Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-17

air man and hated the society into which
his wife constantly dragged him.
Don't be too late" he said. Always
like to be punctual OF course. that father
Of yours has not turned up. though he
promised to drive to the church with US
Father was never known to be In time
In his life." Beatrice said calmly. Her dull
depression had gone. she was feeling quite
cool and tranquil If anybody had asked
her she would have said that the bitterness
of death had passed. 1T Is not necessary
to walt for him."
Hell understand" Lord Marlborough
Joined in. I'VE can leave message. and he
can follow to the church in q hanson. Let
us be moving. Beatrice, II you are quite
ready
With wonderful caImness Beatrice an
swered that she was quite ready. A little
knot of spectators had gathered outside to
see the bride depart. Two or three car
riages were there, and into the first, with
the splendid pair of bays, Lord Rashbor
ough handed Beatrice. They drove along
the familiar streets that seemed to Beatrice
as though she was seeing them for the last
time. She felt like a doomed woman. with
the deadly virus of consumption in her
blood when she is being ordered abroad
with the uncertain chance that she might
never see England again. 1t almost seemed
to Beatrice that she was asleep. and that
the whole thing was being enacted in a
dream.
Here we are at last Marlborough eX-
claimed. What q mob of women. What
d lOt OF mowers. w ny anybody WdHlS 10
make all this fuss over getting married
beats me. Come along
1t was society wedding in the highest
sense Of the word. and the church was
crowded. There was rustic and a stir as
the bride swept up the AISLE and the organ
doomed out. There little delay at the
altar, for the father of the bride had not
yet arrived. and there was disposition to
give him little latitude. Only Lord Rash
borough rebelled.
Lets get on" he said. ''Darryll may be
half an hour late. One can never tell. And
I've got most important appointment at
Tattersalrs at half-past 2"
Beatrice had no objection to make-she
would have objected to nothing at that
moment. In the same dreamy way, pres
emily she found herself kneeling at the al
tar, and clergyman was saying something
that conveyed absolutely nothing to her in
telligence. Presently somebody was FUN
bling unsteadily at her left hand, wherein
somebody great deal more nervous than
she was trying to fix a plain gold ring
Some one at the back of the church was
making a disturbance.
The officiating clergyman raised his head
in protest Except the exhortation the
ceremony was practically finished. A po-
lceman appeared out Of somewhere and
seemed to be expostulating with the intru-
der. Just for a minute 1t looked as of there
was going to be an open brawl.
Il tell you 1 must go up somebody was
saying and just for a moment it seemed
to Beatrice that she was listening to the
voice of Mark Ventmore. ut is a matter
Of life and death"
Beatrice glanced up languidly at the silly
society faces. the frocks and the flowers.
Did she dream, was that really the pale
face of Mark that she saw? Mark had
burst from the policeman-he was stand
ing now hatless before the altar.
THE ceremony must not go on he said,
breathlessly. There was name!ess horror
in his white face IL feel that 1 am
strangely out of place, but it is all too
dreadful
Beatrice rose to her feet. There was some
tragedy here. a tragedy reflected in the
CHASTITY face of her groom. And yet on his
face was suggestion of relief, of vulgar
triumph.
What Is it?" Beatrice asked. TELL me.
could bear anything-now
your father!' Mark gasped. 1--WE had
to burst open his door Sir Charles was
found in his bed. quite dead. He had been
dead for some hours when they found him.
CTo be continued tomorrow