The daily Alaskan., 1907-04-08

blunt, but Miss Helen Atwater was not very much taken by surprise. The acquaintance begun In Scotland the previous summer had ripened fast on shipboard on the return passage and been brought to frultiOn by some months of correspondence. She even consented to a speedy marriage, and as she was living with a married cousin in Boston the minister took his bride from there ten days from the day he left Littleton.
 But the blssful days of his honey moon failed to blot out entirely the re membrance of his church and hls work and his people True, In the tumult of happiness that bad possessed him since that day when their clumsy Interfer- ence had driven him, actually driven him, into the joy that was now his he had almost forgotten their plans for him, but now 1t all came back to him and be realized that he did owe them something, for who knows how long he would have doubted and feared had not the terror of Miss Nell" been upon him?
 Suddenly the minister laughed aloud. It was all so funny to him now Mrs. Morris. sitting beside her husband, was astonished at bis mlrth and looked it
 Well. dearest. I know you'll think me crazy, but 1t is really too good to keep. You didn't know that asked you to marry me so as to prevent my congregation marrying me to some one else. did you?" And out came the whole story. his mental picture of Miss Nelr and all
 "You kuOw,' be concluded, q never for a moment thought of her side of it. I was concerned for my own safety. What in the world a woman like her, with money and property and the world at her feet, would want with a poor struggling minister l Can't con- Ceiyc. But had heard so much of her and the people so evidently had set their minds on 1t, 1 tell you WAS in a regular funk over it. It drove me 10 put my timtd hopes to the test fo- you, sweetheart"
 There was a peculiar smile lowering around Mrs. Morris lips, and for a minute or two she said nothing.
 What is t. dearT" asked the minis. ter anxiously. You are not veZed. are yOu""
 "N-no." hesitatIngly. mot exactly, but l anu just thinking how beautifully you have played into your cougrega- tlon's hands. for, do you know, Calvin, you have really and truly married that domiueering person, Miss Nell "
 Married Miss Nell" " repeated the minister blaukly, staring at his wife's flushed laughing face.
 Yes. truly. 1 am Helen Gilbert At water, called Miss Nell at the old home in Littlet0u. Listen, dear l had no thought of deceivtng you at first l did not know you were in the church at Lituetou till we reached New York on our voyage home. You know We were pretty we'll acquainted then. but r. neither of us knew our own heart. l often intended to tell you in letter, but somehow l couldn't. I felt that if YOU knew it might make a difference. You were poor. comparatively. l had all that money ani property. And and l loved you, dear too much then to have you leave me.
 Then at the end you took me by storm. l have been too happy to talk of anything like that, and had been waiting till you would say something of your work to tell you all about my self"
 But. my dear, why Atwater? It was always Miss Nell Gilbert The minister was still bewildered.
 Yes. my aunt did not like my father the man whom her young sister mar ried. and never mentioned his name.
 "I was always called Gilbert at home. but of course 1 had no reason for discarding my name. There are plenty of people in Littleton who know my real name, but never used 1t, for l was but a baby when I went to live with my aunt after my fathers death. Really, dear, you needn't be alarmed. I am not half as bad as l was painted. I won't try to run the church or man. age the orgauist or-Or"-
 "Or any one except the minister" " finished her husband. Well, the sur prise is certainly on me, but l must get even with those. people some way
 The news of the minister's marriage spread like wildtre through the town. He had sent Iaconlc message to one of his church officers to the effect that he had been married in Boston and would occupy his pulpit the following Sunday. That was all. Married, after all. and none of his congregation knew a word about It. Who was she? No body knew. Conjecture was rife on every point and one version after an other of the story of his wedding found quick credence. Some Of the older members of his flock were thunder struck. To think that MT. Morris should trick them like that and be engaged all the time They had just set their hearts on his marrying Miss Nell" whom everybody knew and loved,
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