ious world, without realizing
that she was but a whited sepulcher, her little rotten heart all death
beneath the spotless robes. For she was keen enough to know that she was
defiled forever in Courtland's eyes. She might fool Tennelly by pleading
innocence and deceit, but never Courtland. For his eyes had pried into
her very soul that night he had discovered her in sin. She had a feeling
that he and his God were in league against her. No, Gila did not want
Courtland to be Tennelly's best man. But Tennelly had insisted. He had
given in about almost every other thing under heaven, and Gila had had
her way, but he would have Courtland for best man.

She drooped her long lashes over her lovely cheeks, and trailed her
white robes up a long aisle of white lilies to the steps of the altar;
but when she lifted her miserable eyes in front of the altar she could
not help seeing the face of the man who had discovered her shame. It was
a case of her little naked, sinful soul walking in the Garden again,
with the Voice and the eyes of a God upon it.

Lovely! Composed! Charming! Exquisite! All these and more they said she
was as she stood before the white-robed priest and went through the
ceremony, repeating, parrot-like, the words: "I, Gila, take thee,
Llewellyn--" But in her heart was wrath and hate, and no more repentance
than a fallen angel feels.

When at last the agony was over and the bride and groom turned to walk
down the aisle, Gila lifted her pretty lips charmingly to Tennelly for
his kiss, and leaned lovingly upon his arm, smiling saucily at this one
and that as she pranced airily out into her future. Courtland, coming
just behind with the maid of honor, one of Gila's feather-brained
friends, lolling on his arm, felt that he ought to be inexpressibly
thankful to God that he was only best man in this procession, and not
bridegroom.

When at last the bride and groom were departed, and Courtland had shaken
off the kind but curious attentions of Bill Ward, who persisted in
thinking that Tennelly had cut him out with Gila, he turned to Pat and
whispered, softly:

"For the love of Mike, Pat, let's beat it before they start anything
else!"

Pat, anxious and troubled, heaved a sigh of relief, and hustled his old
friend out under the stars with almost a shout of joy. Nelly was caught
and bound for a season. Poor old Nelly! But Court was free! Thank the
Lord!

Courtland was almost glad that he went immediately back to hard