Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1908-12-09

perhaps to operate Poor child! 1t will
be a terrible thing for her If this last
hope fails her. too, especially now;
when she and Hugh are to make
match of it,
Harry's face was turned away, or the
bishop would have seen 1t suddenly
startled ITO make match Of it" To
hide the flush he felt staining his
cheek Harry bent to close the safe. A
something that had darkled in some
obscure depth of his being whose exist
ence he had not guessed was throbbing
now to painful resentment. Jessica
was TO marry Hugh!
"a handsome fellow-Hugh!" said
the bishop. HE seems to have return
ed with new heart-a brand plucked
from the burning. You had the same
alma mater. think you told me. Your
influence has done the boy good, San
derson!' He laid his hand kindly on
the others shoulder. 1.-The fact that
you were in college together makes
him look up to you-as the whole par
ish does" he added.
Harry was setting the combination
and did not answer. But through the
turmoil in his brain n satiric voice
kept repeating:
mo. they don't call me Satan
now!
The white house In tile nSpens was
in gala attire. Flowers-great banks
"a To, Hall
along the stairway and in the window
seats. and wreaths of delicate fern
trembled ON the prlm hung chandeliers
Over all breathed the sweet fragrance
of jasmine. Musicians Sat behind q
screen of palms in corridor, and a
long scarlet carpet strip ran down the
front steps to the driveway, up which
passed bravely dressed folk, arriving
in carriages and on foot. to witness
the completion of much booted ro-
nance.
For q fortnight this afternoons
event had been the chat of the town,
for David Stires. who today retired
from active business, was its magnate,
the owner of its finest single estate
and Of its most important bank. From
his scapegrace boyhood Hugh Stires
had made himself the subject of un.
comfortable discussion. His sudden
disappearance after the rumored quar-
rel with his father and the advent of
Jessica Holme had furnished the COM
munity sufficient material for gossip.
The wedding had capped this gossip
with an appropriate climax. Tongues
had wagged over Its pros and cons.
for Hugh's past had induced n whole
some skepticism of his future.
There was an additional element of
romance, too, in the situation; for Jcs-
sica, who had never yet seen her lover,
would see hels husband. The great
surgeon on whose representation she
had built so much had arrived and
had operated. The experiment had
been completely successful. and Jessi-
cas- hope of vision had become sure
and certain promise.
The operation over there had re.
manned many days before the bandages
could be rcmoved-before Jessica could
be given her first glimpse of the world
for nearly three years. Hugh had
urged against delay If he had strn.
gent reasons of his own lie was silent
concerning them. And Jessica. steep.
ed in the delicious wonder of new and
inchoate sensations, had yielded
SO 1t had come about that the wed
ding was to be OH this hot August aft.
ernoon, although it would be yet some
time before the eye bandages might
be laid aside save in darkened room
In her girlish, passionate idcaIity les
sica had offered a sacrifice to her senti
ment. She had promised herself that
the first form her new sight should be
hold should be not her lover. but he,
husband. The idea pleased her sense
of romance.
It was aweltering afternoon. and