nd it was only a form for him. She
must take double vows upon her for the sake of the wrong done to him. So
she listened:

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered together"--how the words thrilled her!--"in
the sight of God and in the presence of this company to join together this
man and woman in the bonds of holy matrimony;"--a deathly stillness rested
upon the room and the painful throbbing of her heart was all the little
bride could hear. She was glad she might look straight into the dear face
of the old minister. Had her mother felt this way when she was being
married? Did her stepmother understand it? Yes, she must, in part at
least, for she had bent and kissed her most tenderly upon the brow just
before leaving her, a most unusually sentimental thing for her to do. It
touched Marcia deeply, though she was fond of her stepmother at all times.

She waited breathless with drooped eyes while the minister demanded, "If
any man can show just cause why they may not be lawfully joined together,
let him now declare it, or else hereafter forever hold his peace." What if
some one should recognize her and, thinking she had usurped Kate's place,
speak out and stop the marriage! How would David feel? And she? She would
sink to the floor. Oh, did they any of them know? How she wished she dared
raise her eyes to look about and see. But she must not. She must listen.
She must shake off these worldly thoughts. She was not hearing for idle
thinking. It was a solemn, holy vow she was taking upon herself for life.
She brought herself sharply back to the ceremony. It was to David the
minister was talking now:

"Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in
health, and forsaking all other, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye
both shall live?"

It was hard to make David promise that when his heart belonged to Kate.
She wondered that his voice could be so steady when it said, "I will," and
the white glove of Kate's which was just a trifle large for her, trembled
on David's arm as the minister next turned to her:

"Wilt thou, Marcia"--Ah! It was out now! and the sharp rustle of silk and
stiff linen showed that all the company were aware at last who was the
bride; but the minister went steadily on. He cared not what the listening
assembly thought. He was talking earnestly to his little friend,
Marcia,--"have this man to be thy wedded husband, to live together after
God's ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony?