Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1916-11-02
She settled back with a half sigh, as

She settled back with a half sigh, as
IL she could not have borne one instant
more of strain, then sitting opposite he
adjusted the window to give her air.
| She seemed grateful but said nothing.
Her eyes were closed YEARLY, n the
whole droop of her figure showed utter
exhaustion. 1t seemed a desecration to
| speak to her, yet he must " some
kind of an understanding before they
reached their destination.
AN explanation is due to you-
he began, without knowing just what
he was going to say, but she put out
! her hand with a weary protest
"Oh. please DON'T" she pleaded. II
know-the boat was late. 1t doesn't
matter In the least"
He sat back appalled,! She did not
herself know then that she had married
the wrong mani
But you don't understand" he pro-
tested.
want to understand. Nothing can
change things. Only. let me be quiet till
we get to the house, OF l can go
through with the rest of it"
Her words ended with almost a sob,
and he sat silent for an instant, with a
mingling of emotions, uppermost of
which was a desire to take the little,
white, shrinking girl into his arms and
comfort her. Nothing car change
things" That sounded as though she
did know but thought it too late to
undo the great mistake now that it had
been made. lie must let her know that
he had not understood until the GER
mony was over. While he sat helplessly
looking at her in the dimneSs of the ear
where she looked so small and sad and
misty huddle beside her great boquet,
] Glnl AN Hn,. aync on1 1nnla1 Oft him
She seemed to understand that he was
about To speak again. By the great arc
light they We're passing he saw there
there We're tears in her eyes again, and
her voice held a childlike pleading as
she uttered one word:
DON'T"
1t hurt him like a knife, he knew not
why. But he could not resist the APP
peal. Duty or no duty, he could not
disobey her command.
Very WE'LL He said 1t quietly, al
most tenderly, and sat back with folded
arms. After all, what explanation
y could he give her that she would be-
lieye3 He might not breathe a word
of his commission or the message
extraordinary appearance at her we'd
ding and by her side?
The promise in his voice seemed tic
give her relief. She breathed a sigh
of relief and closed her eyes. He must
just keep still and have his eyes oper
for a chance to escape when the car
riage reached It's destination.
Thus silently they threaded through
unknown streets, strange thoughts il
the heart of each. The bride was
struggling with her heavy burden, n
the man was trying to think his way
out Of the maze Of perplexity into
which he had unwittingly wandered
He tried to set his thoughts In order
and find out just what to do. First o.
all. Of course. came his commission
but somehow every time the little white
bride opposite took first place in hi:
mind. Could he serve both? VIVA
would serve both, and what would sery,
either? AS for himself, he was free t.
4 confess that there was no room left il
4 slderation OF his own interests.
I Whatever there was Of good in hin
i must go now to set matters right il
which he had greatly blundered. H
4 must do the best he could for the cir
who had SO strangely crossed hi
pathway, and get back to his com
mission. But when he tried to realiz
the Importance of his commission an,
set 1t over against the interests of tn
girl bride, his mind became confused
What should he do! He could not thinl
of slipping away n leaving her with
out further words, eve if an opportu
nifty offered itself. Perhaps he wa
wrong. Doubtless his many friend
might tell him SO if they were con
suit them. He intended to see thi
troubled soul 80 some place of safety
and look out for his commission a
best he could afterward. One thin
he did not fully realize, and that wa
+ that Miss Julia Bentley's visio
troubled him no longer. He was fret
: There was only M woman in tn
whole wide world that gave him an
concern, and hat was the little sorrow
full creature who sat opposite to hin
and to whom he had just been married
> Just been married! He! The though
brought with it a thrill Of wonder, an
a something else that was not unpleas
: ant. What If he really had? OF cours
/. he had not. OF course such a thin
. could not hold good. But what if h
had! Just for an instant he enter
tanned the thought-would he be gla
or sorry? He did not know her, {
: course, had heard her speak but a fe'
! words, had looked into her face plainl
: but once, and yet suppose she were his
! : His heart answered the question with
: glad bound that astonished him, and a
= his former Ideas OF real love wei
. swept from his mind in a breath. r
knew that. stranger though she wa
he could take her to his heart; cheris
her. love her and bear with her, as l.
Q never could have done Julia Bentle
Then jill at once he realized that /
+ was allowing his thoughts to dive
! upon a woman who by all that was hol
I belonged to another man, and tn:
T other man would doubtless soon be tt
T one with whom he would have to dea
He would soon be fact to lace with
new phase Of the situation and he mu!
: prepare himself to meet 1t. What WI
he going to do? Should he plan to e.
< cape from the opposite door Of the al
tomobile while the bride was being a.
( sisted from her seat7 No, he coul
! not, for he would be expected to e,
t out first and help her out. Beside
7 there would be too many around, ar
q he could. not possibly get away. Bu
Q greater than any such reason, Il
$ thing that held him bound was IL
look in her eyes through the tears. f
simply could not leave her until |
: knew that she no longer needed hir
h And yet there was his commission
Y Well, he must see her in the hands
: those who would care for her at Ieas
So much he had done even for IL
white dog, and then, too, surely she W:
worth as many minutes of his time
he had been compelled to give to IL
o injured child Of h streets. If he on