The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1908-04-17

The wedding VIII douDtleSs proceed,
anyway" he observed, dryly.
by proxy?" Her brief disconcer
ton went off in a laugh
Not at all" He puzzled second
to know what she meant
s"Then how will you reach there?"
she asked. curiously
II won't"
What! The bridegroom"
"Oh, the bridegrooms all right as
bridegrooms go" he replied. amused
ly. And he looked into her face again;
his betrayed a certain amount of
wonder; hers underwent stereopti-
con series of changes.
Il really don't understand what
all this means said the girl, with a
touch of dignity.
You would If you knew old Bill
as we'll as | do. After spending five
years of his young life in the pursuit
of that girl, he isn't going to risk his
good luck by allowing the ceremony
to be postponed"
"Bill!" she calculated, "Bill-who?'
The Honorable William Trescott,
mayor of Redville, son of the late
Jonathan Trescott-first cousin to
your humble servant
OH" There were volumes, and a
supplement or two in the exclamation,
Your cousin," she breathed with a
swift heartbeat.
ITO my everlasting sorrow, let me
assure you of it. We are, as 1t oc-
ours, brothers children; and at one
time, hailing-both of us-from
Shreveport. You see, it was pretty
tough on me when / had to fall heir
to all his duns and bills, while he was
coming in for all the good things. oh.
1t was considerable of joke, of
course; but shall have TO admit that
both of us enjoyed some famous es-
capes, to be exact"
Miss Sheplar turned nonplused but
decidedly frightened eyes upon her
companion. The first genuine smile
for many a weary week flickered about
her lips. Then she laughed How
absurd il all isl" she said The look
he flashed back at her broke down the
pretense between them all at once.
kitty" he said, there's a reason
for it, and I've already more than
half guessed what it is. But | want
you to tell me with your own lips the
reason for your sudden coldness-the
abrupt cessation of your letters; the
return of mine. unopened"
The girl broke into a second laugh,
a little uncertain sound that carried
the suspicion of tears in its tran
science Its all so ridiculous,
she jerked out, coloring furiously. but
when Leona wrote me that she was to
marry Mr.. William Prescott OF
| Shreveport"
Prescott nodded Understandings
Just as ! thought" he interposed in
| dignantly, land now" he bent toward
her with a very earnest, an almost
commanding fire in his eyes, there s
/ only one thing to be done, Kitty. We
really haven't right to tamper with
Fate any longer You see, don't you
Bill might take 1t into his calamitous
old head to get smashed in a railroad
accident, or something, whereupon,
should-as sure as the heavens are
blue-be called upon to husband his
widow" He paused.
Miss Sheplar had been watching the
ground and walking very fast; wher
he finished speaking, she glanced III
archly, a river of red running from
throat to brow under his impassioneC
eyes.
There never was any actual prom
Use between u.s." he hurried on ar
IDENTIFY, but / was right, dear, in be
lieving that you cared. was l not?"
Billy Do let's make haste; the
train is coming. | see the smoke dowr
the track. Look"
Right now, sweetheart, can't pos
sibly see anything but you. Besides
that is the wrong dir" He checked
himself quickly Come along, then
it's only half block" He drew he
arm into his and together they hur
ried, half-running, toward the pantinI
train. They had Just time to get thei
baggage and board the Pullman wheI
the engine bell rang.
The girl was the first to say any
thing. do you think we shall arriv'
in time for the wedding, Billy?" sh
asked.
(Which one?" lie pulled down tn
shade.
"Why-why. Leona's. of course."
Trescott's next words came In
rush. He bent forward quickly an
gathered her hands in his. Listen,
he said, we're going north to M
aunt's home in Tennessee. ] simpl
couldn't risk that other deal. w
got on the wrong train; It'll be cas-
enough to explain. And--and mic
quiet wedding is much more to m
taste. What do you say?'
II is not recorded, but the condu'
tor. coming through at this juncturs
thing fW0