CHAPTER XXXVIII

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 326, 19 December 1888, Page 6

CHAPTER XXXVIII

IHi: WhDDIM!. Gladys went to her room with a bweet and tender gravity on her beautiful face. Every passing moment made her feol more sensibly the sacredness of the that she was about to take upon hei&elf, the responsibilities she was so soon to assume. ' I know this great joy is far tnoie than I deserve,' she murmured. ' I cannot understand why no shadow has ever been allowed to cloud my life, when co many aie born to a lot of sorrow, trial, and toil. 1 will try to lift the burden from pome hearts in the future ; I will not live all for self, but reflect some of my own happiness, it I can, to brighten other lives less fa\oured than mine.' Could any bride, on the o\c ot her marriage, have made a holior resolve than this ? Very lovely she looked when she lame forth from her chamber in her spotless wedding attire. Her simple, yet elegant, dtess of white ottoman silk was made vi how, and its only garnishing was the voluminous veil which covered her from head to foot, and was caught, here and there, in graceful diapeiies, with clusteis of orange blossoms and lilies of the valley. Unlike many brides, she was not pale, but a delicate and lovely colour was on her cheek. Her eye 1 ? were brilliant and expressive with the deep and holy joy that filled her heart, and sho was calm with that perfect content which an unwaveiing confidence and affection alone could give. She rode alone with her father, who was to give her away, to Trinity Church, where Geoffrey was to meet her. Tie was not there when they arrived, although he had left the houfee some time previous to their own departure, and they waited for him in the vestibule, but somewhat anxiously, as it was already five minutes past the hour set for the ceremony. At last there was a slight commotion about the door, and a voice was heard to say : 'He has come ! All is well now •' Gladys looked up as he came forward, and thought he looked a trifle pale and excited, but it might be because the light was dim, while her veil rendered everything a little indistinct. He nodded and smiled reassuringly at her, however ; they would not let him come near her, for her dress was all arranged to go in, and must not be disturbed, while her maidens were hovering abont her like a band of fairies around their queen, and, with girlish superstition, they waved him on*', saying he must not speak to her again until after the ceremony. Mr Huntress interviewed him r^gaiding the delay, and then came and told Gladys it had been caused by a change in clergyman at the last moment. Their own pastor had been summoned by telegraph to a brother who was lying at the point of death, only a little more than an hour previous, and had been obliged to send a r>trangev — a friend who happened to bo visiting in his family — to officiate in his place. This was the only shadow thai; had marred the young bride's joy that day. She dearly loved her noble pastor, and was deeply disappointed not to have him pronounce her nuptial benediction. But she had no time to express it, for Mr Huntress gave the signal to the ushers to throw open the church door?, while the groom, followed by his attendants, passed down one aisle, and Gladys, on her father's arm and attended by her maids, went down another. They all met at the altar, where the Btrange clergyman was already awaiting them. Everybody wondered at the self-posses-sion and the lovely bloom of the bride. But the secret of it was that Gladys forgot herself and all her surroundings ; forgot the crowd of witnesses behind her ; the curious glances— the place — everything in the solemn moment and the vows she was plighting. ■

