Show A BIT OF LIFE by F HELEN J CLELAND copyright by dally daily stary I 1 lib oo fo trinity church Is ablaze w with fill lights the chancel chance la Is fragrant with the per fume of late ime exotica the rustle of silken gowns gons Is heard as guests pass up the aisle voices are bullied and anxious looks toward the western door show the eagerness eager nebs with which they the coming ot of the bridal pat q one ona by one the cari t roll up all de posit their fair bu bulderis ideris and pass down the other side of 0 the at act outside the thick flashes of snow come coma down soft arid and fast A sudden little trust rust of wind blows blow a a miniature avalanche around it a cor ver ner and for a moment almost blinds a swiftly pashing pedestrian fers accordingly from the unexpected assault by bringing his umbrella in direct collision with mith that of some one coming toAs ids him doth both buirl edly look up ill and both sl si grasp hands handa anil and ex c claim my dear boy pon my word geoff where did lou ou drop froma gasps the younger man odd thing that d ye know hob bob lathrop lathi op and I 1 were speaking of jou ou this morning at the club won wall deded it if one ot of lour loval bangals had taken a notion to swallow sou w whole bole bob said no trust geoff for that nothing so ume tame tor for him plucky man geoff bob suggested some east cast indian beauty and all that sort of thing be you had said good by bv to the land of lour foreba forever but now old man we have you with us again A welcome bick tell ion oil ira im delighted the aeilous gray eyes of geoffry thorne had reflected many lights dur ing his friends speech at the nien men tion of falling IT ir I 1 they had ead bud bened perceptibly nut ut had re lighted as if with some sudden thought and turning to the other he answered no iso jack it was not that TIgh righting ting tigers Is not halt half bad and thero there are pretty gills all the world over but to tell oil the truth years la Is a long time to knock around and lye I 1 ve come to stay the dropped anchor bli bl hours ago and here I 1 am tu dubbed blind diessel and making for the club good time ell eh pietta good f cheed jack lenoy lenor absently di the way geoff I 1 mus A ua thinking instead ot at going to the c I 1 i b suppose you on take this card and drop into trinity there wedding edding going on old friend I 1 believe too was nas go tag lag mbelk but changed my mind goodeill good lill by i old nun cleet you tomor rom at the metropolitan and waving his hand was oil off saving to 0 o himself odd thing that just happened to 0 old flame of his bis marian strong wonder how lie hell 11 take it I 1 t thorne glanced at the card care lessly please present this at the church stood irresolute Ino Irie solute a minute and then turned toward the long line of carriages saving saing well I 1 might as well can go to the club later and jack says it Is an old friend wonder onder and turning up ills his coat col ar to the now ley icy wind saas softly to himself three long sears and now back again back to mariant marian how IoNin lovingly glY lie he dwells upon that name dearer to him than all the world marian what will she bay any does she care who knows nothing but silence all of ny my letters un answer e ed d nothing left me but this little gitil mat she took off her finger tile the I 1 said load good bi I 1 and told me to fiust her and I 1 have trusted can call I 1 wait until to tomorrow morrow I 1 wonder 9 ills ilia thoughts were brought to an at ab rupt bupt close by the oli obnoxious noxious umbrella lella coining in fit contact with an awning stretched aiom the doorway of tile the P chinch buich to the street under which he be now and into the glare the bridal party ale aie at tho the altar from his bis seat near the door lie he hears the I 1 pl pJ service be ing read while the tender strain of de koven a 0 promise me ile lofti steals through the heavy perfumed pei fumed air now tho the notes have changed t to a mote joyous tone the tha triumphant song gong of Huhn pealing faith aiom master fingers they have turned and are slowly passing down tile the aisle geoffrey be gins to feel a bit bewildered bewilder cd lie ile says any 8 he cannot see distinctly and yet there Is something stran strangely goly familiar gad this collar chokes me lie he turns turna nervously to loosen it they are nearing him the bride seema pale and la is it not a forced smile rather than EL a natural one that elgh the beautiful ficen the look of