Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1905-08-19

first hour of his new happiness. Be
sides which, Mrs. Dove came into sight
at the moment
Those were strange months, those
months OF engagement. There were
hours when both Hayden and sybil
were wildly gay; but again there were
hours when cloud hung over them,
when something seemed to be between
them, checking their words as if
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 off 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.
TEL her, l say, tell her. Or"
In desperation Hayden caught up
his hat. "I'll 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 a close line
told In rich puppies and crlmsons 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 he turned
his 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 a pink band across the
hem.
Hayden CROPPED with his hand. and.
! clutching a pew door, closed his ewes
in 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 to
come, from the day when he had
played 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 a
more ordinary view of the matter.
This was his wedding day-sunny,
happy. glorious. He had been in an
excited, unnatural state of mind yes
terday. He had brooded so long that
his remOrse was abnormal.
The prettiest wedding the village
had ever SEEM" the people said after
ward. The pews We're packed and a
subdued buzz of comment played
about Hayden's ears as he waited.
He had not allowed himself much
time to kill; but, supported by his
best man, he took his place about five
} minutes before the bride was expect
ed. He determined to throw off use
: less self-reproaches and do his best in
the future.
The brightly colored crowd was an
undstinguishable whole to him; but
at the end of the aisle was a shaft of
brilliant light; 1t streamed through
2 the porch, and into and through II
walked a double line Of beauty.
They came on in the sunshine and
halted till the end OF the lines was in,
side the door, then they widened the
/ space between them and lined the
? lower half OF the little aisle.
The smile on Hayden's face snapped
of as suddenly as II struck by q
hand; his features became stiff and
ashen-colored; roar seemed to b,
) filling the church and hurting hi.
2 brain, the building itself heaved about
} him.
But the figure on which his eye had
. first smilingly rested stood motionless
She stood nearest to him, as mrs
bridesmaid. her back slightly turned
a dropping hat almost hid her fea
lures. but she was dark-h haired ant
splendidly poised. and her gown wat
of lilac with a pink band about tn,
e hem. Lilac. among the white gowns
l beside her!
Then he felt a hand grip his arm
firmly. Keep up. old man. she's com
! ing" some one said.
. Then a hush. then a stir filled tn,
l church, and between the waiting
I bridesmaids, shutting from his sigh
that terrifying form, came Sybll to
,. ward him; and chilled. horror-1lled
= as one in a dream. he stepped to NEE
: her.
Tell her, say. tell her" was Fl
/ his ears as the marriage service began
e A strange VOW mingled with Hay
a denis marriage vows. Tell herr" ="
y will" Il will" 81 vow IT,"
There was no lilac gown among tn,
s bridesmaids surrounding her when b