An Interrupted Wedding, or Marion Marlowe as Maid of Honor — page 19: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

16 MY QUEEN. man fell upon their ears, and Alma’s miar- riage service was fairly started, CHAPTER VIII. A FEARFUL SCENE. There was not a sound in the church but that of the clergyman’s voice as the service progressed, and both Alma and her friends were beginning to feel easier. Gladys had apparently forgotten her evil threat and decided not to be present at her sister’s wedding. The clergyman had just made the mo- -mentous statement, “If any man know any just cause or impediment why this couple should not be joined together in the bonds of holy matrimony, let him speak now or forever hold his peace,” and, as usual, a brief spell of silence followed; then, to the amazement of every one present, one of the strange men arose and his voice fell upon the air like a death knell as he answered: “I do, and as a servant of justice, I de- mand that this ceremony cease. There is a moral reason why this man and this woman shall not be wedded.” A little gasp from Alma was followed by a cry from Marion, then the clergyman stepped forward and expostulated sternly. “We will hear your reason, sir; although you have offered it at a most untimely sea- son.” “Couldn't be helped, your reverence. I did not know of it until last night, and it has taken me all the morning to prove my client’s story,” was the answer. “You are a lawyer, then,” said Mr. Fair- fax, stepping forward. “Pray let us hear your objection as quickly as possible.” The man began fumbling in his pockets and the suspense became almost unendura- ble. Even the strangers in the church held their breath in astonishment. “I'll speak of it quick enough and plain enough,” muttered the stranger, a little angrily, “and it’s no pleasanter for me than it is for you, | reckon. I've got a reason why vou should not marry that lady, and although ‘t ain’t a legal reason, I’m think- ‘ne it will be sufficient to stop the marriage.” There was another entrance at the wide doors, but no one seemed to obsérve it, and aS a young woman, clad all in black, slunk into one of the rear pews, the second detec- tive from the outside took a seat just behind her. “There, sit! There is my reason for for- bidding this marriage to go on!” exclaimed the stranger, loudly, as he succeeded in ex- tracting a paper from his inner pocket. “IT had it put in writing so as to be more explicit. It would have been too long a speech for ‘yours truly’ to deliver.”’ He handed the paper over to the cleraye: man, and for a moment the clergyman and Mr. Fairfax looked at each other. Then the bridegroom-elect smiled and ~ bowed slightly, at the same time placing his arm around Alma and stepping back a little, leaving the mysterious paper to be opened by the minister. “What can it be, foctine whispered Alma, faintly. “Some mistake in your iden- tity or something probably. Perhaps, some of your enemies are trying to get square with you.” “Tt is shameful!” whispered Marion, who had moved closer to her side. agine any one doing such a cruel thing. Well, there’s one thing certain—it cannot be Gladys.” “No, I don’t think she can have anything to do with it, and yet we can’t tell,” mur- mured Miss Allyn, with her eyes upon the clergyman’s face; then she gave a little cry and clutched ‘her lover’s arm tighter. _ The clergyman had been reading the paper attentively, and as he read his kind face grew paler and paler and as he finished his peru- sal his lips trembled ominously. “Well, your reverence, did I do right in stopping the wedding?” asked the stranger, coarsely. “There wasn’t anything else for me to do but protect my client, was there?” answer. A moment The clergyman did seemed overcome with emotion, later he recovered himself and handed the paper to Mr, Fairfax. not “Read it,” he said, huskily, “and, continue the service. If it 1s true,’ (E(o) im (E ’ boo if it is false, you have only to say so, and I will ‘ here his voice shook with horror and indignation, “may God have mercy upon your soul, for ‘S He (Eo) “T can’t im- ~ m ; ,