Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1904-03-18

es, Sir, Will open the side chancel
| door at seven-thirty"
Good. And now will you be so
kind as to give me the names and ad-
dresses Of Mr.. Pumpton, Mr.. Huddle.
Mr.. Wringer and Mr.. Springer?'
The sexton called them out from his
record book, and Van Story, armed
with the precious paper, hurried off to
the nearest hotel typewriter.
Il want this dictated on plain pa
per-" he said to that imperturbable
young lady, and he gave the following
brief business note:
Dear Sir-Owing to an unexpected
and important engagement of the head
OF the Trimming Committee l am re-
quested by Miss Pinkton to say that
the trimming Of the church, which was
to have taken place tomorrow night.
Is postponed You will, therefore,
please not attend tomorrow night, but
come on the night following. Yours
truly, w. A. VAN STORY"
Il want that letter to be sent to each
OF these four addresses" he said, "at
once" and as he hurried over to his
Jeweler he exclaimed gleefully to him
self, "At last"
The next evening they walked over
to the church together.
1--WE must be early" she said, as she
sat down or the steps leading up TO
the altar. The pulpit, tall and grim
and stately, lowered above her shapely
head almost like benediction. Far
above them, the lights in the chande-
lier cleaned fjtfully.
Surely, could there be better place
to love and be loved than in the sacred
sanctuary, set within the beating heart
OF the sordid world and yet 80 far re-
moved from it? And as she looked I'D
at him, instinctively she felt that in
such a place his words must ring true
and that she might trust him. He
took her hand.
Dorothy" he said, 81 couldn't have
told you how much I loved you before
wanted your answer all to myself
Somehow the sea Of city life seemed to
shut out the sound of my voice. 1
longed for quiet country lane, or the
great silent ocean. But | could not
wait And here at last we are safe"
He put his arm around her. "Do YOU
love me?" he said.
Her head dropped silently down on
his shoulder. And then followed that
blissful moment, moment that stands
out in ones life forever after-the mo-
ment of life when loves dream is re-
allied, and to these two it was as If
the chorus Of unseen saints was chant
Ing their happiness. Suddenly she rails
ed her head. There was a mischiey-
Gus twinkle in her eyes.
You have forgotten something"
she said
mo, I haven't" he replied triumph
antly. misunderstanding her, II have 1t
here" He produced tiny object that
glittered in the dim light and sent out
tiny shafts Of lambent fire. "Your
Christmas present" he said. 1.-TWO
days ahead, none but less real. I
didn't know what to give you, until
thought Of this
He slipped 1t on her finger.
ut is beautiful" she said at last.
beautiful"
There was a moment of silence, in
terrupted by sound like the chirping
of joyful birds. Then she spoke again.
when l said you had forgotten
something" she said, the twinkle COM
ing back to her eyes, Il wasn't think
ing of this" She held up the ring ad-
miringly. 81 was thinking Of the 9th
ers-why, they may be here any min
ute"
Van Story caught her hand in his
once more.
NO" he said smilingly. "You see,
dear, 1t was my only chance. | inst
had to do it. l sent word to all the
others-wrote them each a note. YOU
know, that this thing was postponed
until tomorrow night, on account of
an important engagement. You didn't
mind, did you? 1t was the truth.
wasn't 1t? / wanted to be alone with
you. 1t was our only chance. Don't
you see it was?"
She dropped her hands by her side
suddenly. The color left her face and
then came back again.
You did that?' she said. "How
could you? How dreadful! Oh. why
did you do it? What can 1 ever say
TO them? You wrote and told them not
to come to-nlfiht-did you do that?"
He caught her hands again in his.
Above, the stately old church bells in
the splre chanted out the hour.
Yes, dearest" he said. II did II.