Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-07-21

Gerald remarked that the clergyman
understood the changed conditions
lie Knows. and never told me-" he
clustered.
clergyman has no right to tell
mat which tx confided TO him." Stewart
reminded him gravely.
And now IL was nearly noon on the
uay set Tor the Wedding, and Stephen
livingstone had not broken the news
to his wife. He must do this at once
setting his teeth. he went cautiously
INTO her room.
lie never told any one of the brief
conversation that cnsued. nor of how
ne rem. ndcd his wife bitterly that she
had driven her child to this action.
iour mate -inaking schemes were
all wrong. he accused. as man does
"hen venture into which he had been
IRA" mas lai.ed. Now there is moth
ing 10 90 but TO make the best of it,
When she said that she would not
go TO the church. would not couu-
tenahce such wicked deception, he
stopped her by speaking as she had
seldom heard him speak
iou WIN go to The church with me
at once he ordered. and behave az
II you had been party to this SURPRISE
All along. That is your only chance
10 escape making yourself ridiculous
in the eyes OF your friends"
lie did not insist that she see her
daughter and niece when they came
downstairs on their way to the WAITING
automobile. For AN instant Dor, host
lated on the threshold OF her mother,
room, then. catching warning glance
from her father. she touched Cynthia,
arm. and the pair hurried downstairs
and out or the house. accompanied by
the maid. who was to arrange trains
and wells In the church vcstibuie.
Mrs. Livingstone did not rlance in
the direction of the two brides as she
swept into the church on the arm OF
one OF the ushers. But her face wore
Il set smile.
1t wore this smile all through the
wedding service. 1t did not change
when there was an audible start
among the observers crowd!ny the
cd nee as the clergyman began to re-
pcat-"l. Gerald. take thee, Dcra"-a
start that became a rustic at the words
u, Milton. take thee. Cynthia"
1t was indeed effective and
dramatic as even Mrs. Livingstone had
expected the double wedding TO be.
She still smiled as she stood greeting
her guests at the reception.
Yes, we did achieve wonderful
surprise. didn't we" she said Il am
so glad Ii was SO successful"
Mrs. Livingstone may have been a
Schemcr. but she was also a good sport,
the Two bridegrooms agreed.
The sensation produced had done
much towards soothing the matron's
wounded vanity by the time that the
wedding breakfast was over and the
young couples were ready TO leave the
house. The quartet were to take the
same acknowledgement and Dora to
go TO the Pennsylvania Station-Milton
and Cynthia to the Grand Central.
You take the high road and I'll take
the low road" Dora hummed to Gym
thia. as. dressed for travelling, the girls
and their husbands ran down the front
stairs
NJ the foot OF the stairs Mrs. Liv-
ngstone met them. She put her arm
about each bride and kissed her af-
fectionately. then lifted her face for a
Kiss from each of the young men.
Good by, darlings" she called as the
wedding party reached the front door.
surrounded by their friends.
''Good-by!" they called back from
amid the shower OF rice and confetti
pelting them
Well Stephen. dear" Mrs. Living
stone sighed. still smilingly. as she
went back TO the drawing-room, 1T IL
over. Now we and our guests can si,
down comfortably and talk about our
lovely surprise wedding. 1t was d sue
GcSs--waSn't it,"
THE END.