Evening star., 1936-08-04
CHAPTER XXXII.

a T A little before noon tiny
~ st. Johns, almost covered
~ with old-fashioned red ram
n blers, was packed and people
were crowded all over the emerald
lawn and far back into the old CO.
lonial cemetery that spread out In
the rear of the church.
Cars lined both sides of the street
end in nearby lanes, dappled by bril-
liant sunlight that diffused through
the leaves of giant oaks. they were
parked abreast. Because of the prom
inence of the two people being mar
ried-a famous young opera star and
o nationally known scientist and ex-
plorer-and a great many unlimited
people were present as interested
spectators, among them cameramen
and reporters.
In dimly Lit chapel Richard and
Ted nervously paced the bare worn
floor, asking each other who was
the more nervous. Out in the vesti-
bule the pretty little bridesmaids were
clutching their bouquets of pink roses
tensely to their breasts, waiting now
for the bride.
Patsy and Admiral Warfield were
the last to arrive and, when their
car pulled up at the curb, grandfather
stepped out and helped Patsy to the
sidewalk. He mistook the look in
her eyes and whispered into her ear:
"Steady, child! Steady"
Then they were hurrying across
the narrow, cobbled walk toward the
church, Patsy holding her wedding
veil and the train of her dress over
her arm. Every one was staring at
her, talking softly, saying that she
was the most beautiful bride they
had ever seen. The sunlight shoue
through her veil, making a misty
gold of her hair. And, as she passed,
the heavy, sweet fragrance of the
roses in her arms trailed after her.
No one saw the long black car
that drew up at the curb; no one
saw a tall, dark young man leap
out of that car.
But when Victor Caldwell flung
himself behind Patsy, when the
ominous rattle of a machine gun
burst in upon that calm July day,
there followed a quiet as gruesome
as the silence of the old grave yard
behind the church. Then there was
panic. The black car was roaring
out of sight, the tires slewing noisily
at the corner Women were scream
ing as if to split their throats. TIE
bridesmaids came tumbling out of
the church, like lovely flowers blown
resistlessly by the wind: Richard and
Ted, white-faced and breathlesS, be-
hind them. Every one was talking
ut once.
And Patsy, on her trembling knees
on the pavement, was bending over
Victor, pressing the skirt of her we'd
ding gown against one of the wounds
Mt his throat. A doctor, who had
appeared miraculously out of the
gathering, was holding Victors wrist
and shaking his gray head forlornly.
Victor Caldwell was dying-it was
just a matter of seconds. And he
was struggling desperately to hang
on to life until he had said some
His white lips moved in whisper.
The words came faint, jerky-"Be-
cause you-saved-my hfe-once-I-
had to save yours, Patsy. They
killed-Vallance. II was driving
that car that-day. When they
left-New York-early this morning
Il didn't know-where We were
going.
But when-I-found-ou was
too late-to warn-you again. L
warned-you-to get out of-New
York-remember? No-I guess YOU
didn't recognize my voice. IL
didn't-want you-to. At Philly I
tried to phone you-but courthouse
--burned-no connection. This-was
he-only-way-' He gasped and
fought for breath. "You-won't be
happy-until you-know that-Lee
Cavendish-" And then his dark
head fell over on his breast and some
one behind Patsy screamed out hys-
terically:
Hes dead! He was trying to tell
Miss Warfield something, but he died
before he could"
Admiral Warfield took Patsy back
to Richards great, cool house with
its gracious verandas; the ushers all
left the grim scene at the church