The Snowflake herald., 1917-11-02

"Oh-h !" Alaire hid her face III her
iands. She looked up again quickly
Dowever, and her cheeks were White
Then he won't spare you, Dave" She
choKed for an instant. "We must get
away before he comes. There must De
some way of escape Think )!
"Tm pretty tired to think. I'm pretty
near played out, he confessed.
"They're watching me, but they'd
let you go"
"Now that I'm here I'm going to stay
until"
She interrupted, crying his name
loudly, "Dave!"
eyes. What is it"
''Wait! Let me think" She closed
her eyes; her brows drew together as
If in the labor of concentration. When
she lifted her lids her eyes were alight,
her voice was eager. 81 know how. l
see it. He won't dare But you must
do what tell you."
"Of course"
"No questions. UnderstandY
When he nodded impatiently she ran
to the door and, f1inging it open, called
down the hall:
''Father! Father O'Malley! Quick p
Then she summoned Dolores.
The priest answered; he hurried
from his room and, with a dazed lack
of comprehension, acknowledged his
swift introduction to Dave. Alaire was
keenly alive and vibrant with purpose
now. Dolores, too, came running, and
while the men were exchanging greet
ingS her mistress murmured something
in her ear, then hastened her depar-
ture with a quick push. Turning upon
the others, Alaire explained:
"Tve sent for some of the women,
and they'll be here in minute. Fa-
ther, this man has come for me. He
loves me. Will you marry us before
Longorio arrives?"
"Alairew Dave exclaimed.
She stilled him with gesture
"Quick Will your"
Father O'Malley was bewildered. Il
don't understand" he expostulated.
"NOr ]" !" echoed Dave.
"You don't need to understand.
know what I'm doing. I've thought of
way to save us ALL"
An incOherent refusal was upon his
lips, but Alaire's face besought him; it
was shining with a strange, new ecs-
tasy, and he could not bring himself to
deny her. OF what her plan consisted
he had only the dimmest idea, but he
assured himself that it could by no
possibility succeed. After all, what did
it matter? he asked himself. They were
trapped. This might serve, somehow,
to cheat LOngorio, and-Alaire would
be his wife.
''Very WELL" he stammered, weakly.
"What are you thinking OFF,
Il haven't thought it all out yet,
but"
At that moment Dolores returned,
bringing with her the three black
haired, black-shawled house servants,
bundling them through the door and
ranging them along the wall
Father O'NIaIley's face was puck
cred; he said, hesitatingly: "My dear
madam, this isn't regular; you are not
Catholics. How can / bless you?"
"You can marry us legally, just the
same, can't you?" Alaire was breath
ing rapidly, and some part of her eager
ness began to thrill her hearers.
ooh yes, but"
"Then marry US. And make haste,
please! Please!"
Law nodded. He could not speak,
for his mouth was dry. His heart was
beating violently; his temples were
pounding; all the blood of his body
seemed centered in his head.
Before the eyes of the four wonder
ing women Father O'NIalley married
them. 1t seemed to Alaire that he
would never reach the end, although in
fact, he stumbled through the cere-
mOny swiftly. Alaire clipped his last
words short by crying:'
"Tell these people so that they'll un-
derstand what it all means. Tell them
to remember they have seen a mar
riage by the church."
The priest did as he was directed,
and his audience signified their under
standing. Then Dolores led them out.