The Cairo bulletin., 1910-07-19
SAVED
BY 7. DEWITT BOWMAN
Copyright, 1910, by American Press
Association.


arose, went to the window aud looked
out The moon was al the full. illnmi-
mating everything in sight-namely.
the undulatlng plain. scattered dweli-
ings and the meeting house more than
200 years old. Suddenly lnsley opened
his eyes wider than they had been
opened during his sleeplessness A
light passed across one OF the win
dows of the church. He went TO the
door, opened 1t aud stood looking out.
All was SILL Not a house was lighted
save by the moon. Not living Crea-
ture was In sight.
The light appeared again. This time
II was stationary for few seconds,
then seemed to have been extinguished.
Insley hurried into his clothes aud
ran as fast as his legs would carry
him to the church. As he proceeded he
thought that he Ind better see than be
seen. He knew the church well and
felt confident that he could enter by q
basement window. A tail tree cast a
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 staircase leading up into the
vestibule. Opening door only so far
as would enable him to peep into the
body of the church, he saw strange
sight
Two men were standing by win
dow, the moon shining full In their
faces The one was young and Of city
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 impatiently.
Then lnsley heard a knock at the
church door. The men heard 1t, too,
and the younger hurried to the front
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-
bulc The young man opened the
church door and admitted woman.
There was no light for him to see by,
but he could hear.
Sweetheart" said the man. what
has kept your
- Il heard father tossing about in bed
and dared not venture"
well. come. 1t will soon be over.
and then you'll feel better. You are
all unstruug"
"Oh. can't"
These were the last words Tnsley
heard. for the man drew the girl into
the body Of the church and toward the
other end lnsley 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,
hut presently lnsley saw one OF the
men and the woman standing in n
dord 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
die covered so that its light could only
shine on the page Of a book he held in
his hand.
lnsley knew that a marriage service
was about to be performed. Whether
II was case for interference or one
to suffer to proceed he knew not. But
he had passed the romantic age when
one synpathizes 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 IT, One
thing made him suspicious. The pas
| tor of the church was large man
while this one was Of medium heigbt
and slender Besides. the pastor was
not person to wed couples IN his
church Mt midnight and IL he did wouC
not require light upon his book by
which TO read the marriage service.
True enough, a marriage service was
begun. lnsley could hear every word
| When the clergyman asked If any one
had aught to say why the two shouc
not be Joined together in wedlock ms
ley said solemny;
Il forbid
| At the same time he dropped dow
into the pew, He did not see the com
motion his words produced, but b'
heard n womans cry. Then Their
we're indstinguishable sounds and {
muflied voice:
Wed better get out Some one
got on to it. You'll be jagged TO
this"
so will you"
Insley heard steps-men's steps hur
rying past him In the aisle and passin,
out OF the front door. AS soon as al
was still he went down to where h
had seen the bridal party standing
His foot pressed something lying Il
the dark on the floor. STOPPING down
he felt woman's form. Raising hei
he carried her to. where the moonligh
shown upon her face.
Great heavens, she was his ow
daughter!
She came TO herself and by the High
she saw him gazing down upon he
with a mingled expression of surpris
and pain.
!. Father"
Bessie"
els it q dream?"