The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1917-01-18
CHAPTER XvII.-(continued.)

why, I don't know. Couldn't we get
along without announcements? You
can explain TO your intimate friends
and the others won't ever remember
the name after a few months-well not
be likely to meet many of them right
away. I'll write to my chief and tel
hin informally leaving out the date IN
tirely. He won't miss it. If we have
announcements at all we needn't send
him one He wouldn't be likely ever
to see one any other way, or to notice
the date. l think we can manage that
matter. Wen talk it over with your
he hesitated II then smiling tenderly
added, well talk it over with mother,
How good it sounds to say that. ]
never knew my mother you know"
Celie nestled her hands in his and
murmured, "Oh, 1 am so happy-so
happy! But / don't understand how
you got a wedding trip without telling
your chief about our marriage"
Easy as anything. He asked me IL /
l would mind running across the water
to attend to q matter for the service and
e to a matter for the service and
said l might have extra time while there
Tor a vacation. He never suspects that
vacation is to be used as q wedding
trip. I'll write him, or phone him the
night we leave New York. l may have
to stay in the city two or three days to
get this Holman matter settled, and
then we car be off. In the meantime
you car spend the time reconciling your
mother to her new son Do you think
Wen have a very hard time explaining
matters to herr"
Not a Bit" said Celia, gaily. "She
never did like George. 1t was the only
thing we ever disagreed about, my mar
rylng him. She suspected all the time I
wasn't happy n couldn't understand
why l insisted on marrying him when
hadn't seen him for 10 years. She
begged me to wait until he had been
pack in the country for q year or two,
put he woul not hear to such a thing
threatened to carry out his worst
at once"
Gordon's heart suddenly contracted
with righteous wrath over the coward
illness OF the man who sought to gain
MS own ends by intimidating a
AND TINS woman, SO dear, so beautiful,
so lovely in her nature. 1t seemed the
mans a must indeed be black to
nav done what he did. He mentally re-
solved to search him u and bring
MN TO justice as soon as he reached
New York. 1t puzzled him to UNDER
stand how easily he seemed to have
abandoned his purpose. Perhaps after
all he was more of a coward than they
thought, and had not dared to remain
IN the country when he found that
Celia had braved his wrath and mar
RED another He would find out
about him and set the girls heart at
rest just as soon as possible, that any
embarrassment at some future time
might be avoided. Gordon stopped and
Kissed his wife again, a caress that
seemed to promise all %reparation for
the past.
But it suddenly occurred to the two
mat trains did not wait for lovers long
InlIDr1n" md pif An@ $1,000 49,.
went to work. Celia of course had very
little preparation to make. Her trunk
was probably is Chicago and would
need to be wired for. Gordon attended
to that the first thing, looking up the
number of the check and ordering il
back to New York by telegraph. Turn
ing from the telephone he rang for the
man n asked Celia to give the order
for lunch while he got together some
things that he must take with him. A
stay OF several weeks would necessi-
tate a little more baggage than he had
taken to New York.
He went into the bedroom and began
pulling out things to pack, but when
Celia turned from giving her directions
she found him standing in the bedroom
doorway with an old fashioned velvet
jewel case in his hand which he had
just taken from the little safe in his
room. His face wore a wonderful tender
light as IL he had just discovered some
thing precious.
Dear" he said. 81 wonder if you will
care for these. They were mothers.
Perhaps Ibis ring will do until I can
buy you a new n See il it will fit
you. 1t was my mothers"
He held out a ring containing a dia-
mond Of singular purity and brilliance
In quaint old fashioned setting.
Celia put out her hand with it's we'd
ding ring, the ring that he had put upon
her finger at the altar, and he slipped
the other jeweled one above it. 1 fitted
perfectly.
1T is a beauty" breathed Celia, hold
ing out her hand to admire 1t, and ]
would far rather have 1t than a new
one. Your dear little mother!"
There's not much else here but a
little string Of pearls and a pin or two.
/ have always kept them near me.
Somehow they seemed like a link be-
tween me n mother. ! vas keeping
them for" he hesitated and then CIV
ing her a rare smile he finished:
II was keeping them for you"
Her answering look was eloquent,
and needed no words which was well,
for Henry appeared at that moment to
serve luncheon and remind his master
that his train left in a little over two
hours. There was no further time for
sentiment.
And yet, these two, 1t seemed, could
not be practical that day. They idled
over their luncheon and dawdled over
their packing, stopping to look at this
and that picture or bit of bric-a-brac
that Gordon had picked up in some of
his travels; and Henry finally had 70
take thmings in his own hands, pack
them off and end their baggage after
them. Henry vas a capable man and
rejoiced to see the devotion of his
master and his new mistress, but he
mad a practical head and knew where
his part came in.
CHAPTER XVIII.