both her hands, and dropped her head
forward on them, as she continued in a stifled voice,--und then we go to
a minister and straight we get married.'

"And," continued Mr. S----, "as I looked at her I caught myself wishing
she were dead, that she might escape the misery awaiting her.

"At last the day came. Her lover and a pal of his went out together.
Faithful Semantha was awaiting him, and was not pleased at the pal's
presence, and was more distressed still when her lover refused to go to
the shelter she had prepared for him, in which he was to don his new
finery, but insisted upon going with his friend. Semantha yielded, of
course, and on the way her lover laughed and jested--asked for the
tickets, then the ring, and putting on the latter declared that he was
married to _her_ now, and would wear the ring until they saw the
'Bible-sharp,' and then she should be married to _him_; and Semantha
brightened up again and was happy.

"They came at last to the house they sought. It was a low kind of
neighbourhood, had a deserted look, and was next door to a saloon. The
pal said there were no women in the house, and Semantha had better not
come in. The lover bade her wait, and they went in and closed the door,
and left the girl outside. There she waited such a weary time, then at
last she rang--quite timidly at first, then louder, faster, too, and a
scowling fellow from the saloon told her that the house was empty. She
rang wildly then, until he threatened a policeman. Then she ceased, but
walked round to the back and found its rear connected with a stable
yard. She came back again, dazed and white, her hand pressed to her
heart, and as she stood there a lad who hung about the prison grounds a
good deal, did odd jobs or held a horse now and then, and who knew
Semantha well, came along and cried out, 'I say, why didn't you go with
yer feller and his pal?'

"'She didn't say nary a word,' said the boy, 'she didn't say nary a
word, but pushed her head out and looked at me till her eyes glared same
as a cat's, and I says: "Why, I seed 'em ketch the 4.30 train to
Bellefontaine! They had to run and jump to do it, but they didn't scare
a darn, they just laughed and laughed." And, Boss, something like a
tremble, but most like my dog when I beats him, and I have the stick up
to hit him again, and not a word did she say, but just stood as still
as still after that doglike tremble went away. I got muddled, and at
last I says, "Semant