The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-08-27

service and make "a scene IN the
church? / glanced at him again, and
he seemed to know what | was think
ing, for he raised his fingers to his
lips to tell me to be still. Then / saw
him scribble on a piece of paper. and
| knew he was writing me a note. AS
| passed his pew on the way out | drop
ped my bouquet near him, and he slip
ped the note into my hand when he re-
turned mo tho flowers. 1t was only a
line asking me to join him when he
made the sign to me to do so. OF
course l never doubted for a moment
that my first duty now was to him,
and / determined to do just whatever
he might direct.
When l got back l told my maid,
who had known him in California,
and had always been his friend. i or
dered her to say nothing, but to get
few things packed and my ulster
ready. l knew that | ought to have
spoken to Lord st. Simon, but it was
dreadful hard before his mother and
all those great people. | just made up
my mind to run away and explain
afterwards. | hadn't been at the table
ten minutes before | saw Frank out
of the window at the other side of the
road. He beck oned to me, and then
began walking into the Park. | slip
ped out, put on my things. and follow
-
something or other about Lord st.
Simon to me-seemed to me from the
little heard as if he had little secret
of his own before marriage also-but
/ managed to get away from her, and
son overlook Frank. We got into
cab together. and away we drove to
some lodgings he had taken in Gordon
Square. and that was my true wedding
after all those years of waiting. Frank
had been a prisoner among the
Apaches, had escaped, and came to
Frisco. found that i had given him up
for dead and had gone to England,
followed me there. and had come
upon me at last on the very morning
of my second wedding
L saw it in paper explained the
American. 1T gave the name and the
church, but not where the lady lived"
Then we had a talk as to what we
should do, and Frank was all for open
ness, but | was so ashamed of it all
that | felt as if / should like to vanish
away and never see any of them again
just sending line to pa, perhaps to
show him that / was alive. 1t was aW-
full to me to think of all those lords
and ladies sitting round that break
fast-table and waiting for me to come
back So Frank took my wedding
clothes and things and made bum
die of them, so that | should not be
traced, and dropped them away some
where where no one could find them.
1t is likely that we should have gone
to Paris. tomorrow, only that this
god gentleman, Mr. Holmes, came
round to us this evening. though how
he found us is more than / can think,
and he showed us very clearly and
kindly that ] was wrong and that
Frank was right, and that we should
be putting ourselves in the wrong if
we were so secret. Then he gave us
a chance of talking to Lord st. Simon
alone, and SO we came right away
round to his rooms at once. Now,
Robert. you have heard it all, and |
am very sorry if l have ~-'"en you pain,
and I hope that you do not think very
meanly OF me-"
Lord st. Simon had by no means re-
Taxed his rigid attitude, but had lis
tened with frOWning brow and
compressed lip to this long narrative.
"Excuge me-" he said, but it is
not my custom to discuss my most in
innate personal affairs in this pub
lie manner"
Then you won't forgive me? You
won't shake hands before | go?'
oh certainly, if it would give you
any pleasure" He put out his hand
and coldly grasped that which she ex
tended to him.
II had hoped" suggested Holmes,
that you would have joined us in
friendly supper"
II think that there you ask a little
too much, responded his lOrdship.
Il may be forced to acquiesce in these
recent developments, but | can hardly
be expected to make merry over them.
l think that. with your permission, |
will now wish you all q very good
nj IL n rI n a
ing bow and Stalked out of the room.
'"Then l trust that you at least will
honor me with your company" said
Sherlock Holmes. at is always a JOY
to meet an American, Mr.. Moulton,
for | am one of those who believe that
the folly of a monarch and the blum
dering of a minister in far-gone years
will not prevent our children from be-
ing some dav citizens of the same
world wide country or under q flag
which shall be quartering of the I'm
ion Jack with the Stars and Stripes.
The case has been an interesting
one" remarked Holmes, when our
visitors had left us, "becauGe it serves
to show us very clearly how sim
pie the explanation may be Of an at
fair which at first sight seems to be
a most inexplicable. Nothing could be
more natural than the sequence of
events as narrated by this lady, and
nothing stranger than the result when
viewed. for instance, by Mr.. LeStrade,
of Scotland Yard"
You were not yourself at fault at
all, them"
From the first, two facts were very
obvious to me, the one that the lady
had been quite wiling to undergo the |
wedding ceremony, the other that she
had repentcd of it within a few min /
utes of returning home. Obviously |
had occurred during the I
then, TO cause her to change |
her mind. What could that something
be? She could not have spoken to /
one when she was out, for she had I
been in the company of the bride
groom. Had she seen some one, then?
II she had. it must have been one
from America, because she had spent /
30 short q tinl.e in this country thai