Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1898-11-24

that she sat thus for some hours ohliv-
iouS of every sound and dead to all
feeling: but. as 4 matter of fact. ii
WAS only half-past six when she was
reused by 4 tap at the door.
Come in she calculated. weakly.
and sat up. expecting TO see Mrs.
Johns. But who should walk i'll but
Margery Herbert.
You brick" exclaimed the latter.
enthusiastically. running to Judith.
who could only stare in bewildercd
surprise. and tlaspiny her i'll her arms.
Il always felt. somehow. that YOU
would marry Fred. though not exactly
III this harum-Scarum fashion. You
can imagine my surprise when open
ed this telegram nj half-paSt eight this
morning. and read: Come NJ once:
judith and are To he married to-mor-
row, OF course. | had To pack up a
few things; so | lost two trains.
thereby mourning a lecture from Fred
when he met me 1T the station. How
ever. am here. So perhaps YOU Will
tell me all about it. Judy"
Eut She spoke 10 unhccdn. ears. for
judith had tainted.
~ nice sort of wedding must say.
to bring anyone so many miles to See
was Mar.ery Herherl'S comment rs
she. her brother and Judith left
small church in LinSborou:M about ten
O'Clock the next morning. The con-
vcntional marriage one reads OF so
ofren-the parSon, the pcw-opener, and
the happy pair
With feminine Paul Pry. in the
49, y.
hind a convenient pillar" was her
brother. ligh hearted rcioinder
However. we don't mind do we. Ju,
dith: Happiness does not always fol
low white satin. eight bridesmaids and
peallng bells. so we stand as fair Il
chance as if we had been married with
the usual adjuncts.'
Yes" asSentcd Judith. who was
looking pale and Worn and Very I'M
hridelike in her tumbl.l muslin gown:
but the captain does not seem 10 care,
as her dark eyes met his atfrc,iOnat"-
ly. ana that was sufficient to content
him.
judith had thought. half an hour be-
fore. when she had walked up the aisle
TO join him at the altar. that he was
looking very far from happy; but he
could not but feel quiet pleasure in
the reflection that it was due to his
satisfaction in being safely united to
herself.
You sec. did not fail you Judith"
he remarked. with boyish eagerness.
on their return 10 the hotel when
Margery had left them in Mrs. Johns
sitting room while she rcpacked her
traveling-bas for her return to town.
You promised me YOU would not
Judith replied, hardly knowing how to
answer, but determined that he should
never know what torturcs Of suspense
she had endured.
Always trust me. dear" he eX-
claimed. putting his arms about her
and drawing her to his side. Il love
you so dearly that YOU can make me
then whispered. Try to love me. Ju
dith"'
He looked so handsome. his eyes
We're so full of affection. his tone was
so filled with wistful pleading. that
Judith must have been stone not to
have been Il little moved.
IF l did not care for YOU could not
have married you" she answered;
should think. to trust a husband and
not to love him."
Then you are going to try to be
happy with me?'
Il am going to be happy with you
she corrected him; and he expressed
himself content.
For few minutes he sat silent by
her: and Judith, watching his partly
ayerted face, saw the look of anxiety
return to it that she had noticed in
church. While she was wondering at
the cause of it, he turned to her again
and said seriously:
II don't know if you believe in
omens, Judith: but what has hap
pened preceded our marriage for some
hours. When you know everything.
YOU will blame me, and. possibly. / de-
serve it. But l have suffered untold
rcn,orse during the past tw"nty-four
hours. Poor Townsllend shot himself
the night before last He is not dead
nor dying. but he is injured very Sc
vcrely"'
Judith never spoke. She moved
away from his encircling arm. and her
pale face whitened to the very lips:
but Captain Herbert had expected
more serious emotion. and 50 found
heart to resume:
II had better tell you everything. al
though there is no need to 20 into
details just now. Townshcnl returned
from the barracks earlier than he had
intended. thinking his wife would be
lonely while you and | were tete-a
tete and there is no doubt that he
must have overheard an unfortunate
conversation between me and his wife,
and shot himself in consequence be-
fore you and l We're well on our way
to Lsborough. The bullet, aimed at
his heart, narrowly missed it. and is
embedded in his breast. The doctor
says that he must have been laboring
under terrible excitement at the time,
for, if his hand had been steady. the
shot must have been fatal l did not
hear Of it until ten o'clock this morn
ing. went to the Park Immediately
to see if l could be Of any assistance;
but. Of course. did not see Towns
bend or his wife,
And Elsic|" family asked Judith
"Shc is prostrate-with grief and re-
morse. should imagine
and what do they think Of me-
81 don't know, and you need not
,or, 'rLa Durl. cnrvaptg did rnt mon