The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1917-01-18
But his mother gently reproved him:
"HUSh. my son. let us hear the Stnrvo

] band with pride. two bright spots OF
color on her cheeks, and her hands
4 claspins each other tightly. She was
hearing many details now that were
new to her. Once more, when Gordon
mentioned the dinner at Holman's Jeff
interrupted with.
Holman! Holman. Not J. p? Why,
of course-we know him! Celia was
one of his daughters bridesmaids last
spring. The old lynx! always
thought he was crooked. People hint
a lot OF things about him
Jeff, dear, let us hear the story"
again insisted his mother. IN the story
continued.
Gordon had been looking down as he
talked. He dreaded to see their faces
as the truth should dawn upon them,
but when he had told all he lifted hon
est eyes to the white faced mother and
pleaded with her:
Indeed. indeed, I hope you will be-
lfeve me, that not until they laid your
daughters hand in min did know
that l was supposed to be the bride
groom. l thought all the time her
brother was the bridegroom. If I had
not been so diStrausht, and trying so
hard to him how to escape, I suppose
l would have noticed that / was stand
ing next to her, and that everything
was peculiar about the whole matter.
bur L didn't. And then when | sud
denly knew that she and I were being
married, what should | have done? Do
you think l ought to have stopped the
ceremony then and there and made a
scene before all those people? What
was the right thing to do? Suppose
my commission had been entirely out
OF the question, and | had had no duty
toward the government to keep en-
tlrely quiet about myself, do you think
L ought to have made a scene? Would
you nave wanted ME to for your daugh-
ter,s sake? Tell me. please" he in
sisted, gently.
And while she hesitated he added:
did some pretty hare thinking
during that first quarter of a second
that l realized what was happening.
ana L tell you honestly | didn't know
what was the right thing to do. 1t
seemed awful for her sake to make a
scene, and, to tell you the truth, I
worshiped her from the moment INV
eyes rested upon her. There was some
thlng sad and appealing as she looked
at me that seemed to pledge my very
life to save her from trouble. Tell me.
90 you think I ought to have stopped
the ceremony then at the first monent
of my realization that 1 was being
married."
The mothers face had softened "a
she watched him and listened to his
tender words about Celia, and now she
answered gently:
Il am not sure-perhaps not II
was a very grave question to face.
don't know that I can blame Won for
doing nothing. 1t would have been ter
rloie for her n us and everybody and
nave made 1t all SO public. Oh, I think
you oiu right not to do anything pub
ilcly-perhaps-and yeti is terrible
to me to think you have been forced
to marry my daughter in that way"
Please don say forced, mother said
Gordon laying both hands earnestly
upon hers and looking into her eyes, Il
fell Won ono fhi~~ %L@k -
from doing anything was that I so
earnestly desired that what I was pass
ing through might be real and lasting.
I nave never seen one like her before.
l know that II h mistake had been
righ1ed n she had passed out Of my
again. am glad. glad with all my
heart that she is mine, and-mother!-
l think h is glad, tool"
The mother turned toward her
daughter, and Celia with starry eyes
came and knelt before them. and laid
her hands in the hands of her husband
saving with ringing voice:
Yes. dear little mother, I am glad
der than I ever vas before in my life,
And kneeling thus. with her hus-
band's arm about her. her face against
clasped in his, she told her mother
about the tortures that George Hayne
had put her through, until the mother
turned white with horror at what her
beloved and cherished child had been
enduring. and the brother got up and
stormed across the floor, vowing ven
geance on the luckless head Of poor
George Hayne.
her after the mother had given her
blessing to. the two, n jeff had added
an original one Of his own, there was
the whole story of the %eyentful we'd
ding trip to tell. which they told by
solos and choruses until the hour grew
alarmingly late and the mother sud
denly sent them all off to bed.
The next few days were both busy
and happy ones for the two. They went
to TIE hospital and gladdened the life
OF the little newsboy with fruit and
toys and many promises; and they
brought home a happy white dog from
his boarding place, whom jeff adopted
as his own. Gordon had a trying hour
or two at court with his one time host,
the scoundrel who had stolen the cipher
message: and the thick set man glared
at him from a cell window as he passed
along the corridor Of the prison with
er he had gone in search Of George
Hayne.
Gordon in his search for the lost
bridegroom, whom for many reasons
he desired to find as soon as possible.
had asked h help of one of the men
at work on the Holman case, in search
ing for a certain George Hayne who
tice.
oh. you won't have to search for
MIN. declared the man with a smile.
Hes safely landed in prison three days
ago. He was taught as neatly as roll
ing Of a log by the son of the man
whose name he forged several years
ago IT was trust mon of a big cor
poration and the man died in his place
IN a prison cell, but the son means to
see tne real culprit punished"
Ana SO Gordon, In the capacity OF
Ceilass lawyer, went to the prison TO
talk;With George Hayne, and that mis-
cradle man found no excuse for his
Gordon did not let the man know who
ne was, and merely made it understood
That Celia was married. and that IL he
trouble h whole thing would be ex-
pQsed n he would have to answer to
q grave charge OF blackmail.
The days passed rapidly, and at last
fhn Nnuy