The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1910-10-03

quite sure out you are tlgnt. suppose
after we are married you should meet
your former bride. Suppose she should
admit that Ia a condition new to her,
very young girl, she had tried your
patience severely; that she had mis-
taken you; that she deplored the break
between you and her and would give
years of her life to undo what she had
done. You would then look upon your
marriage with me as chain Of slav-
cry"
He said nothing for some time. |
When he did his words thrilled me:
"Candor compels me TO admit that |
l would"
/ leaned back ON the cushion as
though much disappointed / am not
sure. but practiced the deception OF
sigh His mood was indicated by
the speed he was driving the machine.
was tempted to tear Off my veil and
throw my arms about his neck. But
! dared not. As his bride had been
a girl. Now ! was approaching mid
die age Another denouement to this
singular freak of fate occurred to me.
would go with him to the church,
then reveal myself.
WELL" l said. ut is time that we
stop this backing and filling. / shall
show you that I have more steadiness
than you suppose. Come; turn about.
Let us go to the rectory."
without word he turned his ma
chine. and we were soon speeding In
the opposite direction. Neither spoke
for some time. l wondered Of what
he was thinking. Perhaps that lone
liness which comes over single man
after he has passed the heyday OF
youth would now be ended. Or was
he thinking of his bride Of fifteen
years before2 When we drew up at
the rectory. before alighting he said
"There Is yet time to reconsider this
most important step In your life. II
you have not perfect confidence In me
beg Of you to withdraw before 1t is
too late"
III there is vacillation now 1t Is in
you. not In me-"
He got out of the auto, but not with
the springy step Of groom. / knew
he was swayed by two opposite cur
rents. Whatever were his feelings. he
would not recede from the position he
had taken.
We were received by the rector, who
had been expecting us for some time
He placed US before mantel, took up
his prayer book and waited for me to
take Off my veil. Slowly unwound 1t
and when removing the last fold turn
ed and looked at the groom.
He had not seen me since / was
eighteen. Now l was thirty-three, but
he knew me at once-that Is, he knew
| me as soon us he could recover from
his establishment And the fact that
his bride was the same as he had
stood by years before rendered that as.
constituent rather a confusion of ideas
than a natural impression. He stood
looking at me, dazed.
Gwen he exclaimed at last.
With the two men looking at me, the
one waiting to know what the scene
meant. the other how came to be
there in place Of the woman he expect
cd, 1t was incumbent on me to make
an explanation | did so to the rector
telling him briefly the circumstances
When l had finished I turned to my
groom, wondering what expression
would find there. saw at once that
he was eager to know what would be
the outcome Of this contretemps. Did
It mean punishment. revenge, or would
1t lead to reconciliation? I replied
to the question asked by his eyes with
my lips. gave him a smile. With a
profound sigh Of relief he turned to the
clergyman and said:
"Proceedw
The rector seemed puzzled. Evi
IDENTIFY the situation clustered him; but
being In holy orders. with church
mans antagonism toward marrying
divorced people and a churchman's
pleasure in reunitiug those who have
been separated, he was not long in re
covering his equanimity He looked
at me for my assent. But he looked
In vain. ] gave no assent. Neither
did express dissent He looked t
the groom for instructions and doubt
less received them, for without fur
Their delay he began the ceremony.
Neither man was quite sure wha
would be the outcome until the ques
ton was asked me. "Will you taxi
this man to be your welded husband
hesitated for moment. then sait
firmly, II will"
Both men gave sigh Of relief.
And so 1t was that. while ! was ser
arated for fifteen years from the ma
| loved and who loved me. by a sense
less tiff, was reunited TO him by
} marvellous coincidence. Had not tn
woman he was to have made his sex
, ond wife put his note In her reticul
and left 1t on counter, had l nc
taken it up by mistake, would nc
have been In the nick of time IN pr
sition to take what belonged to me an
. appropriate 1t to myself. The reticul
; was hers; the man was mine.
, never asked my husband how b
| LIT. a. l.Y