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

matters right. Anyhow, it was the least
he could do to AXE himself out Of her
way, and to get his u to Its owners
at once.
The car halted suddenly before a
brightly lighted mansion, whose tented
entrance effectually shut out the gaze
or allen eyes, and made the transit from
car to domicile entirely private. There
was no opportunity here to disappear.
The sidewalk and road were black with
curious onlookers. He stepped from
the car first n helped the lady out.
He bore her heavy boquet because she
looked litrally toe frail to carry it fur
Their herself.
In the doorway she was surrounded
by a bevy of servants, foremost among
whom her old nurse claimed the priv
ilege of greeting her with tears and
smiles and many 'MiSS-Celia-my-
dears," II Gordon stood for the in
slant ~entranced, watching the sweet
play of loving kindness in the face OF
the pale little bride. AS soon as he could
lay dow those flowers inconspicuously
he would be on the alert for a way OF
escape. 1t surely would be found
through some back or side entrance OF
the house.
But even as the thought came to him
the old nurse stepped back to let the
other servants greet the bride with stiff
bows and embarrassed words Of bless
lIiS, tll!u lie lell a lldll ald ilClNllS Ol
his arm.
He started as he turned, thinking in
stantly again of his commission and ex-
pecting to see q policeman in uniform
by his side, out it was only the old
nurse, with tears OF devotion still In her
faded eyes.
Mister George, We hewitt forgot me,
hev ye?" she asked, earnestly. You
usen't to like me vera we'll. l mind,
but We was awful for the teasin' an l.
was always for my Miss Celie! But by
cones is bygones now an l wish We
We'll. Yer growed a man, an know ye
must De worthy O her, or she'd never
hev consented to take We. Yev got q
guide wife an no mistake, an 1 know
yen be the happiest man alive. Ye
won't hold it against me, Mister George,
that I used to tell yer uncle on your
masterful tricks, will We? You mind l
was only carin' fer M baby girl, an
We were but q boy"
She paused as if expecting an answer,
and Gordon embarrassedly assured her
that he would never hin of holding so
trifl1ng a matter against her. He cast
a look OF reverent admiration and ten
derness toward the beautiful girl who
was smiling on her loyal subjects like
Il queen, reused from her sorrow to give
I Joy to others; and even her old nurse
was satisfied.
"Ah, We luve her, Mister George, don't
ye?" the nurse questioned. II don't
wonder. Everybody what lays eyes on
her luves her. She's that dear" here
the tears got the better Of the good
woman for an instant and she forgot
herself and pulled at the skirt Of her
new black dress thinking 1t was an
apron, and Wishing to wipe her eyes.
Then suddenly Gordon found her lips
uttering strange words, without his
own apparent consent, as II his heart
had suddenly taken things in hand and
determined to do as it pleased without
consulting his Judgment.
Eyes, / love her." he was saying, and
to his amazement he found that the
words were true.
This discovery made matters still
more complicated.
Then yen promise me something,
Mister George, won't ye?" said the
nurse eagerly, her tears having their
own way down her rosy anxious face.
"Yell promise me never to make her
feel bad n more? She's cried a lot
these last three months, an nobody
knows but me. She could hide it from
them all but her old nurse that has
loved her SO long. But she's been that
sorrowful, enough fer a whole lifetime.
Promise that yen do all in yer power
to make her happy always"
Il will do all in my power to make
her happy" he said, solemnly, as If
no were ulleIlllS u fOW,O tlu WOlluSISO
how short-lived that power was to be
CHAPTER Y.
The wedding party had arrived ir
full force now. Carriages and auto
, mobiles were unloading; gay voices
and laughter filled the house. The ser.
wants disappeared to their places, ant
(. the white bride, with only a motionine
!: look toward Gordon. led the way tx
I the place where they were to stan(
1 under an arch Of roses, lilies and palms
in a room hung from the ceiling with
dropping ferns and white carnations or
invisible threads Of silver wire, unit
2 it all seemed like a fairy dream.
: Gordon had no choice but to follow
l as his way was blocked by the incom
+ ing guests, and he foresaw that hi:
V exit would have to be made from SOM
other door than the front If he were t.
! escape yet awhile. AS he stepped int
the mystery of the flower scented roon
] where his lady led the way, he wa!
conscious Of q feeling of transition
9 from h world Of ordinary things int
one of wonder. beauty and mysteriou
h joy: but all the time he knew he wa
an impostor, Who had no right in tina
silver threaded bower.
Yet there he stood, bowling. shaking
Il hands. and smirking behind his falls
mustache. which threatened every min
t ute to betray him.
People told him ne was looking wei
and congratulated him IN his bride
a Some said he was stouter than whel
t he left the country and some said h
s was thinner. They asked him ques
lions about relatives and friends XIV
: ing and dead, and he ran constant risl
: OF getting into hopeless difficulties
His only safety was in smiling, an
t saying very little: seeming not to hea
some questions, and answering other
d with another question. It was not 8
hard after he got started. because ther
e were so many people. and they KEEP
9 coming close upon one another. so n
9 one had much time to talk. Then sup
9 per with its formalities was GO
through with somehow, though to Cor
(! don. with his already satisfied appetit
and his hampering nustache, 1t SCENE
an endless ordeal.
g Jeff" as they all called him, wa
8 everywhere, attending to everything
s and he slipped up to the unwillin
9 bridegroom just as ne was having t
v answer a very difficult question abou
: the ~lateness of his vessel, and the kin
h Of passage they had experienced
crossing. BY this time Gordon ha
h discovered that he was supposed t
e have been 10 years abroad. and hi
n steamer had been late In landing, bu