Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1916-11-02
CHAPTER w.

What had he done? Was 1t some.
great unnamed, unheard of crime he7
had unconsciously committed Could,
any one understand or excuse such
up his head again. though he fled to;
the most distant part of the gfobe?'
| Was there nothing the could save the
situation2 Now. before they left the.
church. could he not declare the truth.
and set things right, undo the words:
that had been spoken in the presence,
of all these witnesses, and send out to
find the real bridegroom? Surely
neither law nor gospel could endorse.
a bond made in the ignorance of either
participant. 1t would, Of course, be a
terrible thing for the bride, but better
now than later. Besides. he was
pledged by that hand clasp to answer
the appeal in her eyes and protect her.
This, then, was what it had meant!
But his commission! What OF hat ?
"A matter of life and DEATH" All! but
this was more than life or death!
While these rapid thoughts were
flashing through his brain. the bene-
dtctlon was being pronounced, and with
the last word the organ pealed forth it's
triumphant lay. The audience stirred ex
triumphant lay. The audience stirred ex-
citedly, anticipating the final view Of
the wedding procession.
The bride turned to take her bouuet
lIOlIl lile Lililu VI honor, ana the move
ment broke the spell under which Cor
don had been held.
He turned to the young man by his
side n spoke hurriedly in a low tone.
IAN awful mistake has been made
he said, and the organ drowned every
thing but the word mistake" IT don't
know what to do" he went on. But
him joyously:
mot a bit of 1t, old chap. Nobody
noticed that hitch about the ring. 1t
was only a second. Everything went off
slick. You haven't anything more to
do now but take my sister out. Look
alive. there! She looks as If she might
bit well all day. Steady her, QUICK,
can't you? She'll stick it out till she
gets to the air. but hurry, for goodness
sake!"
Gordon turned In alarm. Already the
frail white bride had q claim on him,
His first duty was to get her out Of
discovered that he was not the right
man. and that was the meaning of her
tears and appeal. Yet she had held her
own and allowed things to go through
to the finish, and perhaps he had no
right to reveal to the assembled multi
tudes what she evidently wanted kept
quiet. He must wait till he could ask
her. He must 10 as this other man said
this brother OF hers-who was OF
course the best man. Oh, fool, and
blind! Why had he not understood at
the beginning and got himself out OF
his fix before 1t was too late? And
what should he do when he reached the
commission! He dared not breathe q
woro of that? What explanation could
he possibly offer for his-his-yes-
his criminal conduct? Why, no such
thing was ever heard of in the history
Of mankind as that which had hap
pened to him. From start to finish II
was-it-was-He could not think OF
words to express what 1t was.
, He was by this time meanderine
jerkily down tho aisle. attempting tc
keep time to the music and look the
!, part that h evidently expected him
i to play. but his eyes were upon hel
face. which vas whittier now and. Ii
possible. lovlier. than before.
T. "Oh. just see how devoted he is
: murmured the eldest Of the two dear
old sisters, and he caught the sense OF
. her words as he passed, and wondered
down the aisle with the terrible eyes
: OF scorn upon him, he seemed to fee
tho presence OF Miss Julia Bentle,
leading onward toward the church
door; but he would not take his eyes
from that sweet, sad face of the whit,
bride on his own arm to look. He some.
how knew that IL he could hold on
{ until he reached that door withou,
looking up, her power over him woult
: be exercised forever.
Out Into the vacant vestibule, under
{ y tented canopy, alone together TO
o tIiS moment, he felt her gentle weigh
Y grow heavy on his arm, and knew he
i footsteps were tagging. Instincttvely
lest Others should gather around them
no almost lirted her and bore her dow,
- I$Hn NaMNAtA& IatAnA AA~~~S~h