. The voice in the rice . nd hands. Mr. Bourne, said Lord Nairn ina quiet, confidential, but very franktone, is there any reason why youshouldn-t be married? It is customaryto leave this question open until theservice; but, naturally, as your antece-dents and former life are not known toany here, there is no one who can comeforward and name an impediment. Asit is, we shall have but your word. YetI believe with Sir Peter that your wordgiven to us now at so solemn a timemust be the truth. The pale eyes heldmine with much earnestness. Both SirPeter and Doctor Norton drew closerto hear w
. The voice in the rice . nd hands. Mr. Bourne, said Lord Nairn ina quiet, confidential, but very franktone, is there any reason why youshouldn-t be married? It is customaryto leave this question open until theservice; but, naturally, as your antece-dents and former life are not known toany here, there is no one who can comeforward and name an impediment. Asit is, we shall have but your word. YetI believe with Sir Peter that your wordgiven to us now at so solemn a timemust be the truth. The pale eyes heldmine with much earnestness. Both SirPeter and Doctor Norton drew closerto hear what I should say. I have a little property, I said; there is no other woman in my life,nor any disease. There is no impedi-ment, sir, unless the unwillingness ofthe bride or the general unworthinessof being so blessed, of which every manhas more than his share. Lord Nairns eyes remained unblink-ing and steady. I am sure, he said at last, thatyou have spoken the truth. I thank ceremony will be in the adjoining[143]. THE VOICE IN THE RICE . i roonio It wants still three minutes to(t<j eight. Doctor Norton, you will wish ^^IJ to put on your surplice. Be so good \p/ as to ask the chorus to strike up as youpass through the hall. By the way, whois the best man ? d ^/( He looked inquiringly at Sir Peter,who bowed and facetiously asked whomelse Lord Nairn could suspect. Thewords were no sooner out of his mouththan there resounded in the hall a crash-ing chord of loud, sweet, negro voices;and to a wild chorus with a barbaricand thundering rhythm that set mypulses and almost my feet furiously go-ing the company filed through doubledoors rolled wide open into the adjoin-ing room. A hand clutched my arm and I lookeddown into the brown, monkey eyes ofLady Wrenn. Good luck, she cried gaily. Thiswill be a blessed day in Heaven to poorLady Nairn. I thanked her and moved on with SirPeter. They had made an altar of whiteroses at one end of the room and a greatwedding-bell of the same,
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