Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1905-10-28

would be a gloomy beginning to the
first hour Of his new happiness. Be
sides which, Mrs. Dove came into sight
at the moment.
Those We're strange months, those
months Of engagement There were
hours when both Hayden and Sybll
were wildly gay; but again there were
hours when a cloud hung over them,
when something seemed to be between
them, checking their words as If q
third person were listening.
In himself Hayden could under
stand the feeling, for even now, spite
Of argument spite Of happy future, he
could not throw of the recollection of
Kate Moon and her despair. But the
same mood in Sybil he could not I'M
derstand. Was the drowned girl al
ways to be between them? Hayden
groaned.
Tell her, say, tell her, Or"
In desperation Hayden caught up
his hat. "Ill stroll down to the
church," he muttered hastily the
evening before the wedding, after
hours Of gloom in which he had seen
the dead girl walking between him
self and his living bride. "I'll see how
the decorations are getting on"
1t was lovely old building of gray
stone, far famed for its many windows
of stained glass, which In close line
told in rich puppies and crimsons the
story Of Joseph and his brethren.
One or two gardeners were busy at
the choir stalls some girls talking in
subdued tones were garlanding a pill
lar. Hayden watched their dizziness
Then with tender impulse ne turned
bis eyes to the altar, where he would
kneel tomorrow beside
A sudden horror clutched him. the
blood surged within him and deaf
ened him. Bending at the altar step
was a dark-haired figure in a lilac
gown with O pink band across the
hem.
Hayden CROPPED with his hand. and.
elutching a pew door, closed his eyes
in a despalring faintness. His bond
age was to be relentless.
When he looked again the figure
was gone. The girls at the pillar had
turned from their work to speak to
another. Unseen in his misery, Hay
den stole out at the porch, stunned
and cold in the sunshine.
Hayden never forgot the night which
followed, as he lay, unnerved and
hopeless, waiting for his wedding day,
and facing in all their details the two
years past and the many years tc
come, from the day when he had
played a summers game with the
heart Of a girl to all the days when he
should live close to the girl he loved
and feel himself a murderer.
Toward morning he began to take q
more ordinary view of the matter
This was his wedding day-sunny
happy, glorious. He had been in M
excited, unnatural state of mind yes
terday. He had brooded so long tina
his remorse was abnormal.
1.-THE prettiest wedding the villag,
had ever seen," the people said after
ward. The pews were packed and ,
subdued buzz of comment played
about Hayden's ears as he waited.
He had not allowed himself mucl
time to kill; but, supported by hi
best man, he took his place about fv
minutes before the bride was expect
ed He determined to throw Off use
less self-reproaches and do his best fl
the future
The brightly colored crowd was a
undistinguishable whole to him; bu
at the end of the aisle was a shaft O
brilliant light; it streamed throug
2 the porch, and into and through
walked a double line of beauty.
, They came on in the sunshine an
halted TIL the end of the lines was il
p side the door, then they widened tn
a space between them and lined I'll
Y lower half Of the little aisle.
( The smile on Hayden's face snappe
of as suddenly as IL struck by
t hand: his features became stiff an
t ashen- colored; a roar seemed to I
s filling the church and hurting h
e brain, the building itself heaved abol
o him.
But the figure on which his eye hs
= first smilingly rested stood motionles
e She stood nearest to him, as iir
d bridesmaid, her back slightly turne
/ dropping hat almost hid her Re
e lures, but she was dark-haired al
lie splendidly poised, and her gown W
Of lilac with a pink band about L
Re heml Lilac, among the white gov
ID beside herl
lie Then he felt a hand grip his al
firmly. Keep up, old man, she's co
I'd ing" some one said.
y. Then a hush. then a stir filed I
l church, and between the watt
st bridesmaids, shutting from his sig
that terrifying form, came Sybil
y, ward him; and chilled, horror-1ll'
y as one In a dream, he stepped to m'
IT. her.
Tell her, say, tell her" was
III his ears as the marriage service beg
he A strange vow mingled with HI
a den's marriage vows. "T0ll herr
,ly will" 81 will" II vow it."
There was no lilac gown among