Chapter XXXIV

Mr. Lane felt rather proud than otherwise as he walked up the aisle of the church with Aline Rodney by his side. Her exquisite beauty filled him with admiration, and he had already decided in his mind that she was as pure and innocent as she was fair.

He did not care in the least for the opinion of censorious Chester. If Aline had been a princess, he could not have shown her more deferential respect than that which he now accorded her. He had the greatest admiration for her, mingled with pity and sympathy. He said to himself that he would help her out of her trouble if he could, and he honestly believed, that the surest way to do that would be to find out the secret she held and make it public. He had been vexed with her before he saw her--vexed because she had so baffled investigation and curiosity. He had determined then, out of pure vexation, to track her down. Since they had met, his feeling had changed. He was none the less determined to ferret out her secret, but now he was actuated by pity and sympathy combined with a belief in her innocence. He decided that he would say nothing to Dr. Anthony or the Rodneys. He would pursue his investigations alone. They should hear and know nothing until success had crowned his efforts.

He studied the fair face keenly whenever he had an opportunity of doing so. Its varying expression, the lights and shadows that shone in the dark-blue eyes, had an actual fascination for him. He watched her as closely as if he expected to find on her lovely, mobile face the key to the mystery that shadowed her life.

Standing a little apart from her while the marriage ceremony progressed between her sister and Dr. Anthony, he kept his eyes fixed on her face and saw the new softness that came upon it as she listened to the beautiful words of the service. He saw the dark, curling lashes flutter upward a moment and remain fixed, he saw the blush stealing over her face, dyeing even the whiteness of her low brow in its radiant glow. He followed the direction of her eyes, and saw the apparent cause.

At a little distance from the bridal party stood a tall distinguished looking man leaning lightly against the chancel rail. He was a man to be looked at twice, for his dress and hearing betokened both wealth and refinement. It was a handsome face, too, dark and proud and reserved, with a latent fire in the eyes that had a dark, southern splendor, all their own.

It was this man at whom Aline Rodney was looking with startled pathetic blue eyes while the beautiful color rose in burning waves over her fair young face. Mr. Lane saw the dark eyes and the blue ones hold each other one moment with a glance he could in nowise fathom, and then, without a sign of recognition, the gentleman turned his head away. Aline’s dark lashes fell and the color slowly faded from her face.

Mr. Lane was puzzled.

“Does she know the man? It is not likely that she would blush so at the glance of a stranger. And yet they gave no sign of recognition,” he said to himself.

He watched Aline more closely than ever, but he made no discovery. She did not look at the handsome stranger again; neither did he look at her; and when the brief service was over he hurriedly left the church and disappeared in the moving throng.

The Rodneys with Mr. Lane and the newly married pair went back to the cottage. They were to have tea together, simply and sociably, and then the doctor and his bride were going off on a little tour before they settled down to housekeeping in the pretty little village of Maywood.

Aline was very silent and _distraite_. She was overwhelmed by the parting from her sister. Heavy tears hung on her thick, dark lashes as she looked at Effie and realized that their pleasant and loving home-life together was forever ended. Henceforth another home would claim her sweet sister as its priestess, and she would be the central sun around which the lesser planets of another household revolved.

“Sitting by the fireside of the hearth,
Feeding its flame.”