is is only a weakness. Come! Nerve your heart like a brave, good
girl! Come! It will soon be over."

And he bent down and kissed her wet cheek, while she shrunk from him
with an involuntary dread. But, he drew his arm around her waist,
and almost forced her to rise.

"There now! Dry your tears!" And he placed his handkerchief to her
eyes. "It is but a moment of weakness, Caroline,--of natural
weakness."

As he said this, he was pressing her forward towards the door of the
apartment where the clergyman (such clergymen disgrace their
profession) awaited their appearance.

"Charles?" said Caroline, with a suddenly constrained calmness--"do
you love me?"

"Better than my own life!" was instantly replied.

"Then take me to my father. I am too young--too weak--too
inexperienced for this."

"The moment we are united you shall go home," returned Lawson. "I
will not hold you back an instant."

"Let me go now, Charles! Oh, let me go now!"

"Are you mad, girl!" exclaimed the young man, losing his
self-control. And, with a strong arm, he forced her into the next
room. For a brief period, the clergyman hesitated, on seeing the
distressed bride. Then he opened the book he held in his hand and
began to read the service. As his voice, in tones of solemnity,
filled the apartment, Caroline grew calmer. She felt like one driven
forward by a destiny against which it was vain to contend. All the
responses had been made by Lawson, and now the clergyman addressed
her. Passively she was about uttering her assentation, when the door
of the room was thrown open, and two men entered.

"Stop!" was instantly cried in a loud, agitated voice, which
Caroline knew to be that of her father, and never did that voice
come to her ears with a more welcome sound.

Lawson started, and moved from her side. While Caroline yet stood
trembling and doubting, the man who had come in with Mr. Everett
approached Lawson, and laying his hand upon him, said--"I arrest you
on a charge of swindling!"

With a low cry of distress, Caroline sprung towards her father; but
he held his hands out towards her as if to keep her off, saying, at
the same time--

"Are you his wife?"

"No, thank Heaven!" fell from her lips.

In the next moment she was in her father's arms, and both were
weeping.

Narrow indeed was the escape made by Caroline Everett; an escape
which she did not fully comprehend until a few months afterwards,
when the trial of Lawson took place,