Kidnapped at the Altar; Or The Romance of that Saucy Jessie Bain Read online

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  Laura Jean Libbey's New $10,000 Story

  KIDNAPPED AT THE ALTAR

  Or

  The Romance of that Saucy Jessie Bain

  The Latest and Most Thrilling Story Fresh from the Pen of thePeoples' Favorite Author,

  MISS LAURA JEAN LIBBEY

  The Arthur Westbrook CompanyCleveland, Ohio, U.S.A.

  Copyright, 1909,--By--The Arthur Westbrook Company.

  CONTENTS

  CHAPTERS PAGE

  I. Some Young Girls Find Love So Sweet 5 II. Fate Is Against Some People 14 III. When Those We Love Drift Away 21 IV. The Girl Who Plays at Flirtation 27 V. The Mysterious House on Wau-Winet Island 33 VI. The Letters That Ceased to Come 39 VII. Every Young Girl Would Like a Lover 45 VIII. A Mother's Desperate Scheme 50 IX. Gerelda's Escape From Wau-Winet Island 55 X. What Is Life Without Love? 60 XI. Gerelda Could Have Saved Her 67 XII. Out in the Cold, Bleak World 73 XIII. "I Love Jessie With Heart and Soul!" 78 XIV. "Do Not Leave Me!" 83 XV. "Hubert Cares For Me No Longer!" 90 XVI. What Ought a Girl To Do? 94 XVII. Love Is Bitter 99 XVIII. Wedding Bells Out of Tune 112 XIX. The Collision--The Pilot at the Wheel 121 XX. Love is a Poisoned Arrow in Some Hearts 127 XXI. So Hard to Face the World Alone 134 XXII. "Permit Me to Escort You Home" 143 XXIII. Jessie Bain Enters the House of Secrets 152 XXIV. "Oh, To Sleep My Life Away!" 157 XXV. "If I But Knew Where My Love Is!" 163 XXVI. Hubert Varrick Rescues Jessie Bain 170 XXVII. "I Would Rather Walk By Your Side" 178 XXVIII. A Mother's Plea 185 XXIX. Returning Good For Evil 197 XXX. A Terrible Revelation 207 XXXI. The Midnight Visitor 218 XXXII. Captain Frazier Plots Again 227 XXXIII. In the Toils 236

  Kidnapped at The Altar

  OR

  The Romance of that Saucy Jessie Bain

  CHAPTER I.

  SOME YOUNG GIRLS FIND LOVE SO SWEET; TO OTHERS IT PROVES A CURSE.

  It was a magnificent evening, in balmy June, on the far-famed St.Lawrence.

  The steamer "St. Lawrence" was making her nightly search-light excursiondown the bay, laden to her utmost capacity.

  The passengers were all summer tourists, light of heart and gay ofspeech; all save one, Hubert Varrick, a young and handsome man, dressedin the height of fashion, who held aloof from the rest, and who stoodleaning carelessly against the taffrail.

  The steamer was making its way in and out of the thousand green isles,the great light from the pilot-house suddenly throwing a broad,illuminating flash first on this and then on that.

  As the light swept across land and water from point to point, Varricklightly laughed aloud at the ludicrous incidents, such as the suddenflashing of the light's piercing rays on some lover's nook, where twosouls indulging in but one thought were ruthlessly awakened from sweetseclusion to the most glaring publicity, and at many a novel sight,little dreaming that at every turn of the ponderous wheels he wasnearing his destiny.

  "Where are we now?" he inquired of a deck-hand.

  "At Fisher's Landing, sir."

  The words had scarcely left his lips ere a radiant flood of electriclight swept over the jutting bit of mainland. In that instantaneouswhite glare Varrick saw a sight that was indelibly engraved upon hismemory while life lasted.

  The dock was deserted by all save one person--a young girl, waving herhand toward the steamer.

  She wore a dress of some white, fleecy material, her golden hair flyingin the wind, and flapping against her bare shoulders and half-baredwhite arms.

  "Great heavens! who is that?" Varrick cried.

  But as he strained his eyes eagerly toward the beautiful picture, thescene was suddenly wrapped in darkness, and the steamer glided on.

  "Who was that, and what place was it?" he asked again.

