The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1899-11-24
CHAPTER V.-Continued.

eyes, but my carriage. 1t has just
gone with your messenger-boy to Jer-
sey City" He paused as his ear caught
low laugh tinkling under the veil. 1t
was contagious. He was smiling. too,
as he continued: "Shall we have an
other carriage and go on, risliing a
meeting? 1t seems cowardly to run
from anyone, but there are many de-
testable things which we might do that
would delay us till after midnight, in
spite of anything but common law,
which would be to degenerate alto
gether. / hate to run the other way,
but perhaps it would be wiser, tonight,
to go to Brooklyn instead. Does 1t
matter to you?"
"Dr. Atwood is my pastor, and l
would rather not go to him. But to
anyone else. Yes. | think it would be
better to go to Brooklyn" she said.
"Rev. Dr. Borden was a witness to
the will. 1t might save publicity, in a
legal way, afterwards, to have him also
perform the ceremony"
1t occurred to Stanton that this was
really a remarkable idea, and he was
wondering that it had not occurred to
him before, as the lady replied:
81 know just where he lives, and per-
haps it would be better that we should
not go together. will be there as soon
as you"
She had hardly ceased speaking when
she literally disappeared. Stanton
looked after her for moment, and the
tips of his teeth appeared as he NUT
tered:
shell be there some time before me
at that rate. To say the least, she's not
a cripple" Then he followed her.
On the way conflicting sentiments
SO thoroughly disturbed his first i'm
pressions of that new idea that by the
| time he arrived at DR.. Borden's he
heartily wished himself anywhere else
in the world, and it appeared the most
fortunate thing that the good lawyer
was attending a conference in lower
| New York and could not return before
| ten.
The lady talked necessarily, upon
subjects which had always interested
| him, and more than once Stanton
found, to his astonishment, that he
was laughing heartily at her wit and
joining eagerly in arguments, fire.
quently with the conviction that he
, came out of them overmatched. He
wondered that he was not bored, and
said to hi2lself that it were not for
the business ahead of him he should
count it one of the pleasantest even
to him that he would have been FORUM
ate if he had made the bargain for q
real wife, instead; only how could he
have known in advance? Yet under
meath it all his other mind was enter
tanning conflicting sentiments about
the advise bility of securing the services
of Judge Russell, after all. There were
certain social complications which
might result, later on, which would not
threaten if DIR. Borden performed the
ceremony. Besides twelve o'clock wa:
creeping dangerously near, and at last
ne suggested that they go back to DIR
Borden's.
In all his life he had never been of Sc
many minds; but the lady concurret
wit3 each as though it were the wises
poseiSle suggestion, and they returned
isel-se thought would haze helpc& him
but ideas came in the abstract and in
utter confusion, piling one on another
h De. Borden had returned, doubtless
Stanton's first impulse would have
been 20 turn and run. But DIR. Borden
had not returned. 1t reused in him
simply determination to find him be-
fore it was too late.
Absolutely nothing occurred to him
but to go at once to New York an6
hunt him up.
They went by the ferry, as nearer
their destination and less conspicuous
and a curiously safe feeling crept into
Stanton's heart as he walked by Es
ther Thorndike. He onlyrealized it, just
as he had realized that she entertained
him at Judge Russel's. He had nc
time for more than that among the
erowding of conflicting sentiments con,
cerning the business In hand. but he re-