The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-05-18
MeMANrm the.e
BROWN DERBY
~
Wells HASTINGS
e00 Author of Geo
The Professors Mystery
(0ydshtl9llby Bobbllera 20
CHAPTER M.
(Contlnued)

In fact. this young man smirked a
good deal too much, | thought. He
was very thin, and very blond
Young man, with watery, wandering
blue eyes. His ears Jared astonish-
ingly, and he picked continually al
already lacerated finger ends. His
clerical collar formed generous wall
about a scanty neck. whose enormous
Adams apple" steadily appeared
and disappeared behind his starchy
white rampant.
Nancy, you will please call Jonas.
Mr.. Ellsworth and have little mat
ter OF business here; Mr.. stevens will
excuse us
Miss Bond left the room silently,
the Reverend Mr.. Stevens obliteTated
himself in the bow-window, and |
crossed over 10 the table after Eph'
rain Bond. Three papers lay upon
| 1t. The first was a marriage license
made out in blank. and duly signed
and sealed. the second seemed much
longer. and the third was evidently a
deed OF property.
Mr.. Bond indicated them to me
with wave OF his hand, and seating
| myself deliberately, / took up the H.
| cense.
How could you get this in blank
! asked.
! Mr.. Bond smiled. II have some ac'
auaintance at the Bureau. IL Is quite
| correct, or will be when you nave
filled in your name. You need not Dc
afraid, Mr.. Ellsworth"
II am not afraid" and ! smiled TOO
II would be easy TO take out another
/ reflected. In fact, il would not DC
hard. and would certainly be very
much safer. quietly TO repeat thii
whole wedding before ONE county
clerk. when we had left Mr.. Bond ano
his emaciated protege behind US II
that gloomy house | filled In my
name carelessly and handed the II
cense across the table 10 Mr.. Bond
rhe next paper l read at length.
was release and an agreement &c
leasing Ephraim Bond from any lur
Their payments TO me. and binding ms
10 the terms he had told me or In IN
Lexington Avenue stable, or rather
was an elaborate expression oil those
terms. ;
This should have been made Il
! duplicate" | observed coldly, for
I was anxious that he should sun De
lieve that was driving callous bar
gains with him.
/ He frowned There Is absolutel.
no reason for that, Ellsworth he an
swered. This binds you TO keel
| faith with me. As far as ] am con
cerned, cease 70 exist for you as
soon as you receive your payment;
owe you nothing in the future"
This, of course. | knew was non
sense, but had. thank God, loni
ceased TO care for the things which
had led me first to answer his adve1
tisement. had spoken TO woman
who had answered me in kindness
! While she kept faith | could afford Il
trust the rest of the world, ! looked
up Nancy was coming in at the Goor
signed the paper with | knew no
/ what stirring at my heart and takint
UP the last document, glanced hastli.
over It. 1t was executed with all tn
proper signatures and seals, and CAV
me life interest In certain stocks AM
bonds; but 1t had lost its first i'm
portance. and crammed 1t into al
inside pocket.
| MI. bOnu SJOOu up, a. viz ~ ohN -
minister came forward to the middle
of the room, prayer-book in hand
Nancy Bond came and stood besid
me. She was very pale, but 1t SCENE,
to me that now she was less afraid
At a word from her uncle the cere
money commenced.
A wedding ceremony Is shor
thing after all. II surprised me tina
such q contract could be bound 81
quickly: and TO my unconscious sui
prise, we both gave our response
clearly, repeating them after MI
Stevens in tones much steadier thar
mis- own. For minister he seeme'
a very clumsily fearful one.
When the time came for the givlni
OF a ring, Mr.. Bond tok one from hi
pocket, a bright new one, evidentl,
newly bought But shook m,
head at him, and taking from my Owl
pocket little, soft leather case, pu
a ring OF my own upon my wife
finger. 1t had been the other won
ans ring, my mothers; since he
death my dearest possession. For tn
first time since the beginning of tn
ceremony thought that Name
trembled little.
Then, OF sudden, | found that w