Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1910-11-19
CHAPTER Xxx.


Benoni withdrew and LIE Malheureux,
still yelled. congratulated Larry Morris
and Betty.
IT you wish to be married before
you leave here" he said. there is the
old French priest who used to be my
mothers chaplain still here. He is
nonogenarian, but stip priest for all
that He will marry you yet tonight
II you WISH and think, Miss Lancey
1t might be better IL the ceremony were
celebrated. Do you not think so?
There's no knowing what may await
you"
Betty flushed. but Larry hesitated
not minute.
Bring him on, bring him on" he
cried. Wen be married tonight"
And I'll be the best man." shouted
Johnny.
And City Editor Burton can ush-
err"
"Will you let Meta be the brides
maid?" questioned Betty. "Oh, but
what shall l do for a wedding gown"
If you weren't so big" said Tyoga,
surveying her critically. I'VE could loa
you Mrs. Hackleye's mothers bridal
robe. have 1t still upstairs in an old
chest"
Meta and Tyoga had come In silent
ly in the wake of lie Malheureux. But,
mother" interposed Meta, there are
other garments up In the old chest.
Perhaps we could make some of them
fit"
Your wedding clothes will fit as we'll
as mine, anyhow" ventured Larry.
Put a woman on a desert island and
the prospect of a wedding will cause
her inventive faculties to evoke the
flesh pots of Egypt from the barrenest
sand!
The old chest" proved a treasure
house. The gowns. the youngest of
them. were at least a quarter of CEN
fury old. and some of them were of the
mode of the French empire. All were
rich with rare lace and heavily wrought
and-embroidery. Some were of cloth
of gold, furnished now with the scowl
| of time, but exquisite still. There were
quaint old slippers, and bridal veil
| of the filmiest Honiton that ever came
| off loom.
No bride could be declSed with more
| loving hands than was Betty for her
/ midnight marriage in mid-Africa. Meta,
as bridesmaid, had glowing frock of
| scarlet satin and faintest amber lace,
and great topazes about her shining
ebony neck, and Tyoga produced a new
| frock from somewhere. But Betty, ah,
Betty! An old court gown of cloth of
| gold and yellowed satin was her bridal
robe. over it all ran delicately
wrought roses in faded pinks. The
marvellous web of Honiton draped her
| sweet face and rippled to the hem of
| her dress. The neck of the dress was
low. and Betty's white shoulders were
| a sparkle of diamond pendants falling
| from a high diamond collar Tyoga had
| placed around her throat, and her
| plump arms were half covered with
| fiowery bracelets. When they reached
| the chapel lie Malheureux himself put
diamond girdle around the brides
none too slender waist.
my gift to the BRIDE" he explained.
Johnny's head was the brightest
spot in the chapel. From the musty
odor within and the drip of water on
the moss grown walls, the chapel,
| which had been reached through weird
| ways, was evidently a subterranean
room. The altar was Of ivory, the SER
| VICE DtyOHu Dellels ana lne
altar cloths of exquisite workmanship.
The ebony pews were miracles of the
carvers' art, and the ever-present leop-
ard skin rugs were on the floor. The
priest. bent double with years, and
with nair and skin as gray as the pelt
of a field mouse, mumbled through the
long Latin ritual, at a slow, nerve
| racking pace. The candles f1ickered
and. the scent of the jasmine and lotus
with which Benoni had wreathed the
altar. and filed the great vases that
nanked the sanctuary, grew unbear-
able.
The wedding supper was laid in the
little sitting room. There were many
flowers, and the viands, oddly assorted
to occidental eyes, rested royalty on
platters and dishes of pure gold. No
body ate much. though Meta, Tyoga
and Benoni served assiduously. LIE
Malheureux touched nothing at all.
Betty. after several urgings, forbore
TO press him. She had noticed that he
never drank before anyone. and had
long since grown accustomed to the
down dropping VEIL the closely shroud-
ed figure, the we'll concealed feet and
| DduQc- w nCI llic ldSl course was
served lie Malheureux arose.
Let me not be the skeleton At the
feast" he temporized. but Time doe.
not pause for us. The woman vol
, know as Cerisse Wayne. in reality
Cerisse Wayne Hackleye, was my full.
, blooded sister. The letters that were
found in her safety deposit box in Sar
Francisco bore reference to the dia.
mond mines at Tiougaley For reasons
cannot now make known to you
their location for years was known
only to me. My father in some way
! discovered their situation-beneath ant
2 beyond the castle TO which Miss Ian.
eey. now Mrs. Morris, was taken wher
she first arrived in Africa, and from
! which she has 50 recently departed.
You must know that though he 4.
American born and bred, that for thir
ty years my father has lived in THU
section. as absolute king over severn
Thousands of the most desperate rae
OF blacks that inhabit this continent
". -.hdurd them wears ago through