The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1912-05-16
Copyright. by ". G. chapman.)

G. Chapman.)
field. 'Eleven-thirty! The single stroke
drove him out of his chair with a
bound. But half an hour remained
in which to catch the car and reach
st. Georges, and, If he should fail, IT.
retrievable ruin would confront him,
He thought Of the accidents of the
crowded streets; of Mary, waiting de-
serted at the altar while he was hur-
ried away to some hospital; Of life
without her afterward. And, being
able to endure these thoughts no
longer, he buttoned his frock coat,
thrust on his silk hat, and opened the
door Just as the elevator boy ascend
ed the passage.
There's a cab waiting for you,
sir" said the boy, grinning sympathet-
fcally.
"Ha! Mr.. stanfeld?" asked Jooe-
Ign wildly.
mo, sir, just a cab, sir" answered
the boy. Man says you ordered him
to be here, SIR" he continued.
That's right" said Jocelyn. He
resolved to wait for Jack no longer
but to let him follow him to the
church. With that tenacity Of de-
termination which ch~aracterizes men
in desperate situations, Jocelyn had
concentrated all his intelligence on
one thing, which, in his mind, would
make or mar the wedding. His we'd
ding ring he kept loosely sewn into
the pocket of his waistcoat, refusing
to entrust 1t to his friend. He felt
for it a dozen times during his de-
scent to the ground floor. 1t was safe
still. So long as he had this, no.
body could Illustrate his marriage, he
thought.
Good luck, sir" said the elevator
boy, as Jocelyn stepped out. and, the
richer by a five-dollar bill, he grinned
his thanks and continued his prosaic
task.
The cabman swayed as he saluted
Jocelyn from his perch, and, with a
smile fixed on his Hibernian counte-
nance, remained at an angle like that
Of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, evf
IDENTIFY overcome by the previous cele.
bration of his patrons nuptials.
"St. Georges church." said Jocelyn,
stepping inside.
"Sure, don't I know, yer honor?"
asked the driver %reproachfully. can
is 1t me Is would fergit the mos
beautiful lady as iver graced her
wedding gownd? It's the good-looking
pair Yell make, all right"
Drive quick but not dangerously
fast" called Jocelyn, shutting the
door after him. The driver, evidently
misunderstanding his instructions
whipped up his horse and the convey
ance started off at a furious rate in
the direction Of Gramercy square,
while Jocelyn, leaning back against
the cushions. abandoned himself to
his anticipations.
All too soon the journey came tc
an end. The cabman, springing down,
opened the door for him with a suave
bow, and Jocelyn, still in a dream, en-
tered a tiny church amid an enormous
crowd, which vented it's sentiments in
a prolonged whistle of surprise.
The church certainly did seem tc
have changed it's appearance since
the day when Jocelyn had attended
there in order to. familiarize himself
with the scene of the nuptfals. To be
gin with, the street was uncommonly
dirty; then, again, those who had as
sembled were hardly that element o.
the %populace whom Jocelyn had nerv
ed himself to expect. They had a dis
tinctly foreign aspect and their salu
tations were, though couched in for
eign tongue, obviously the reverse Of
friendly. One fellow, indeed, forgot
himself sc far as to shake his fist II
Jocelyn's face.
Like a man in a dream he passed IL
and up the aisle. Even here he ex
perienced something of a surprise, fol
the appearance of the altar was that
Of an unfamiliar creed. Yet Jocelyr
hurried on; his mental processe.
were numbed, and his one though,
was to find Mary Davenant. Only
the sight Of her, he knew, would re
store him to his normal calm and en-
able him to act as a san man in these
perplexing surroundings:
He approached the aisle amid com
plete silence, though the small church
was crowded, but, as he drew e the
altar, a little group of people separat
ed and came toward him, finally inter
posing themselves between himself
and the exit as though he meditatei
an escape. AS he stared wildly
round him his glance fell on a won
an who, with blazing cheeks and
blanched face, whittier than paper un
der her bridal veil, awaited him. II
was the italian woman whom he had
encountered at the marriage license
bureau!
Hes come. My mans comet" she
shrieked. Liars! You said that he
had run away" And, flinging her
self into his arms, she lay there in 8
dead faint, while Jocelyn, supporting
his burden, stared round him for the
sight of one familiar face.
What does this mean?" he demand
ed Of a stout man in an evening suit
across whose waistcoat dangled {
thick rope Of gold, from which de
pended varicolored seals-evidently
the brides father.