The clergyman, stranger though h 1 o was, mado the service very beautiful and impressive, while the few , words of ! kindly advice and congratulation which he uttered at its plose, whop, he pronounced the young couple, husband and wife, wore exceedingly apt anoVw'qll.chosQn., . '* Then it was over, and those two, ' before whom life seemed .reaching out so fair and full« of- promise, passed slowly down the centre aisle, every eye following them, while every lip seemed to have something to cay in praise of t hem. Gladys wass very quiet as her husband put hor'into the carriage, for the solemnity of the service was still upon her. lie, too, seemed'in a like mood, for he only gathered tho hand that wore his ring close within his own, and thus they sat, muto from excess of joy, during their drive home. Very tenderly tho young husband helped his bride to alight, led her up the steps, never relinquishing her hand until he placed her beneath the magnificent arch at the lower end of tho drawing-room, where they were to lcceivo the congratulations of their friends. They had driven back vory rapidly, and thus they had gained several minutos to themselves befoie the arrhal oi any others. 'My dailing ! ivy wife. ! ' said the exultant young husband, as ho eti etched forth his arms to father hit beautiful bride to his breast, Glady? looked up with a startled, searching glance. Something in his tone had struck strangely on her cars, although he had spoken scarcely above a whisper. She saw bh(rt he was still somewhat pale, but his whole faco was lighted with triumph. •Geoff--- -' she began, then the word suddenly iio/e on her lips, a bewildered look shot in hor oye&, when all at onco Bhe started away from him, flinging out her arm 1 ' with a wild gesture of horror and loathing, her face as white as her dress, her eyes almost (starting fiom her head. 'EvKiu.r M.wm'jon'! Oh! Heavon ! how came you, here 9 ' she shrieked. He strodo up to her, the look of triumph still on his face. • Bocause I have a 1 iglit to be here — bebido my vile '' 'Novel ! n> i< r '.' she panted, wildly. 1 You. have uo right — I am not your v\ ifc !' ' Hut, my darling 1 , you arc. T have never left your fide for an in&tanb since we wero pionounced, befoie Hod and man, to be husband and wife. You are mine, Gladys ! by the laws* of tho land, as well as by the laws of God! You plighted your vows to me in tho presence of hundreds of witnesses, and 1 shall claim you before all the world! 1 She never moved while ho was saying thK She stood looking at him with that wild, incredulous %ht still in her eyes, that deadly whiteness on her face, her arms still outstretched in that attitude of horror l and loathing. She was like a beautiful piece of sculpture that had suddenly been transformed fiom a ; happy livinsr being into pulseless marble by [ the blighting influence of some congealing wand. j ' Can you not believe it and be sensible ?' Evereb Mapleson — for it was really he--went on rap'dly, lor the bound of wheels from without came to him, and he knew that tho room would be full in a few 'moment'-. 'Do not make a seen*. You I are mine, and no earthly power can sever | the bonds that unite us ! I love> ou madly ! I woiship you ! There is nothing I will not do to prove my devotion to you ! I have given you ;i pioud name; I have wealth, position, influence, and I am your slave if you will give me but a crumb of love up n \vich to ieast my hungry heart. Gladys, again I implore \ou not to imiko a scene ! Receive your friends as if nothing unforeseen had happened, and they will never suspect ; and to-morrow wo will go .away over the ocean and lea\e the world to geb over its astonishment as best it can.' He paused, for the horror, the despair on hor face, which grew every instant moio terrible, filled him with fear and dismay. She did not stir ; aho was as if frozen in that attitude. She simply stood staring; into his face, her own as rigid as stone, but with such bufleiing, .such anguish in thai fixed ga?e as ho had never .seen depicted in eyes betorc. "Sto],s and \oices .sounded in the hall. ITc caught a glimp&e of Mr and Mrs, Huntress hurrying in, to be the first to con gratulate their darling. Another minute and «he knew there musli come a tearful disclosure and explosion. He moved a step nearer the motionless! girl and attempted to take ono of those out sti etched hands in his His touch seemed to unlock those tense nerves and muscles as it by magic. blie tshrank away from him with a low, shuddciing cty, and then, without word or warning, fell forward, and would have dropped to the floor had he not caught her in his arms. I Mr Huntress, who entered the room at that instant, sprang forward, with a cry of j alarm. ' What is the matter ?' he at-ked, his attention all concentrated upon Gladys, and never suspecting the dieadful trick that had been played upon them all. * The excitement ha? been too much for her, 1 foar,' Evereb responded, in a low tone. Mr Huntress took tho senseless girl from him, saying : I ' Open that door behind you ; rre must get her away before that crowd comes pouring 1 in. My poor jjivl ! what can have caused this unusual fainting turn ?' Everet eagerly obeyed his command, and Gladys was borno into a small bitting-room and laid upon a sofa there. The next moment Mrs Huntress's anxious face appeared in tho doorway. ' Oh, August, what, has happened V she cried. 