Connecticut western news., 1910-09-01
SAVED By T. DEWITT BOWMAN Copyright, 1910. by American Press
 Association.


 bed yainly trying to sleep. At last he arose. went to the window and looked I out. The moon was at the full. illumi- hating everything in sight-namely. the undulating plain, scattered dwell ings and the meeting house more than POO years old. Suddenly Inssey opened his eyes wider than they had been opened during his sleeplessness. A light passed across one of the win F dows of the church. He went to the door. opened 1t and stood looking out. All was still. Not house was lighted save by the moon. Not living drea- ture was in sight.
 The light appeared again. This time it was stationary for a few seconds. then seemed to have been extinguished. Insley hurried into his clothes and ran as fast as his legs would carry him to the church. As he proceeded he thought that he had better see than be seen. He knew the church we'll and felt confident that he could enter by a i basement window. A tall tree cast shadow on his approach. Finding the window, he crawled in stealthily. and. guided by sufficient light from without to enable him to see his way, he as- cended a staircase leading up into the vestibule Opening a door only so far as would enable him to peep into the body of the church. he saw a strange sight. ..s Two men were standing by a win dow. the moon shining full in their faces. The one was young and of city mein-that is, so far as Insley could see by moonlight alone. The other was dressed in the garb of clergy man. The men were talking. but he could not hear what they said. Now and again the, younger man would ! take out his watch and look at the time impatlently. .:. !, Then InsSey heard knock at the church door. The men heard 1t, too, and the younger hurried to the front 1 of the church The watcher, that he might not be seen. descended the stairs. but not so far that he could not know what passed in the. vesti- bule. The young man opened the church door and admitted d woman. There was no light for him to see by, but he could hear. 1G1i
 sweetheart said the man, "what has kept youT' .u xlGt
 II heard father tossing about in bed and dared not venture" r4 ya
 Well, come. It will soon be oyer. and then you'll feel better. You are all unstrung." E8. "Oh, I can't" s These were the last words Insley heard, for the man drew the girl into the body of the church and toward the other end. Insley entered and passed in shadow part way down an aisle en- tering one of the high pews. The two men and the woman were in shadow. but presently Insley saw one of the men and the woman standing tn a flood of moonlight. with their backs toward him, while the man in clerical garb faced him and them. The clergy man held in his hand a lamp or can dle covered so that its light could only shine on the page of book be held in his hand. ...- Insley knew that a marriage service was about to be performed. Whether 1t was a case for interference or one to suffer to proceed be knew not. But he had passed the romantic age when one sympathizes with those who would wed in opposition to their parents wishes and was not minded to permit the marriage without being informed of the circumstances attending 1t. One thing made him suspicious. The pas 1 tor of the church was a large man. while this one was of medium height and slender. Besides. the pastor was not a person to wed couples in his church at midnight and if he did would not require q light upon his book by which to read the marriage service.
 True enough. marriage service was begun. Insley could hear every word. When the clergyman asked if any one had aught to say why the two should not be joined together in wedfock Ins- ley said solemnly:
 q forbid
 At the same time he dropped down into the pew. He did not see the com motion his words produced. but he heard a woman's cry. Then there were indistinguishabe sounds and muffled voice:
 Wed better get out. Some ones got on to it. You'll be jugged for this.'
 'So will you"
 Insley heard steps-men's steps-hur- rying past him in the aisle and passing out of the front door. As soon as all was still he went down to where he had seen the bridal party standing. His foot pressed something lying in the dark on the floor Stopping down. he felt wOman's form. Raising her. he carried her to where the moonlight shown upon her face.
 Great heavens. she was his own daughter!
 She came to herself. and by the light she saw him gazing down upon her with a mingled expression of surprise