The Mercur miner. [volume] (Mercur, Utah) 1895-1913, 1907-11-06
A BIT OF LIFE
Copyright. by Daily Story pub COB
By HELEN j. CLELAND

y Story Pub, COD
riages drawn up In front OF the hand.
some avenue home that he knows SO
well.
II will see her! will know from
her own lips" he mutters as he
anghts ana passes IN among the
guests. He reaches a quiet doorway
where he can see and yet be unob
served. He takes a long breath.
"Ah, how beautiful she isl" He sees
the same clear cut features crowned
by that same beautiful hair that he
had once reverently touched; the pure
white throat rises like chseled marble
from the CLEAN of her wedding gown.
Her wedding gown The wife of
another!" the thought maddens him.
| lie cannot bear It, Marian" he
groans and turns away. lie will leave
the house--it is only agony TO stay
| he will go away again-all Is over
only memory left-that will never go!
| lie reaches the door and then as If
! impelled by will stronger than his
own-enters the drawing-room.
She is receiving her congratula-
lions with ease and grace always char
acteristic of Marian Strong, but to-
day there is n restlessness, n tremor
of excitement about her that she can
not conquer. Her eyes are nervously
scanning the room: they look at
every one who enters. She gives
sudden gasp A look of terror spreads
! nyar bar faca md paacfng away Iaavps
her deathly white Some one is ap-
preaching, and with a superhuman
effort she controls herself.
MAY | offer my congratulations,
Mrs. Wyman?" a low, steady voice is
saying, but she hears nothing Faces
around her have become indistinct.
She thinks she hears music some
where. Her hand is held out H.
chemically and touched. "Geotfrey,
Geoffrey!" she cries family. 1t is
sitting. and yet she is growing colder
each minute.
Such a surprise'v the voice is say
ing in well modulated tones. II only
returned from India this morning
met Jack Lawrence on the street; he
told me an old friend was being mar
ried at Trinity and gave me his card
Such surprise!" he repeated.
Couldn't believe my own eyes-had
to come to the house to be convinced.
You have my best wishes, Mrs. Wy.
man. | should like TO see you again,
but | sail tomorrow for England.
had expected to remain in New York
but my plans have been changed
and with a forced smile OF adieu. he
passes on and out in the cooling
night.
The room grows suddenly dark tc
Miriam. The light has gone from hei
life forever.
Mrs. Wyman is III; the strain has
been too much for her!" is whispered
around. As the guests leave the room
some one says: "Beastly custom, any
way, standing two hours. Poor girls!
| wonder there are not more cases Of
nervous prostratlon after these wed
ding receptions"
As Godfrey boards the Kron Prini
the next morning. a note is handed
him. II is only little cream, crested
affair. and reads thus:
They told me you were dead; tina
; you had been killed in a fight will
natives. My letters were returned
! Father urged me to marry Mr.. Wy
man, and at last yielded. oh Geof
treyl why did you come back to-
late?"
, Jack Lawrence hears the news o
Geoffrey's departure next morning a
the club and twirls his mustach
, thoughtfully as he says to himself
4 by Jove! there must have been some
3 thing in that old affair after all. JACK
e II wasn't quite fair In you! Poor oil
e Geoff" then calls for brandy an
soda.