The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1914-04-28

the ceremony-very brief. Celia
had all that repeating after the
minister cut out on account of not
being able to rehearse. Hurry,
Leave your hat right here. Now
| must CO."
The breahless usher hurried
through the door. Gordon turned,
thinking even yet to escape, but
the eagle-eye of his pursuer was
upon him and the man jefferson
was by his side:
Here we are!" he said, grab
bling Gordon't hat and coat and
dumping them on a chair. I'm
look after everything. Just come
along. Awfully glad to see you at
last. Too bad you had to rush
so. How many years is 1t since
| saw you? Ten! You've chang
ed some. but you're looking fine
and dandy"
Mechanically Gordon fell into
place beside jefferson, who was Il
pleasant-faced youth. Gordon
wondered II he would feel as glad
as this youth seemed to be, when
he walked down the aisle to meet
his bride.
He walked with feet that
weighed like lead, across a church
that looked to be miles in width,
in the face of swarms of curious
eyes. He tried to reflect that
these people were not looking at
him, but at the bridegroom by his
side.
The man by his side managed
admirably, getting him into the
proper position. 1t seemed as If
the best man had to occupy the
most trying spot in all the church.
but as they put him there, of
course IL was right.
He glanced over the faces near
the front. and they all looked as
IL everything were going as 1t
should, SO he settled down to his
fate.
People whispered how hand
some he looked, and some sug-
gested that he was not so stout
as when they had last seen him,
ten years before His stay in
foreign land must have done him
good.
The music stole onward; the
bridal party inched up the mid
die aisle until at last the bride
in all the mystery of her white
veil arrived, and Gordon found
himself standing beside her.
He felt sure there must be
something wrong about it, and
looked at his young guide with
an attempt to change places with
him, but the man named Jeffer-
son held him in place with a
warning eye.
you're all right. Just stay
where you are" he whispered.
and Gordon stayed, wondering
why he had never before taken
notice of Just how a wedding par
ty came in and stood and got out
again.
1t seemed one had to be a pref
ty all-around man to be a men,
Der of the Secret Service.
The organ hushed its voice, and
the minister began the ceremony.
Gordon stood doggedly.
A full second passed, and he
decided he would never get mar
ried himself.
During the next second he be-
came supremely conscious of the
creature in white by his side.
Gordon turned desperately to-
ward her. and his gaze was held
fascinated.
She was a little creature, young
and very beautiful, with beauty
which a deathly pallor only en-
HANGED. The lovely head dropped,
the coral lips had a look of un-
utterable sadness.
He looked at her with such in
tensity that a couple of dear old
sisters whispered one to the 9TH
err: Just see him look at her!
How he must love her! Wasn't it
beautiful that he should come
right from the steamer to the
church and never see her till now,
for the first time in ten long
years. It's so romantic!"
Then the bride became aware of
his look, raised her eyes, and
they were full of tears! They
gave him one reproachful glance
that shot through his soul like
sword.
He looked vindictively at the
innocent youth beside him. Was
she marrying him against her
will? He was making her cry al
ready. Gordon felt a desire to
kick him.
For the moment his commits
sion, his ridiculous situation, the
real peril to his life and trust,