Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1900-03-08


Maurice, half stretched across the
table, his face downward upon his arm,
while those fearless, yoiceless sobs,
which are so terrible to witness in
man, sobs which are the gasps of des-
pairing heart, shook the strong broad
shoulders and the down-bent head that
was hidden from her sight.
And then the mother knew at last the
secret of her sons heart. 1t was Vera
whom Maurice loved.
CHAPTER XIV.
Upon the steps Of the Charing Cross
Hotel stood, one morning in June, little
French gentleman buttoning his laven-
der gloves. He wore glossy new hat, a
frock coat, and a flower in his button
hole; he had altogether smart and
jaunty appearance.
He hailed passing hanson and jump
ed into it. M. d'Arblet was more than
usually particular about his appearance
this morning. He said to himself, with
chuckle, as he was driven westward,
that he was on his way to bride, and
rich one, too. 1t behooved him to be
careful of his outer man on such an oc-
casion.
When he got to the house in Princes
Gate he found it shut up. This, how
ever, did not disconcert him, it was no
more than he expected. After a con-
siderable amount of ringing at both bells,
there was grating sound within as of
the unfastening Of bolts and chains, and
an elderly woman appeared at the door.
"Will you please tell me where Mrs.
Romer is now living?'
The woman grinned. "She has been
living at Walpole Lodge, at Kew-Lady
Kynaston's, sir"
ooh, thank you," and he was preparing
to re-enter his hanson.
"But don't think you will see her to-
day, sir"
"Why notY' turning half round again.
1T is Mrs. Romer's wedding-day."
The vicomite's face grew yellow as
the rose in his button-hole.
''Where is the wedding to be? At
Kew?"
''No, sir; at ST. Paul's Church, in Will
ton Crescent"
"Drive to St. Paul's, Knightsbridge, as
fast as your horse can co." he called out
to the cabman. 81 might even now be
in time" he muttered.
Round the door of ST. Pauls Church a
crowd had gathered, waiting to see the
bridal party come out. Two ladies came
walking along from the direction of the
park.
There's a wedding going on; do let
us go in and see it, Vera"
my dear Cissy, I detest looking at
people being married; it always makes
me ow-spirited."
"And l love it. / always get such
hints for dresses from a wedding. Make
haste or we shan't get in"
Somebody just then dashed up in a
hanson and came hurry1ng up behind.
Somehow or other, what with Mrs. Ha7
zeldine dragging her by the arm and an
| excited-looking gentleman pushing his
way through the crowd behind her, Vera
got swept on into the church.
The service, that portion of it which
makes two good people man and wife,
was over; the clergyman was reading the
final exhortation to the newly married
pair. They stood together close to the
altar rails. The bride was in pale
| lavender satin, covered with lace, which
spread far away behind her across the
tesselated pavement The bridegroom
stood by her side, erect and handsome,
but pale and stern and with a far-away
look in his eyes. He looked as if he were
| thinking of something else.
! He was thinking of something else.
He was thinking of railway carriage,
of train rushing onward through a fog
| blotted landscape and Of a trembling
voice ever crying in his ears:
"While you live I will never marry
another man."
| All at once there was a sudden hush
and the wedding March" struck up.
Then came procession of chorister boys
down the church, each bearing a small
bouquet of fern and white flowers. They
ranged themselves on either side of the
porch, and the bridegroom came down the
aisle alone.
Then it was that NJ d'Arblet, leaning
| forward with the rest to see them pass,
caught sight Of the face of the girl who
stood by his side.
Vera was pale as death; look as Of
the horror of despair was in her eyes,
her teeth were set, her hands were clinch-
ed together as one who has to impose a
terrible and dreadful task upon herself.
Nobody in all that gayly dressed chatter
ing crowd noticed her, for were not all
eyes fixed upon the bride, the queen of
the day? Nobody save the man who
stood by her side. M. d'Arblet said to
himself:
.'This woman loves Monsieur lie Capt.
tame! Bon! Two are better than one;
we will avenge ourselves together, my
| beautiful incognita.' -
| And then he looked sharply at her COM
| panion, and found that her face was IA
miliar to him. Surely he had dined at
that woman's house once. Oh, yes; to
be sure, it was that insufferable little
chatterbox, Mrs. Hazeldine. He remem-
bered all about her now.
BY the time Vera could get out of the
sitting heat of the crowded church most
Of the wedding party had driven off, and
the rest we're clamoring wildly for their
! carriages; she herself had got separated
from her companion. and when she could
rejoin her in the little graveled yard out
side. she found her shaking hands with
/ ofs,,.,or, xr,;th the foreign-lOOklng gentle