his house
hold affairs, and trying to look as if his
marriage had never taken place.
AS time went on, I saw plainly by the
absence of remarks that would have 9TH
erwise have been made to me that Old
Dams marriage had been kept pro-
found secret. Hopkins had probably
been bribed to hold his tongue. | held
mine, as | could not perceive that talk
ing of the ill.assorted union could avail.
Dan came and went as usual, but it
struck me that there was certain air of
sadness about his face which was not
there formerly. There was not about him
that buoyancy, that gallant lightheart
edness, which had been peculiar to him.
He was now in reality what he had new
er hitherto seemed to bean old man. At
the same time, there was not wanting
signs that his material we'll being was
now looked after in a fashion to which
he had before been stranger.
In the course of the following Summer
| found the interminable dizziness, the
lack of all life and motion, which char
acterized my parish to be absolutely I'M
bearable. | therefore sought and obtain
ed an exchange of livings. My new
charge was at Redbourne, a small town
within 20 miles of London.
1t was some years after l left Penbury
that | had occasion to attend court of
petty sessions, held few miles from
Redbourne. AS [ sat in court, waiting
for the case in which / was interested to
be called, it struck me that the face of
one of the magistrates on the bench was
familiar to me. [ had no very pleasant
association connected with it, and yet
~ have it - [ silently exclaimed. 'He
is the friend of the lady of the mysteri-
Gus wedding"
So strong was my curiosity to know
the truth of that affair that [ waited I'M
til the business of the court was over
and, having ascertained that the gentle
mans name was Arthur Mayne, [ sent
him my card and asked for an interview.
On being presented to him, | asked him
If he remembered me; as he only smiled
and shook his head, | recalled the facts
to his remembrance, adding that if he
felt at liberty, now that so long time
had elapsed, to indulge my curiosity, /
should be happy to know the reasons
which had prompted the unequal match
and whether in the result it had been sat
isfactory.
Instead of replying directly, Mr. Mayne
-@SSAS~~S~SN
him that evening. / promptly accepted
the invitation and in a few minutes more
we were seated in his carriage and were
being carried rapidly into the country.
After drive of three-quarters of an
hour, we turned into an avenue and APP
of charming appearance. The carriage
stopped at the hall door and, as soon as
| had crossed the threshold, beheld the
lady who had become the wife of old
Dan, the pensioner! She was now a
blooming matron, baby in her arms
and another infant at her skirts.
Her memory was better than Mr.
Mayne's. AS she recognized me, she
started, blushed wildly, and finally
turned away without speaking. My
companion followed her, and then, re-
turning to me, he led me into small
room near at hand and, begging me to
sit down, he told me the following story:
"When was a young man." he said,
II spent great part of my time with
my uncle, who was my nearest living
relative. He lived in Herefordshire,
just ON the Welsh border, and the house
nearest to ours was Lord Roystone's
place, iDenham CASTLE By chance, I
met one day in the woods, walking with
young lady whom / knew, Miss Dem
ham, the old Lords daughter. My
friend introduced me to Miss Denham,
and / need only say that stroye with
all my might to improve the acquaint-
nnno FOR bod falIon fInrxanra folrr Ii