  "It was Fisher's Landing, I said," rejoined the other. "The girl is'Saucy Jessie Bain,' as they call her hereabouts. She's Captain Carr'sniece."

  "Has she a lover?" suddenly asked Varrick.

  "Lord bless you, sir!" he answered, "there's scarcely a single man formiles around that isn't in love with Jessie Bain; but she will have noneof them.

  "There's a little story about Jessie Bain. I'll tell it to you, sinceyou admire the girl."

  But the story was not destined to become known to Varrick, for hiscompanion was called away at that moment.

  He could think of nothing else, see nothing but the face of the girl hehad seen on the dock at Fisher's Landing.

  This was particularly unfortunate, for at that moment Hubert Varrick wason his way to be married on the morrow to the beautiful heiress, MissNorthrup.

  She was a famous beauty and belle, and Varrick had been madly in lovewith her. But since he had seen the face of Jessie Bain he felt astrange, half-defined regret that he was bound to another. He was notover-impatient to arrive at his destination, although he knew thatGerelda Northrup and a bevy of her girl friends would undoubtedly be atthe dock to welcome him.

  This proved to be the case, and a moment later he caught sight of thetall, stately beauty, who swept forward to meet him with outstretchedjeweled hands and a glad welcome on her proud face.

  "I am so delighted that you have come at last, Hubert," she murmured.

  But she drew back abashed as he attempted to kiss her, and this actionchilled him to the very heart's core.

  He was quickly presented to Gerelda's girl friends, and then the partymade their way up to the Crossmon Hotel, which was only a few yardsdistant, Varrick and Miss Northrup lagging a little behind the rest.

  "I hope you have been enjoying your outing this season, my darling,"said Varrick.

  "I have had the most delightful time of my life," she declared.

  Varrick frowned. It was not so pleasant for him to hear that she couldenjoy herself in his absence. Jealousy was deeply rooted in his nature.

  "Is there any special one who has helped to make it so pleasant?" heasked.

  "Yes. Captain Frazier is here."

  "Have you been flirting with him, Gerelda?" he asked.

  "Don't be jealous, Hubert."

  "I am jealous!" he cried. "You know that is the curse of the Varricks."

  By this time they had reached the hotel. Throngs of beautiful womencrowded the broad piazzas, yet Varrick noticed with some pride thatGerelda was the most beautiful girl there.

  "You must be very tired after your long journey," she murmured. "Youshould retire early, to be fully rested for to-morrow."

  "Do you mean _you_ wish to retire early?" asked Hubert, ratherdown-hearted that she wanted to dismiss him so soon. "If you think itbest I will leave you."
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  Was it only his fancy, or did her eyes brighten perceptibly?

  A few more turns up and down the veranda, a few impassioned words in acozy nook, and then he said good-night to her, delivering her to thecare of her chaperon.

  But even after he had reached his room, and thrown himself across hiscouch, Varrick could not sleep.

  The sound of laughter floated up to him.

  Though it was an hour since he had bidden Gerelda good-night, he fanciedthat it was her voice he heard in the porch below; and he fancied, too,that he knew the other deep rich voice that chimed in now and then withhers.

  "That is certainly Frazier," he muttered.

  Seizing his coat and hat, he donned them hurriedly, left his room,stepped out of the hotel by a rear entrance, made a tour of the thicklywooded grounds, until at last, from his hiding-place among the trees, hecould gain an excellent view of the brilliantly lighted piazza, himselfunseen.

  His surmise had been but only too true.

  Mad with jealous rage, Varrick turned on his heel.

  He rushed down the path to the water's edge. A little boat was skimmingover the water, heading for the very spot where he stood. Its occupant,a sturdy young fisherman, was just about to secure it to an iron ring,when Varrick approached him.

  "I should like to hire your boat for an hour," he said, huskily.

  Varrick wanted to get away, to be by himself to think.

  The bargain was made with the man, and with a few strokes from hismuscular arms the little skiff was soon whirling out into the deepwaters of the bay. Then he rested on his oars and floated down with thetide.

  Suddenly a clear and yet shrill voice broke upon his ear.

  "Halloo! Halloo there! Won't you come to my rescue, please?"

  Varrick could hear the girlish voice plainly enough, but he could notimagine whence it came.

