billy made good time in spite of the fact that he had been out all day on parishional work, but he knew who he was hauling, and seemed to take deep satisfaction in having hazel back again, for now and again he would turn back towards the wagon when they stopped for water and whinny happily.
they reached the stopping place about nine o'clock, and the news that the missionary was going to be married spread like wildfire among the men and out to the neighbouring shacks. in no time a small crowd had collected about the place, peering out of the starlit darkness.
hazel retired to the forlorn little chamber where she had spent the night before and rummaged in her trunk for bridal apparel. in a few minutes she emerged into the long dining-room where the table had been hastily cleared and moved aside, and upon which the boarders were now seated in long rows, watching the proceedings curiously.
she was dressed in a simple white muslin, touched here and there with exquisite hand embroidery and tiny cobwebby edges of real lace. the missionary caught his breath as he saw her come out to him, and the rough faces of the men softened as they watched her.
the white-haired bishop arose to meet her and welcomed her in a fatherly way he had, and the woman who kept the stopping place came following in hazel's wake, hastily wiping her hands on her apron, and casting it behind her as she entered. she had been preparing an impromptu supper out of any materials that happened to be at hand, but she could not miss the ceremony if the coffee did burn. weddings did not come her way every day.
in the doorway, his stolid face shining in the glare of many candles, stood the indian from the fort. he had followed silently behind the couple to witness the proceedings, well knowing he would be forgiven by his mistress at the fort when he told his news. the missionary was well beloved—and the missionary was going to be married!
what would the four hundred of her own select new york circle have said could they have seen hazel radcliffe standing serene, in her simple gown, with her undecked golden hair, in the midst of that motley company of men, with only three curious slatternly women in the background to keep her company, giving herself away to a man who had dedicated his life to work in the desert? but hazel's happy heart was serenely unconscious of the incongruity of her surroundings, and she answered with a clear ring to her voice as the bishop asked her the questions: "i will." she was coming gladly to her new home.
it was her own ring, the ring she had given him, that john brownleigh put upon her hand in token of his loyalty and love for her, the ring that for a whole year had lain next his own heart and comforted its loneliness because she had given it, and now he gave it back because she had given him herself.
graciously she placed her small white hand in the rough awkward ones of the men who came to offer her congratulations, half stumbling over their own feet in their awe and wonder at her beauty. it was to them as if an angel from heaven had suddenly dropped down and condescended to walk their daily path in sight of them all.
cheerfully she swallowed the stale cake and muddy coffee that the slatternly landlady produced, and afterwards, as she was being helped to get back into her riding dress, bestowed upon her a little lilac wool frock from her trunk that the woman admired greatly. from that moment the landlady of the stopping place was a new creature. missions and missionaries had been nothing to her through the years, but she believed in them forever after, and donned her new lilac gown in token of her faith in christianity. thus hazel won her first convert, who afterwards proved her fidelity in time of great trial, and showed that even a lilac gown may be an instrument of good.
out into the starlight together again they rode, with the blessing of the bishop upon them, and the cheers of the men still sounding in their ears.
"i wish mother could have known," said the bridegroom as he drew his bride close within his arm and looked down upon her nestling by his side.
"oh, i think she does!" said hazel as she dropped a thankful, weary head against his shoulder. then the missionary stooped and gave his wife a long, tender kiss, and raising his head and lifting his eyes to the starlit sky he said reverently:
"oh, my father, i thank thee for this wonderful gift. make me worthy of her.help her never to regret that she has come to me."
hazel crept her hand into his free one, and laid her lips upon his fingers, and prayed all quietly by herself for gladness. so they rode out to their camp beneath god's sky.
three days later an indian on the way to the fort turned aside with a message for hazel—a telegram. it read:
"arrived safe. married burley to once so i could see to him. do come home right away. burley says come and live with us. answer right away. i can't enjoy my new home worrying about you.
"yours respectful,
"amelia ellen stout burley."
with laughter and tears hazel read the telegram whose price must have cost the frugal new england conscience a twinge, and after a moment's thought wrote an answer to send back by the messenger.
"dear amelia ellen: love and congratulations for you both. i was married to john brownleigh the night you left. come out and see us when your husband gets well, and perhaps we'll visit you when we come east. i am very happy.
"hazel radcliffe brownleigh."
when good amelia ellen read that telegram she wiped her spectacles a second time and read it over to see that she had made no mistake, and then she set her toil-worn hands upon her hips and surveyed the prone but happy burley in dazed astonishment, ejaculating:
"fer the land sake! now did you ever? fer the land! was that what she was up to all the time? i thought she was wonderful set to go, and wonderful set to stay, but i never sensed what was up. ef i'd 'a' knowed, i suppose i'd 'a' stayed another day. why didn't she tell me, i wonder! well, fer the land sake!"
and burley murmured contentedly:
"wal, i'm mighty glad you never knowed, amelia ellen!"