bewilderment on geoffrey a taca face has baa changed suddenly to one of horror and then to a misery that ume time will newer hoal heal chete Is spreading over I 1 his face an ashy pallor that brings in prominence every line tion too Is 18 written there I 1 1 ml I god be mutters mutt cra can it be marian marian darling corrie coico back come back he whispers and stretches out his arms nothing but space answers him the warden taps him on his sho shoulder ulGer lie he I 1 looks hastily around and sees he I 1 la s alone in tile the church jie ile steps ou out t tnt anto the frosty air and looks around where la Is he what has hag happened why Is ia that heavy I 1 aln ain at his beat heair t and why does everything look so dreary yes yea yes yea he sighs ire member it all then the luok kok of de termination cornea comes back hastily calling a call cal he jumps jump in and directions to the tha driver Is soon among the long line ot or taw ia I 1 biag a drawn up in front of 0 the hand sonie sollie avenue home that lie he knows so BO well I 1 will see her I 1 will know from her own lips lipa he mutters as he auguts una a lit in among tile the guests lie a quiet doorway theio his he can see and yet be junob bel vad llo lie takes a long breath ah how beautiful site sho la Is lie he sets BPS the same clear cut features ci owned downed by that same beautiful hair that lie he had once reverently touched the pule pine white throat rises flaps like chiseled maible from the gleam of her wedding gown hei wedding gown the wife or of another the thought maddens him lie ho cannot bear it marian ho be gioana and turns turna awa lla ito will leave the house it Is only agony to stay ho he will to fco away agabi nil all la IH over only memory left that will mill lover cover go he reaches tile the door and th thin n as aa if impelled by it a all nill stronger than bib ow own it enters tile the diaming di aw ing room she Is receiving hei con congi gi alula dons with fill eaje and grace always a liar acte ristle of marian malian seong but to day Is a BILUS a tremor of excitement about her that elie ehe can not Coli conquer quel her erts ale aie nervously 8 scanning canning the room they look at every one who tie enneis she gives a sudden gasp A look of gerior ten or spreads over her face and passing away aay leavea her deathly white some one Is up ap pro preaching aching arid and with a superhuman effort coit site she controls heisele may AIRY I 1 offer my iny congratulations hirs ira wyman a low steady voice Is sai ing but she eho hears nothing faces wound her have become indistinct she bho thinks she hears music some boroo where her hand Is hid held out nd ma chani Cally and geoffrey geoffrey I 1 she cries faintly it la Is Ati stifling fling and yet she Is glowing colder each minute such a surp surprise ilse the lie voice Is say ing in well Modula modulated td tones 1 I only le i turned returned from india this morning met jack dawrence Ta I 1 awrence wrence on the street ho he told me an old friend was being mai lied at and gave we me his card such a ho be repeated couldn coulden t believe my own eyes had to come to the house to be convinced you have my beat wishes mrs airs wy in min inin in I 1 should like to see you again but I 1 sall sail to toiro irow for england I 1 had expected to remain in new york but my plans have ben been changed an and deith with a foicey smile of adieu ho he passes on oil and a ad wt out in tile the cooling night the room grows suddenly dark to miriam irlam Alf the light has gone from her ufa life forever I 1 mrs wyman Is III the strata strain hai bag been too much for her is whispered around armind As aa the guests leave the room some one says I 1 beastly custom any way standing two hours poor girls I 1 wonder fonder are not more cases of nervous after these wed ding receptions 1 As geoffrey blaids boa ids the kron prinz the next mo coining ining a note Is handed him it Is only a little cream crested affair all and reads thus 1 hear told me lou on were dead that ion had bad been killed hilled in a fight with mith natives my letters returned father urged me to in irry mr air wy man and at last I 1 yielded oh ch beof trey why did ou come back too late jack lawrence hears bears the news of departure next morning at the dub club and twirls hla his mustache thoughtfully as he says to himself ny br jove there must have been some thing in that old aft air after all jack it quite fair in you youl poor old geoff then calls tor for a brandy and soda |