The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1912-06-06

on tile l'aTt of ali f'Nteru'u Tue I"h
sibiiity that the necessary papers had
not been procured. the girls strong "i-
position to the cer-uouy
We were 1t the steps. and could
perceive the outlines of two black ''a:'
ureS rising up tu greet uIe u w.i- VI"
deep voice of the elder DrnSiow wl'rh
spoke. his outstretched hand warmly
Srnsping mine
'''rhe last minute. Calvert. nv hoy.
the last minute. So we are Ia march
at midnight. you say: Well. No can
make II with hard riding and cnn
go now with a relieved heart. know
ing Jean will be- we'll looked after
while we arsaway. Come up. my boy.
The thieving Yanhs have not left us n
light about the house. nor very much
of anything else. However. we can
get along in the dark ] reckon the
parson knows his lines without book.
quainted with Lieutenant Dunn. as yOu
are both stationed ut bendquarters!
II have seen him occasionally. al
though. as you may recall. lie is but
newly assigned"
True: only your second week Of
star duty. isn't 1t, Calvert? Jean.
daughter"
A swift hope thrilled through me
that she might have already hed or
have hidden herself within the dirk.
ened house. The hospitable colonel
had half forced me back into vacat-
ed chair and remained facing me.
standing shoulder to shoulder with his
son on the upper step. The chaplain
remained seated close upon my left
All about us was latticework thickiy
covered with trailing vines The only
way OF escape would be BY ninging
both father and son headlong to the
walk below. or perhaps q sudden dash
back into the unknown interior.
neither saw nor heard her n she
came forward When she answered
her slight figure suddenly appeared
standing between her father and the
chaplain. n mere indistinct outline, yet
so womanly as to send q sudden thrill
to my heart.
Every well. father. am here to keep
my word with Lieutenant Dunn"
1t had come. The urgent necessity
for instant action. for immediate de-
cision was upon me. nnd-l failed
saw the chaplain rise deliberately to
his feet. and struggled up also. fierce
~ gripping the back of my chair. half
tempted to use it as a weapon with
which to sweep the steps before me
clear. Yet l hesitated. swnyed by
doubt. Influenced by many emotions.
What was right2 What was best7
What ought to do7 Would even tho
license of war exonerate me? The op-
portunity for an easy escape lay clear
before me: merely a few brief words
spoken in the darkness, the silent act.
ing of simple part. the riding away
together. the others departing unsus-
pectingly to their several commands.
the leaving of the uninJured girl within
easy reach Of Fairview, which could
not be far distant. then the spur, the
river. and Rosecrans.
I could not distinguish q feature Of
her averted face, but a vagrant
breath of air blew a strand Of soft
hair against my cheek. Could sac
rifice her. even for such q causef
Suddenly, as If It were the whisper Of
the devil in my ear. came tho con-
trolling thought-she despises the man
Dunn; she is being driven into this
marriage against her will. Possibly
this very fraud on my part win best
serve her. will eventually result in her
final happiness. We would be togeth-
or merely for an hour or two hours.
Then she would be left safe in the
care of friends. comprehending the
deceit. angry with me no doubt, yet
nothing the worse for the adventure.
1t might even be that the marriage
contracted under such peculiar CIR
cumstances would not be held as legal,
while If it was a divorce could be
most easily obtained on the ground Of
fraud.
"You will join right hands,"
How soft and small her hand was!
How cold to the touch, and how It
tremblcd beneath the clasp of my dn-
gers! Once the drawling voice ap-
peared to ask me something, repeat
ing the question somewhat sharply
before could force my dry lips into
the few necessary words Of response.
Then heard her distinctly say. II
do" yet with an effort. as though tho
uttcrancc nearly chokcd her. The
very sound Of these two words as shc
thus spoke them. filed with utter
hopelcssness. shocked me even then.
and 1 loosencd my clasp. permitting
her hand TO drop as l stared toward
her. The hot blood rushed TO my
head. every nerve tinslinG. ! would
not he guilty of this cownrdly thing!
l would fight them nll first.
"And now pronounce you husband
and wife: whom God hath Joined to-
gcthcr let no man put nsundcr."
1t was already too late! TOO late!
The evil was done. the act consum-
mated. In darkness, In masquerade.
pretending TO he another. stood there
and married Jean Denslow. DO not