'Gladys has tainted from .some cause or i other. Go, Geofl',' he continued, turning to leveret, 'and bend someone immediately for Doctor Hoyt." The young mun hastened to obey, glad to get away irom the sight of thai white, rigid face for a moment. | Re found a servant in the hall, despatched him for tlie family physician, and then went back to his post beside Gladys. He was nearly as pale as the unconscious bride, for he knew that tho truth must soon come out, and, hardened and dogged as he was, the prosoect of the inevitable explosion wns nob u pleasant one. Mrs Huntress was on her knees besid© her daughter, bathing her face with water, which she had poured from an ice pitcher standing near. She had bin own back the delicate veil, I and it lay all in a heap like a fleecy cloud i about tho pretty brown head upon the aofa pillow, while Mr Huntress had torn off her glovos and was chafing the jmall, limp hands with anxious solicitude. 'What could have been bhe cause of this V When was she taken ill V he asked, half turning toward Evere.t, btfb still keeping his eyes fastened uppn tho face ho loved so well. ' • i 'Just before you entered,' Evereb answered, in a clear, natural tone. ! Mr Huntress started, and turned a questioning glanoe upon 1 hini. Their eyes met, and hold each other for I one brief moment. Then, Mr Huntress dropped the hands ho wks ehaiing, o,rqs.e $}ov(} , ,o ,h.le feet, hwn , own colour fast receding^

♦Geoffrey?' he said, in a doubtful tone, going close up to the young man. ' ' No, sir ; Mveret Mapleson, if you please,' replied the young man, haughtily, a», with j a mighty effort, he braced himself tor the encounter. ! 1 By Heaven., it is.f> 'August Huntress hoarsely exclaimed, and rocoiling as if he had been struck a heavy blow. ' What— what is the meaning of this V llb means that your daughter has become my wifo instead of marrying Geoffrey Dale, as everybody supposed she was going to do.' Mrs Huntress sprang up with a faint shriek at this. ' ' No, no. she cried, ' that cannot be !' ' Then, as she peered clo&ely into his face and realised the truth of the fearful dibclosure, she tottered feebly toward her husband,moaning : 1 Oh, August ! he has practised a terrible deception upon us, and it will surely kill Gladys.' She was almost as helpless as the unconscious girl herself, and her husband wa« toieed to put her into a rocker that .stood near him, simply because he, too, was so weakonod and unmanned by what he hud heard that he was unable to support hei. But a terrible wiath began to rise within him ; with it came a false kind of strength, and turning toward the wolt who had chua stolen into his household, ho commanded in a fearful voice : ' Young man, explain yourself I' c Willingly, sir ; the sooner the truth is out, the better it will suit me,' Everet replied, haughtly. ' I have loved your daughter for more than three yoara. Tv ice I have offered myself to her, and twice been rejected. When I learned of her engagement lo the low-b >m boy whom you adopted, and whom I have despised and hated from the very first of our acquaint ance, I vowed it should never be consummated, I worshipped her, and I re&olved that I would win her at any cost. I have done so ; she is mine, wedded to me this night in the presence of yourself and hundredsof others, andlshallas&ertmy claim in spite of you all. 1 hoped in the excitement and confusion, and from my close resemblance to Huntrc&s, that I should escape discovery until our departure f'om Now York. If we had not reached the house quite so early— if the guests could have followed closeupon usand kept Gladys's attention from bbing especially called to me, I think I could have warded off detection until wo were well on our way to Boston. She seemed turned to stone when she did recognise me and realised how she had been duped, and when I attempted to reason with her she swooned.' For a minut© after Everet concluded, Mi* Huntress stood like one dazed by some fearful 9hock, his glance wavering between the still unconscious bride and the man whose victim she had become. 