The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1914-04-29

couch. a number of things came
more clearly to his vision. One
was that they had safely passed
the outskirts OF New York without
interference of any kind; another
that by morning there would
surely be someone searching for
him. The duped Holman combin-
alton would stop at nothing. AS
for the frantic bridegroom. Cor
don dreaded the thought of meet
ing him. 1t must be put off at
any hazards until the message was
safe with his chief.
At last he yielded to the drowsi-
ness that was stealing over him
and the wheels hummed on their
monotonous song: 'Dou't let any
thing hinder! Don't let anything
Don't let! Don't! Hinder
r-r-r!'
The man slept, and the train
rushed on. The night waned. The
sad little bride grew restless and
stirred. but the man on the couch
did not hear her.
The morning light grew clearer.
The sleeper behind the curtains
stirred again and became con-
scious, as in many days past, of
her heavy burden of sorrow.
She lay quiet, letting the tor
rent sweep over her with its
sickening realization. She was
married! IL was over. Gradually
she came to remember the night
before-the parting with her
mother and her brother: the little
things that brought the tears
again to her eyes. Then all was
Darkness. She must have faint
ed. She remembered opening her
eyes and seeing mems faces about
her, and George--could 1t have
been George a kinder look
in his eyes than she had ever
thought to see there.
What had happened? Where
was everybody? II was good to
have been left alone. She grudg-
lngly gave her unloved husband
a fragment of gratitude for not
having tried to talk with her. In
the carriage on the way he had
seemed determined to begin a
long argument of some kind. She
did not want to argue any more.
She had written tones upon the
subject, and had said all she had
| to say.
He knew she did not love him,
and would never have married
him but for her mothers sake
and for the sake of her beloved
fathers memory. Now let him
have his way and make her suffer
as he chose. II he would but let
her suffer in silence and not in
| flict his bitter tongue upon her.
she would try to bear 1t. And
perhaps-perhaps she would not
live long, and 1t would soon be
all over.
AS the daylight grew, the girl
felt an inclination to find out
whether her husband was near.
Cautiously she lifted her head,
and, drawing back corner of the
| curtain, peered out.
He lay quietly on the couch,
one hand under his cheek against
the pillow, the other across his
breast, as il to guard something.
She tried to trace in his fea-
lures a likeness to the youth Of
ten years ago, whom she had
known when she was but a little
girl. But the memories were too
horrible as they crowded one
upon another! Let them be for
gotten.
She watched the face before
her critically, yet she could see no
trace of any such character as
she had imagined the boy George
must have developed as man;
of which his letters had given her
ample proof.
This mans face was finely cut
and sensitive. There was moth
ing coarse or selfish in its lines.
But stay, what was there about
this man that seemed different?
The smooth face? Yes. She had
the dim impression that last night
he wore mustache. She must
have been mistaken, of course.
She had looked at him only when
absolutely necessary, and her
brain was in such whirI; but
still there seemed to be some
thing different about him.
He looked very handsome and
attractive as he lay there. He
had the kind of hair which makes
a woman's hand instinctively long
to touch 1t.
Celia wondered at the curious
thoughts that crowded through
her mind, knowing that all the
while there was the consciousness
that when this man should wake