  Again the shrill cry was repeated. Just then he observed a slight figurestanding down near the water's edge of the island he was passing.

  Varrick headed for the island at once, and as he drew so near that theface of the girl could be easily distinguished, he made a wonderfuldiscovery--the girl was Jessie Bain.

  "I am so glad for deliverance at last!" she cried.

  "How in the world came you here?" exclaimed Varrick.

  "I came out for a little row," she said, "and stopped at this island forsome flowers that I had seen here yesterday. I suppose I could not havefastened my boat very securely, for when I came to look for it, it wasgone; and, oh! my uncle would be so angry; he would beat me severely!"

  Somehow one word brought on another, and quite unconsciously prettylittle Jessie Bain found herself chatting to the stranger, who vowedhimself as only too pleased to row out of his way to see her safelyhome.

  "Your home does not seem to be a happy one," he said at length.

  "It wouldn't be, if they could have their way. It used to be differentwhen auntie was alive. Now my cousin beats me badly enough, and UncleJohn believes all she tells him about me. But I always get even withher.

  "In the morning my cousin went to her work (she clerks in one of thevillage stores), but before she left the house she picked the biggestquarrel you ever heard of, with me--because I wouldn't lend her the onlydecent dress I have to wear. She expected her beau from a neighboringvillage to come to town.

  "I would have lent it to her, but she's just the kind of a girl thatwouldn't take care of anything, unless it was her own, and I knew itwould be ruined in one day.

  "It took me a whole year to save money enough to get it. I sold eggs tobuy it, and, oh, golly! didn't I coax those chicks to lay, though!"

  Varrick could not help but smile as he looked at her.

  And she was so innocent, too. He wondered if she could be more thansixteen or seventeen years old.

  "About four o'clock she sent a note to the house, and in it she said:

  "'Dear Cousin Jessie, I am going to bring company home, so for goodness'sake do get up a good dinner. I send a whole basket of good things withthe boy who brings this note. Cook them all.'

  "Well, I cooked the supper just as she wanted me to do. Oh! it wasdreadfully tempting, and right here let me say, whenever there's abroken cup or saucer or plate in the house, or fork with only twoprongs, or a broken-handled knife, it always falls to me. My cousinalways says: 'It's good enough for Jessie Bain; let _her_ have it.'

  "I prepared the dainty supper, ran and got every good knife and fork andplate and cup and saucer, and hid them under an old oak-tree fully halfa mile away.

  "I left out on the table only the broken things, to see how she'd likethem.

  "By and by she and her beau came. I ran out the back door as I heardthem cross the front porch.

  "Oh! but wasn't she mad! I watched her through the window, laughing sohard I almost split my sides, and she fairly flew at me. Then I wentdown and jumped into my little boat, and pushed away for dear life, tobe out of her reach. I rowed down to this island, thinking to fetch herback some flowers to appease her mighty wrath; but I was so tired that Ifell asleep. I was frightened nearly to death when I awoke and saw thatit was dark night. I had a greater fright still when I discovered thatmy little boat was gone--had drifted away."

  Varrick had almost forgotten his own turbulent thoughts in listening tothe girl.

  "Are you not afraid of punishment?" he asked, as they neared Fisher'sLanding.

  He could see a quick, frightened look sweep over the girl's face.

  "I don't know what they will do with me," she said.

  "If they attempt to abuse you come straight to me!" cried Varrick, quiteforgetful in the eagerness of the moment what he was saying.

  By this time they had reached Fisher's Landing. He sprung from the skiffand helped her ashore.

  "Good-night, and thank you ever so much," she said. And with a quick,childish, thoughtless motion, she bent her pretty head and kissed thestrong white hand that clasped her own.

  He had been so kind, so sympathetic to her, and that was something newfor Jessie Bain.

  He watched her in silence as she flitted up the path, until she was lostto sight in the darkness.

  Then he re-entered his boat and made his way slowly back to the bay.

  The spacious corridors of the grand Hotel Crossmon were wrapped insilence when he reached it.

  He half expected to see the two whom he had left in thatflower-embowered lovers' nook at the end of the piazza still sittingthere.

  Then he laughed to himself at the folly of the thought.