The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1910-06-24
CHAPTER Xxx.

CHAPTER AA-
Half an honur later lie Malheureux
TONED them in the rose and humming-
bird patterned chintz drawing room
Benoni withdrew and LIE Malheureux,
still yelled, congratulated Larry Morris
and Betty.
eff 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 a
nonogenarian, but stiF priest for all
that. He will marry you yet tonight.
If you wish, and think, Miss Lancey,
it might be better if the ceremony were
celebrated. Do you not think 80:
There's no knowing what may await
you"
Betty flushed, but Larry hesitated
not a minute.
Bring him on, bring him or" he
cried. We'll 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
i q
IF you weren't so big" said Tyoga,
surveying her critically, I'VE could loa
you Mrs. Hackleye's mothers bridal
robe 1 have it still upstairs in an old
chest"
Meta and Tyoga had come in silent
" 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 well
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
f1esh-pots of Egypt from the barrenesi
sand!
1.-The old chest proved treasure
house The gowns, the youngest of
them, were at least a quarter of a CEN
fury old, and some of them were of the
mode of the French empire. All were
rich with rare lace and heavily wrought
hand-embroidery. Some were Of cloth
of gold, furnished now with the scowl
of time, but exquisite still There wee
quaint old slippers, and bridal veil
of the filmiest Honiton that ever came
off loom.
No bride could be decked 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 new
frock from somewhere. But Betty. all.
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 hel
plump arms were half covered with
fowery bracelets. When they reached
the chapel LIE Malheureux himself pu'
q diamond girdle around the brides
none too slender waist.
my gift to the BRIDE" he explained
Johnny's head was the brightes
spot in the chapel From the musty
odor within and the drip of water or
the moss grown walls. the chapel
which had been reached through weirt
ways, was evidently a subterranear
room. The altar was of ivory, the ser
vice dazzling beyond belief, and the
altar cloths of exquisite workmanship
The ebony pews were miracles of thu
carvers' art, and the present Loop
ard skin rugs were on the floor. The
priest, bent double with years, ane
with hair and skin as gray as the pei
of a field mouse. mumbled through the
long Latin ritual, at slow, nerve
racking pace. The candles fiickered
and the scent of the jasmine and lotus
with which Benoni had wreathed the
altar. and filed the great vases tina,
flanked the sanctuary, grew unbear-
able.
The wedding supper was laid in the
little sitting room. There were man,
flowers. and the viands, oddly assorted
to occidental eyes, rested royalty or
platters and dishes of pure gold. No.
body ate much. though Meta. Tyogs
and Benoni served assiduously. Il
Malheureux touched nothing at ali.
Betty, after several urgings. forhors
to press him. She had noticed that +.
never drank before anyone. and hat
long since grown accustomed to tn,
down dropping veil. the closely shro,,d.
ed figure, the well-concealed feet On.
hands. When the last course mo,
served lie Malheureux arose.
Let me not be the skeleton ~ ~,
feast. he temporized, but Tima aaa
not pause for us. The weman -,
know as Cerisse Wayne, in resI;t,
Cerisse Wayne Hack,eye, was INV f,,,I
blooded sister. The letters thar n,ar
found in her safety deposit box in e.,
Francisco bore reference to the dia
mond mines at Tiougaley For reason
cannot now make known to yo,
their location for years was know,
only to me- My father in some wa,
discovered their situation beneath an,
teyond the castle to which Miss Fan
cey' now Mrs. Morris, was taken whe
she 1rst arrived in Africa, and fror
"nscn she has so recently departed.
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