Abducted During The Wedding

E PEOPLE, FROM THE

aw of wind and

, lost Love, ha

ts had ripened f

ind in gardens

C.

mother's, and retired to their apartments, Mrs. Northrup could not help notice how

andsome captain wore a bud of the

far with Captain Frazier. It will not do to flirt with

Gerelda answered. "Captain Frazier is a delightf

ls," declared Mrs. Northrup. "The cap

for lingering by my side

fear," returned the other.

keep. Do please ring the bell for my maid; it is nearl

ue; but the spirit of coquetry was so deeply imbedded in her nature that she

love was given to Hubert Varrick, and that it was only

e have read the thoughts of Capt

end of the corridor, the captain was paci

f murder on my soul, I must leave this place to-night, and never look upon Gerelda's beautiful face again. One day more of this would drive me mad. Great Heaven! why did I linger by her side when I knew my danger? There are times

ll furiously, and calle

el, saying that he would s

Frazier stood motionless in the grounds wat

e sad havoc with his imagination. He thought of how the knights

g there under the night sky, how cleverly the gypsy

is blushi

gh a little note left for her that Captain Frazier had taken his departure from

is better so

great basket of orchids

Gerelda found a little not

eaven has made the day beautiful

ansion and her dear five hundred friends, to have the ceremony performed

proaching marriage. The spacious private parlors to be u

t arrived. Mrs. Northrup and Hubert Varrick were wild with anxiety a

will be delayed but a few hours, after all, and I don't know b

ked-for bridal trousseau arrived. V

atest joy. He never afterward remembered how

he was to join him. The few invited guests who were so

group as the heavy silken porti��res that separate

entered with the beautiful

pearl and gold. A messenger had brought it, handing

"A simple wish accompanies it," the boy went on, "and that is, when the ceremony is but just begun,

sed, thoughtlessly enoug

y, my darling

or noticed what he had brought to Gerelda, or what their conversation was about, or that

uperb beauty, of her queenly carriage, and her haughty demean

ered promptly and clearly the questions put to him. Then the

l, wedded husband, to love, honor, and o

mbled thought they hear

raised the beautiful pearl and

l;" but all in an instant her lips g

w gasp broke the t

aughingly and thoughtlessly promised to do, ere she u

ened to her? She was ga

eeded at her feet, and h

ry, Hubert Var

half leading, half carrying her into the anteroo

a glass of water," he said, as he placed

Mrs. Northrup and those in the outer apartment were fo

their senses Hubert had reappeare

e her seat; but the rest followed qui

hoarse cry in Varrick's voi

d down, with a wild prayer to Heaven to give him strength to bear what he might see lying on the ground below. But instead of a white, upturned face, and a shimmering heap of satin and lace, he beheld a ladder

sight held him spell-bound. By this

he wildly cried, clutching at Varrick's arm. "She must

ow it, I believe it, but no

ere it was too late she fled with the lover who must

s had gathere

relda?" they all

," they echoed; and immediately there

moment no one noticed tha

were le

obbed, hoarsely. "I think I am going mad. I thank God

on the face which Hubert Varrick r

w that he needed comfort

ll. He quitted the apartment as quickly as he had entered it,

to come to him quickly, and give him a potion that w