Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1916-10-06

The rain had ceased, leaving
ragged sky of clouds and stars i'll
patches. The air was warm and heavy
with wetness. Sidewalks glistened like
black watered silk; street lights mir
rored themselves in fugitive puddles
in the roadways; limbs of trees over
hanging the sidewalks shivered now
and again in a half-hearted breeze,
pelting the wayfarers with miniature
showers of lukewarm, scented dl ops.
Whitaker, taking his heart and his
fate in his hands, accosted a venerable
gentleman whom they encountered as
he was on the point Of turning off the
sidewalk to private grounds.
81 beg your pardon" he began.
The man paused and turned upon
them a sanity countenance framed in
hair like snow.
"There is something 1 can do for
your" he inquired with punctilious
courtesy.
'If you will be kind enough to di.
rect me to a minister :"
ST am one"
81 thought So" said Whitaker. "We
wish to get married"
The gentleman looked from his face
to the girls, then moved aside from
the gate. "This is my home," he ex-
planned. evil you be good enough
to come in?"
Conducting them to his private
study, he subjected them to a kindly
catechism. The girl said little, Whit.
aker taking upon himself the brunt OF
the examination. Absolutely straight.
forward and intensely sincere, he came
through the ordeal well, without being
obliged to disclose what he preferred
to keep secret. The minister, salts
fed, at length called in the town clerk
by telephone; who issued the license,
pocketed his fee, and in company with
the minister's wife, acted as wit.
ness. :.
Whitaker found himself on his feet
beside Mary LadiSlas. They were be-
ing married. He seemed to hear the
drOning of the loom of the Fates.
And they were man and wife. The
door had closed, the gate-latch clicked
behind them. They were walking
quietly side by side through the scent
ed night, they whom God had Joined
together. Neither found anything to
say. At the station, Whitaker bought
his wife a ticket to New York and Sc
cured for her solitary use a drawing
room in the sleeper. Whitaker pos
sessed himself of his wife's handbag
long enough to furnish it with a sum
of money and an old envelope bearing
the name and address of his law part
ner. He explained that Drummond
would issue her an adequate monthly
allowance and advise her when she
should have become her own mistress
once more; in word, a widow.
She thanked him briefly, quietly,
with a constraint he understood too
well to resent.
Both, perhaps, were sensible of some
relief when at length the train thun-
dered in from the East, breathing smoke
and flame. Whitaker helped his wife
aboard and interviewed the porter in
her behalf. Then they had a moment
or two alone in the drawing-room, In
what was meant to be their first and
last parting.
She caught him suddenly by the
shoulders with both her hands. Hel
eyes sought his with a wistful courage
he could not but admire.
''You know I'm grateful :"
"Don't think of It that Way-thougf
I'm glad you are"
you're a good man." she said bro
kenly. h.
He knew himself too well to be abl,
to reply.
''YOu mustn't worry about me, now
You've made things easy for me.
can take care of myself, and
shan't forget whose name I bear"
He muttered something to the effec
that he was sure of that.
She released his shoulders and stoot
back, searching his face with torment
ed eyes. Abruptly she offered him he
hand.
'Good-by," she said, her lips Quiver
ing-"Good-by, good friend"
He caught the hand, wrung
clumsily and painfully and
realized that the train was in motor
He had barely time to get away
He found himself on the station plat
form, stupidity watching the rear light
dwindle down the tracks and wonder
ing whether or not hallucinations wer
phase of his malady. A sick ma
often dreams strange dreams.
A voice behind him, cool with trac
Of irony, observed:
'Td give a good deal to know jus
what particular brand of foolishnes
you've been indulging in, this time
He whirled around to face Pete
Stark-Peter quietly amused and yer
! much the master Of the situation.
"You needn't think" said he, "ths
you have any chance on earth of escal
ing my fond attentions, Hugh. "
y fixed it up with Nelly to wait until
|. bring you home, a well man, befol
we get married; and If you refuse
be my best maxwell, there won't |
: any party. You can make up yol
9 mind to that"