The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1896-07-10
lsora's Bridal Vow.
CHAPTER VII-CoNT1Nurn
BY nLoUNr.

ing fields and lanes with a dull.
heavy pain throbbing and aching at
her heart. By and by she drew her
veil over her face and leaned back
In her own orner Sir Laurence
chose to fancy that she was sleeping
M beguiled the journey by talking
10 her father in a low voice. He
seemed animated-even eager-at
times, but she had no curiosity left,
n did not even wish to hear
What they were saying.
line train was Whistling and
screaming into the Waterloo station
at last, and Sir Laurence helping her
out signaled the best looking Of the
private hys in attendance, and
placed her therein.
'.Drive to the Spread Eagle she
heard him say to the man as he
closed The door. And then, after
jllting and rumbling awhile over
those London streets which were by
no means paved with gold like the
streets of her childish dreams, thew
turned into a dingy old court yard
Uttered with straw and surrounded
by a high carved gallery, from
which opened bed room doors on
every side. A clumsily carved
wooden bridge crossed the court
yard in mid-air, connecting either
side of the gallery with the other. A
yawning waiter, in a white apron,
bearing a breakfast tray, was just
crossing the bridge, and halted to
look down upon them.
Number three, Sir Laurencep
All ready, Sir Laurence, and a
bright fire burning. Breakfast, Sir
Laurence? For three, Sir Laurence9
In ten minutes it shall be served;
I'll go and see about it myself, Sir
Laurence!"
"Do, if you please. Rose, my love,
sit down here by the fire. The day
is chill, and you are looking pale"
Rose did not answer. She stood
beside the window, gazing out upon
the throng of business mon who
were hurrying to and fro aud up and
down Gracechurch street.
Ihe entrance Of the waiter with
the breakfast things called her to
the table. She ate nothing, much to
the dismay of Sir Laurence, who
tried in vain to tempt her with
dalnties. of which existence she had
never dreamed before.
The waiter entered and announced
a carriage at the door, and Rose,
turning deathly pale, gave her hand
to her father, and let him lead her
down the stairs.
"Cheer up, my girl" he whis-
pered, as they went along. ..He
will be n Of the best of husbands,
and you will be far happier than you
think for, when it is once over"
The church to which they drove
was n of those dark, gloomy city
edifices half hidden By frowning
buildings and Offices, where it seems
meet enough that a funeral should
be performed, but where youth and
love and beauty are strangely out of
place.
Rose looked about her at the dim
shrouded galleries and the frown-
ing altar, with a feeling of relief.
The indispensable dreariness of the
whole scene harmonized It'll her
feelings.
Sir Laurence glanced around the
dreary old church with an impatient
shrug Of his shoulders, then walked
toward the altar and waited for his
bride. He grasped her hand with
nervous force, as he slid the plain
gold ring upon it, and clasped her in
his arms with a fond, triumphant
glance, when the last words of the
solemn rite were spoken.
..Mine, Rose! mine forever now!' he
whispered,' and she, although she
shrank from him with all her heart
and soul. could not deny the truth of
his exultant words.
Leaning or his arm she was walk
ing down the center. aisle, when,
raising her eyes toward the organ
loft, she saw a pale, set face looking
down upon her-Jamie's dead face,
with the pallid lips and floating hair
-Jamie's face if ever she had known
and loved It's look in life.
..Look there! Oh, father look at
him! He is cursing the marriage,
and me. and you!!" she gasped with
a glance of horror, and then her
voice and strength failed together
and she sank fainting at her hus-
bands feet.
When she opened her eyes again
she saw, not Jamie's face, but her
husbands bending over her as pale
and stern as the other-the dead
one-had been. She moaned feebly
and put out her hand.
s.Father!!''