Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1896-03-19

iuStrouS, dark eyes. you VIII ktli
me. If anything happened to you,
Rene, / should die. love you, indeed
do. Can do nothing nothing to
make you forget what you have suf-
fered for my sake?"
YES" he said Softly, You can be
my wife"
How can II" she cried. AT school
had the opportunity of getting out
alone or almost alone, but here there
is no chance Even now / have only
about half an hour free. And here
there is no registry Office and ! should
be known if | went-and wedding
in church would be quite impossible. ;"
Would it?" said Rene, quietly,
you know II would"
Dearest, | am not so sure, | have
been making inquiries, Now listen to
me attentively We are six miles from
Bratton good-sized market town
and fast horse and cart could do the
distance in an hour, In Bratton !
have discovered an out-of-the-way
little church. where nobody ever goes,
which is served as they call il, by a
brok en-down, poverty-stricken curate,
who would do anything for fee. !
have made his acquaintance and |
know exactly the kind of man. Con-
stance, let me marry you there. before
/ so to London"
She was trembling all over, but re-
piled with less hesitation taan he ex-
pected Il will do anything you like,
but will 1t not be very dangenus?"
There may be little danger OF
discovery, but very slight, You would
risk little danger for me, would you
not?"
"Of course would, but why a
church," said Constance with some
reluctance in her tone. why not an
office like the one in London"
Because, dear, in an office at Brat
ton you would likely be recognized by
the clerks or some one who knew your
name. It would be much more dan
gerous, think, than in an obscure
little church like the one l mean
And | would get special license. so
that we would not need to put up
banns You see have been studying
the matter for your dear sake"
And is there no difficulty about get
ting the license?"
"None whatever He knew well
enough that he could not get 1t without
perjuring himself, because Constance
was under age, but he did not think
1t we'll to say so to her You may
safely leave all those arrangements to
me. Do you consent, my sweet and
beautiful one?"
Eyes if-but l really don't see how
1t is possible, Rene. How can | get
over to BIatton?"
Easily, | think. What time do
you breakfast"
About g."
"Punctually?'
Eyes, as rule, but Aunt Selma al
wars allows me a little grace if she
thinks / have headache. Several
times, lately, I have bepn a quarter of
an hour late and she said nothing at
all
would she send up to your room
If you were later than that?'
Probably but | could get my maid,
Martin, to say that | was nearly ready
and would be down directly What
is it you mean, Rene? What are you
planning"
1T is very easy" said De Marsac,
with decision. To-day week, my queen,
you will rise early and at o'clock you
will steal out of the house and make
your way to the high road where at
the cross roads / will be waiting with
d vehicle and the fastest horse can
find.
'Then | will drive you to Bratton,
where the curate shall be waiting for
us at the church At o'clock he will
make you my wife and | will drive you
home again in time for breakfast.
Prosaic contamination, so English. so
divinely commonplace But that
quarter of an hour in Bratton will
have joined us together for all time"
How clever you are, Rene, said
the girl in a low voice. Then after
moments pause: u will do It, | will
meet you at O'CLOCK.
'You brave girl Dear, heroic,
lovely. everything that is beautiful"
cried the enraptured lover, kissing her
hands first and then her lips. you
will make me the happiest Of men"
They exchanged a few words re-
specting their arrangements and then
Constance very sorrowfully murmured
that she must 60 She ran back to the
house and lay down in her dressing
room only just in time to escape dis
coyery, for Lady Esler, feeling a little
uncomfortable respecting her niece's
indisposition, hurried over her calls
and returned home full half-hour be-
fore Constance expected her.
II may be asked whether she felt no
compunction for the deceit that she
was about to practice, some remorse
fer the ingratitude with which she was
repaying Lady Esler's unyarying kind
ness to her since childhood If these
feelings existed in Constance's mind at
all 1T was in very rudimentary de-
a.. FLTe yarboy,c I aJ.s r.,