Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1910-11-04


Hating" I said. Nov you seem to be
undecided yourself And I am not
quite sure but you are right Suppose
after we are married you should meet
your former bride. Suppose she should
admit that In q 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 a chain Of slav-
cry"
He said nothing for some time.
When he did his words thrilled me:
'Candor compels me to admit that
would"
leaned back on the cushion as
though much disappointed. am not
sure, but practiced the deception Of
a sigh. His mood was indicated by
the speed he was driving the machine.
was tempted to tear of my veil and
throw my arms about his neck. But
dared not As his bride I had been
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" / said, ut is time that we
stop this backing and filing. shall
show you that have more steadiness
than you suppose. Come; turn about.
Let us go to the rectory."
without a 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
Illness which comes over a single man
after he has passed the heyday of
youth would now be ended. Or was
he thinking Of his bride of fifteen
years beforef 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 In
too late"
III there Is vacillntion now It Is In
you, not In me-"
lie got out Of the auto, but not with
the sprlngy 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 It
and when removing the last fold turn
ed and looked at the groom.
He had not seen me since was
eighteen Now was thirty-three, but
he knew me at once--that is he knew
me as soon as he could recover from
hts 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
"Gwenp 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 DO
there in place of the woman he expect
ed, 1t was incumbent on me to make
an explanation. did so TO the rector,
telling him briefly the circumstances
When / had finished turned to my
groom, wondering what expression
nj I IN w nj fhah
he was eager to know what would be
the outcome OF this contretemps, Did
It mean punishment, revenge. or would
It lead to a reconciliation | replied
to the question asked by his eyes with
my lips. | gave him n smile. With
profound sigh of relief he turned to the
clergyman and said
"ProceedT
The rector seemed puzzled Eyi
IDENTIFY the situation Hustered HIN; but
being In holy orders. with church
mans antagonism toward marrying
divorced people and u churchman's
pleasure In reuniting those who have
been separated. he was not long In re-
covering his equanimlty, He looked
at me for my assent But he looked
In vain. gave no assent. Neither
did express dissent He looked to
the groom for instructions and doubt
less received them, for without fur
ther delay he began the ceremony.
Neither man was quite sure what
would be the outcome until the ques-
ton was asked me, WIN you take
this man to DO your welded busbandT
hesitated for a moment, then said
firmly, 81 WILL"
Both men gave a sigh of relief.
And 80 It was that, while i was sep
arated for fifteen years from the man
loved and who loved me, by sense.
less tin, was reunited to him by a
marvellous coincidence Had not the
woman he was to have made his sec
ond wife put his note In her reticule
and left II on counter, had ! not
taken It Up by mistake. / would not
have been In the nick OF time In a po-
sitIon to take what belonged to mo and
appropriate II to myself. The reticule
was hers; the man was mine.
never asked my husband how he
explained matters to the woman with
whom he had intended to elope. /
considered It none Of my business.
Moreover. was not Interested In It.
But / did ask him II he did not sus
pect that the woman beside him In the
auto was not the one he expected TO
meet. He told me that while he did
not suspect me, be felt that there was
something In the situation foreign to
what was Intended My voice. he snld.