The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-09-26
XIV INsrALLMENg

The sound was not repeated. Gradually
the Professors snarled lips relaxed and
closed over his teeth. But for sometime
longer he stood listening and trying to see
into the shadows. Then he turned to Ce-
1estia, and after q moment of silent and
greedy contemplation, spoke.
I'VE are going to be married" he said.
'We are about to enter the church. /" And
he followed suggestion by suggestion, it is
not quite clear why, unless he had in him
a streak of that quality which causes cat
to play with mouse.
In Celestia's mind rose shadowy picture
of altar, of a clergyman in white sur
pice. of candles that burned in candelabra,
of an altar boy, of great bell made OF
flowers. She was standing facing the clergy
man and the altar at the foot Of the steps
which led to it. Why she was standing there
she did not know. Oh, yes. she was going
to se married. She s was ,a going to marry
She didn't love him. He had made her say
she did more than once. She had heard
herself say that she loved him. But it had
been only her lips that had said the word,
not her mind, nor her heart nor her soul.
Now she was being married. The clergy
man was asking her some long solemn
after him. but only with her lips.
IT Celestia, take'-'
Freddie the Ferret had never been more
miliar with the marriage ceremony but still
he recognized the fact that Professor Still
liter and Celestial standing little way from
of the kind.
But where was the priest? Freddie peer
Ing from under the tree which hid him,
could not any third person. Perhaps the
Priest was in the hut speaking to them
through the open door.
Driven by a curiosity which overmastered
his fear of stilliter Freddie crept out of his
hiding place and advanced over a broad
outcropping of granite on feet which made
no sound
The mockery of marriage service over,
Professor Stiliiter no longer made any effort
at sef-control; he seized her in his arms
and was himself seized by the collar and
3srke6 vigorously backward
i vas sudden and SO unexpected that
Tor z moment Professor Stilliter's heart
stooa s1gI and he almost died of fright
Inen with kind Of whining cry he tore
himself loose and faced about
There wac murder in his eyes 1t was
tflaT look Of murder that Freddie who had
succeeded in freeing one arm struck at
something bright and shining flashed in
the moonlight. there was q sound of glass
shtvered TO atoms, and for the moment Pro-
lessor Stilliter Was stone blind.
Professor Etiliter rose slowly TO his feet
his face pale as with the anticipation of
death. So he stood moment and then in
voice that shook, he called to Celestia
who had remained standing in front of the
hut
Come here, CeIestia," he called.
She moved obedlently toward him Blu,
the Ferret threw himself in her way Some
Instinct told him that these two people must
be kept apart.
Professor Stilliter's commands to Celestis
could no longer be heard. And now tht
had sailed her course through tn,
heavens and had descended behind the
mountain, and there was darkness In which
Freddie was almost as helpless as the victim
of his chance blow.
He still had Tommy's knife and with thi
he cut great pile of tender basam TO
Celestia to lie By good fortune tn
night was not cold. Celestia lay till morn
ing without moving or closing her half-opel
eyes. And Freddie stood guard over her
then sat guard, and then slept.
Stilliter also slept after a time. He ha
found his way to the hut and had con
troiled his panic-stricken mind sufficient
to reason that if he was to find help or
help to find him it would not be a
night but in the day time.
He had many nightmares.
Toward dawn he walked in a cold swea
In his sleep he had asked himself this Ques
ton:
How will know when 1t is day?"
Tommy found his candle at last, Hghte
It, and retraced his steps by means of tn
chalk marked at the turns and forks to tn
mouth of the cave. He had not expecte
to find Celestial
Why hadn't Freddie the Ferret give
warning? Tommy thought that the poo
boy had probably been shot down in col
blood. There was no time to look for tn
{ body. Tommy proceeded at a dog trot-no
run exactly, but that gait a little taste
than walk that makes the least deman
upon the wind and muscles. He kept thi