Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1917-01-18
But his mother gently reproved him:

But his mother gently reproved him:
Hush, my son, let us hear the story"
Ceha sat quietly, watching her hus-
band with pride. wv bright spots Of
color on her cheeks, and her hands
clasping each other tightly. She was
nearing many details now that were
new to her. Once more, when Gordon
mentioned the dinner at Holman's jeff
interrupted with:
Holman! Holmani Not j. p? Why,
OF course-we know him! Celia was
one OF his daughters bridesmaids last
spring! The old lynx! 1 always
thought he was crooked! People hint
a lot OF things about him"
.Jefi. dear, let us lei the story"
again insisted his mother, M 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. l hope you will be-
lleye me, that not until they laid your
daughters hand in mine did 1 know
That was supposed to be the bride
groom. thought all the time her
pfother was the bridegroom. If I had
not been SO d%istraught, n trying so
nara TO think how to escape, / suppose
l would have noticed that was stand
ing next to her, and that everything
was peculiar about the whole matter,
put didn't. And then when 1 sud
denly knew that she n l were being
married, what should l have done? Do
you think ought to have stopped the
ceremony then and there and made q
scene before all those people? What
was the right thing to do? Suppose
my commission had been entirely out
OF the question, and l had had no duty
toward the government to keep en-
llreiy quiet about myself. do you think
1 ought to ave 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:
I did some pretty hard thinking
during that first quarter of a second
That realized what was happening.
ana tell you honestly l didn't know
what was the right thing to do. It
seemed awful for her sake to make a
scene. and, to tell you the truth. I
eyes rested upon her. There was some
thing 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 / ought to nave stopped
the ceremony then at the first moment
of my realization that l was being
married?"
The mothers face had softened as
she watched him and listened to his
tender words about Celia, and now she
answered gently:
1 am not sure-perhaps not! It
was a very grave question to face. I
don't know that I can blame YOU for
doing nothing. 1t would have been ter
ilble Tor her and us and everybody and
have made it all so public. Oh. l think
you dld right not to do anything pub
llcly-perhaps-and yeti is terrible
TO me to think you ave been forced
to marry my daughter in that way."
please don't say forced, mother,"sa sail
Gordon laying both hands earnestly
upon hers and looking into her eyes. Il
sell you one thing that held me back
from DONG anything was that | SO
earnestly desired that what | was pass
ing through might be real and lasting.
! nave never seen n like her before.
Know that If the mistake had been
righted and She had passed out of INV
HE L should never have felt the same
again. l am glad, glad with all my
heart tina she is mine, and-mother!-
l think she is glad, tool"
The mother turned toward her
daughter, and Celia with starry ewes
came and knelt before them, and laid
her hands in the hands of her husband.
ayins with ringing voice:
Yes, dear little mother, ! am glad
der than ever was before in my life
tipo, Will Ilcr nus
bands arm about her, her face against
his shoulder, and both her hands
clasped In his, she old her mother
about the fortunes that George Hayne
a 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
'stor1ned across the floor, voWing ven
geance on the luckless head of poor
George Hayne.
Then after the mother had given her
blessing to the two. and Jeff had added
an original one of his own, there was
the whole story of the eventful we'd
ding trip to tell, which they told by
solos and cilorGses until the hour grew
alarmingly late and the mother sud
denly sent them all off to bed.
The next few days were both busy
to the hospital and gladdened the life
of the little newsboN with fruit and
toys and many promises; and they
rough 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 he lost
bridegroom, whom for many reasons
he desired to find as soon as possible.
had asked the help of one Of the men
at work on the Holman case, in search
ing for a certain George Hayne who
needed very much to be brought to ius-
tice.
ooh, you won't have to search for
him. declared the man with a smile.
safely landed in prison three days
ago. He was caught as neatly as roll