'Itis a fraud ! he cried, at last. l You have practised a most damnable fraud upon us all ; but I hope that you do not imagine for a moment that you can enforce your claim. The Courts of New York will promptly annul the marriage/ 4 Allow mo to suggest, feir, that you will have to prove your point regarding fiaud,' Everet retorted, with quiet defiance. ' MibS Huntress had been heard to affirm that bbc could distinguish between Geoffrey Dale and iny&elf without any difliculty, and yet she went to the altar with me and pledged herself to me without a demur ' Mr Huntress groaned. Was that strange clergyman a tool of yours?' he demanded, excitedly. 'Was that a clever device of yours also '.' 1 No. Strange as it may seem, he was substituted just as I related to you, although it proved a most fortunate circumstance for me ; but the telegram which called your pastor from his home was not a bona fide one. I never should have dared to face him, who has so long known Geoffrey, for he would have detected the trick at once.' ' Scoundrel !' ?aid Mr Huntress, between his teeth. • Where is my son ? — where is Geofirey v' c I cannot tell you, sir. / think, however, ho has also been invited out of town — for a few hourh, at least,' Everet returned, a little smile of triumph curving his lips as he became more accustomed to the situation and reali&ed bib powor. Mr Huntress caught it, and a dusky flush mounted to his forehead. ' Leave this Imuso instantly 1' ho commanded, unable lo control himself any longer in the face of such etlrontery. ' 1 could not think of it, sir,' Everet quietly replied, and composedly seating himself by a window. 'My place is beside my wife, and here I shall stay until she shall be able to accompany me elsewhere.' What Mr Huntress would have done next it is impossible to say, but before he could even reply, the door opened and Doctor Hoyt entered. '\\ hat am I wanted for ? Bless me ! what does this mean?' he exclaimed, glancing about him with undisguised astonishment, and perceiving the condition of the newly-made bride. ' Gladys was taken ill immediately upon returning from the church.' Mr Huntress hastened to explain, suddenly bethinking himself that it would be wise to avoid a scandal, at least until he could take legal advice and see what hope there was of a release for Gladys from the hateful bonds that bound her. ' Ah, yes— a protracted swoon caused by excitement or some sudden shock,' said the energetic little doctor with a professional air, as he took one ot the limp, white hands that liy on Gladys's still breast.and felt for the pulse.' He could not find any, nor was there any movement about the heart, and he began to look very grave. ' She must bo put to bed immediately, and there must be perfect quiet thioughout j the house,' he said.' ' Huntress', you must explain this to your guests, and got them away as soon mi possible. It is unfortunate, but T won't asis\\e» tor the consequences if there is any tonfuMon when she comes to herself. Hcie, madam/ to Mis Huntress, get this finer j ofl of her head and loosen her corsage, and you, sir,' to Everet* whom he supposed to "be Geoffrey, * unlace those pretty number twos, and give the blood a chance to circulate in her feet. ' His coming seemed toput life and confidence into the nearly distracted parents. Mr Huntress braced himself to enaounter the crowd of wondering people in the draw-ing-room, and, going out, explained as briefly as possible the sudden illness of the bride, and the sympathetic guests with a few well-bred expressions of. regret, immediately dispersed, and in less than fifteen minutes the- mansion 'was fcleare/d and the stricken household left to itself, while not a suspicion of the fearful truth got abroad. C To he Continued. )

There have, been 500 convictions for polygamy in Utah under the law of 1882. Draws well—Tea. Mr John Bright is improving in health. Prince Bismarck' is ( favourable to Hen* W eiscmian'a proposed ' expedition for the relief of Emin~T3ey, ( Xovd I&ifour, of, Burleigk, declined bho C4over^Qi'ship, uof j Queensland 'for 1 family reasons.