The herald., 1894-01-12


handed one of his $50 goldpieces to
the driver, and almost ran up the steps
of the church.
Once inside the edifce the lieutenant
found himself in the midst of an assem-
bled multitude Brilliant lights fash
ed in all directions, the organ was play
ing softly, aud there was the general air
of expectancy which always prevails
Just before the entrance of the bridal
party. The lieutenant's ono thought
was that he was still ON time. The
beatitude of the idea so possessed him
chat he did not heed the usher who po-
litely stepped forward as he started
down the center aisle, nor did he no
tice the hum of curiosity that ran over
the church when he had advanced to
the steps OF the altar and turned and
stood there erect and alone with an air
that was sublime in its imperturbabil-
ity. He had not arrived a moment too
soon, for scarcely had he turned and
faced the entrance when the buzz of ex-
pectation grew louder; the interpretive
murmurings of the organ turned into
the triumphant Joy of a wedding
march, and the bride-the end and brief
epitome of all-witn her retinue of men
and maids entered and had already be-
gun her progress toward the altar.
Without shade of self consciousness,
but if possible more erect and martial
than ever, the lieutenant stood there
and awaited her approach. Behind
him the officiating clergyman had si-
lently taken his place at the head of the
chancel steps, and two men in unexcep-
tional black, one of them with the air
Of an actor who was to play principal
part, had arrenged themselves near
him. The heutenant, whose senses
were absorbed by the spectacle in front
Of hin, had seen nothing of all this, al
though tho men in black Immediately
noticed him and had exchanged sig
nificant glances of inquiry.
The procession slowly advanced. 1t
was close upon him when his eyes for
some inexplicable reason strayed for a
moment from the bride and intelligent
! ly fastened themselves upon her escort,
upon whose arm she leaned. He start
ed, for it was not Mr.. White. Some
thing must unexpectedly have happened
to him, he thought, some sudden ill
ness, to keep him away. His glance
quickly went back to the bride, but this
time he did not start. For an instant
his heart stood still, and he ceased to
breathe. He could not believe tho evil
dence Of his eyes, but thought he had
suddenly gone mad Even though the
veil covered and in part concealed her,
the approaching figure was not Miss
White For one awful moment, that
| sometimes comes back to him in
dreams, he stood there without sense
or volition. Then he turned round and
saw the two men in evening dress in
the chancel behind him, and at once
the horror of it all flashed through his
mind.
How the lieutenant got out of the
! church he never knew, bat it was not
until he found himself on the sidewalk
that he came once more into full pos
session of his faculties. Then he am
bled up to a policeman and inquired
falteringly:
"What church is this?"
/ Cndpcl, was JlA6 reply. a
He did not groan-he WAS made Of
sterner stuff-but his heart sank like
lead within him. He had to go to the
corner of Fifth avenue before he found
a cab that was disengaged He didn't
care, however, he was in no hurry now.
He recognized the futility of even try
ing to hasten where haste could no lon
ger avail. When at last 81 man from the
opposite side of the street signaled his
readiness for fare he motioned him
across and asked in voice in whose
appealing note of despair there was an
infinite pathos, "Do you know where
the Church of the Holy Trinity is?"
II do, sir!' said the cabman.
"Where is it?'
"Corner Madison avenue and Forty
second, was the reply.
There" said the other wearily, lis
where desire to go.
When the lieutenant arrived, crushed
and discouraged, at the church for which
he had started out in such high spirits
earlier in the evening, he found it closed
and deserted. He had known that this
would be the case, and when the cab
drew up in front of the building he
didn't even dismount
1.-THE Dakota" he said hopelessly to
the cabman, and then wondered at him
self for having said it.
1t is a long drive from the Church of
the Holy Trinity to the great apartment
house in West Seventy street,
where the Whites lived. The lieuten-
ant, however, did not mind it this
time, for it gave him the needed oppor-
tunity to think over what course to pur-
sue. o. one thing he was certain-and
he accepted the fact grimly--he had
lost Miss White. Then there came to
him the realization Of that loss. He
thought bitterly of the lonely years that
stretched out before him; how his fam
lily and friends in Vienna, particularly
his fellow officers, would regard the
affair, and he resolved to see her once
more and learn whether he had forever
forfeited all claim to her affection. The
particulars of that interview have never
been divulged, but Lieutenant and Mrs.
Won Lendheim certainly started the
same evening on their wedding jour
ney. Mrs. White also left town imme-
diately, which, considering the predic-
ament in which the public was placed
| hv the marriage notice that had duly