The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-11-18
CHAPTER vi.
Despair.


had called to ask that he act as his
best man He refused SO CURLY that
Bivens was deeply wounded
But | say. Jim, that's all rot
want YOU to stand by me I've always
taken as much of your friendship as
yOu would give and been grateful for
it | don't make new friends easily
| want YOU. and you've just got to do
it
.SfUHrt SllGnk his Head and firmly set
H. jaws y gram temptation flashed
thru'i"h his imagination If he should
ACCEPT il mi"Et be the one thing which
would proven; Mans. betrayal of her
loEp y: Tie altar Might he nor 10y tlie
power Of his personality. the hypnotic
for, e ri his yp;lTnin2 passion and will.
stop The ceremony In the moment of
Gp:. ,niiie silence which should follow
tie ministers words asking if there
We're any cause known why these two
should not hp made one. might not Il
single movement of his body ~ that
moment. grOan of pain. IL sob. a cry
of agony in Il supreme act of his will,
cause the white figure To reel and fall
at his feet: 1t was possible But ii
would be too cheap. 1t would be
worthless victory. victory of the flesh
without the spirit. and he refused to
take the body without the soul
With Il frown he turned TO Bivens:
Its no use talking. Cal. I've made
up my mind won't do it,
We'll. if you won't you won't" the
/ little man said with a sigh. AT least
you'll come 10 the church. For Gods
sake, let me get glimpse of one friend
ly face! I'll he scared to death. You
know. I'm not used to this"
| Stuart smiled:
"All right. I'll be there"
But when the fateful morning came
Stuart was stunned by the feeling of
incredible despair which crept into his
heart The day was chill and damp.
Dull. grayish. half black clouds rolled
over the city from the sea-clouds that
hung low and wet over the cold pave
ments without breaking into rain
He knew that Nan was as supersti.
| tious as The old black nanny of the
south who had nurSed her Aunt Sal
| lie had come to New York for the wed.
ding II her baby" Stuart thought of
the old saying. Happy is the bride the
sun shines on" AS the hour of noon
approached despair slowly settled over
| his heart
How could he reconcile himself to
the horrible reality? A marriage sor
did. cold. vulgar to such a man-this
little tobacco stained. bead eyed wea
sci.
He rose breathing hard and brushed
tear from his eye-a tear that had
come unbidden in spite. of his iron
! will
His heart fairly shrieked its cry of
despair. He moved mechanically to
ward the church and walked from his
reverie to find himself damned in IA
solid mass of humanity. Never before
| had he realized the utter vulgarity of
a public wedding. He forced his way
| into the side door and stood waiting
| the arrival Of the bride and groom
| When Bivens came the sight of him
reused the slumbering devil in Stuart
| The excitement of his triumph had
evidently steadied the little mans
nerves. Never had his shrimplike fig
ure looked so slippery and plausible.
He extended his slender hand and
touched Stuart's in passing To save
his life the lawyer could not repress a
shudder In that moment he could
have committed murder with JOY. The
agony Of defeat was on him. He felt
1 ~, &lo% III, hi = t,a
rebels and disinherited Of the earth
At last the bride came and the sur
pliced choir moved slowly and solemn
ly down the aisles through a sea of
eager faces as the great organ pealed
forth the first bars of the wedding
march from "Lohengrin."
Nan was leaning on the arm Of a
| stranger he had never seen before. an
uncle from the west She was pale
deathly pale. and walked with a hest
tating movement as though weak from
Illness. Suddenly his heart went out
| to her in food of pity and tenderness
He tried TO make her feel this. but she
passed without a glance She had not
| seen him
|
a vague impersonal interest as if it
were something going on in another
world. A single question was burning
itself into his brain-the price of a
woman! Have we all our price," he
asked. searching deep into his own
soul. Something pathetic in the white
face of the bride had touched the deep
! est sources Of his hoiDp
Have l. too, my price, oh, boastful
soulT' he cried. Would | sell my
honor for n million? No. For ten.
fifty, a hundred millions? No-nOt in
| the market place. no-but would l sell
by a compromise Of principle in the
secret conclave Of my party-at sale
| the world could never know-would |
sell for the presidency of the republic
! Or would l sell now to win this WON
! an? Would L? If so, l should hold
| her blameless. Have all men and all
women price If we but name il:
Answer! Answer And then from
| the depths Of his being came the burn
! ing words:
| mo! l swear it. No."
He looked up with a start, wonder,
! ing vaguely If the crowd had heard
this cry.
| No: they were intent on the drama
| at the altar The minister was say
| ing:
What God hath Joined together let
not man nut asunder."