Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1912-05-17
Copyright, by W. G. chapman.)

IN Which to catch the car and reach
ST. Georges, and, if he should fail ir-
retrlevable 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 sore 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 cab waiting for you,
sir" said the boy, grinning sympathet-
ically.
"Ha! Mr.. stanfeld?" asked Joce-
Ign wildly.
No, sir, just 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 characterizes 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 it 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 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 / know, yer honor?"
asked the driver reproachfully. can
is it me as would fergit the mos
beautiful lady as liver 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 to
an end The cabman, springing down,
opened the door for him with a suave
bow, and Jocelyn, still in a dream, en-
tered tiny church amid an enormous
crowd, which vented its sentiments in
prolonged whistle of surprise.
The church certainly did seem to
have changed its appearance since
the day when Jocelyn had attended
there in order to familiarize himself
with the scene of the nuptials. To be-
gin with, the street was uncommonly
dirty; then, again, those who had as
sembled were hardly that element OF
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 so far as to shake his list IN
Jocelyn's face.
Like man in dream he passed in
and up the aisle. Even here he ex-
perienced something of surprise, for
the appearance of the altar was that
of an unfamiliar creed. Yet Jocelyn
hurried on; his mental processes
were numbed, and his one thought
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 sane man In these
perplexing surroundings.
He approached the aisle amid COM
plete silence, though the small church
was crowded, but, as he drew near 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 meditated
an escape. AS he stared wildly
round him his glance fell on a wom-
an who, with blazing cheeks and
blanched face, winter than paper un-
der her bridal veil, awaited him. 1t
was the Italian woman whom he had
encountered at the marriage license
bureau!
Hes come. Ny mans comet" she
shrieked. Liars! You said that he
had run away!" And, hipging her
self into his arms, she lay there in
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-
nended varicolored seals evidently
the brides father.
Il do know" retorted the other,