I Forbid the Banns! — page 227: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

ON THE WAR PATH. — 217 “Perhaps you do not look on a wedding as anything special,” remarked Marian. “Well, in the simple language of Mary Jane, when are you going to appear at the Hymeneal altar ?” “ Never,” said Bertha promptly. A puzzled look was on Miss Travers’ face as she stared first at the speaker, then at Julian Charlton. The result of her observation of Bertha was indefinite, but the result of her searching gaze into Charlton’s face was to convince her that he was annoyed at something. Cyril Southcote, being a man, considered himself competent to arrive at a just conclu- sion respecting the exact import of the girl’s exclamation. ‘Your riddle is on a level of ingeniousness with one of Bunyan’s,” said Cyril. ‘*‘ They that are down need fear no fall ’—that is the interpretation of your ‘ never,’ Mrs. .Charlton.” “What,” cried Marian—*“ married already ?” “Ves,” said Julian, after a pause of a few seconds and in a tone of indecision. The tone of indecision puzzled Marian Travers. Why should Charlton be undecided, she wondered. She believed that if there is any subject upon which a man— unless he has lived all his life in Scotland—should have thoroughly made up his mind, it is as to whether or not he is married. ‘ Married already ? How odd!” she remarked, looking again from one to the other. “ Odd?” cried Cyril. “Odd?” cried Julian. ‘ Well, I cannot for my part see where the oddity of the transaction lies, Dear Miss Travers, young men and young women get married every day, and if they don’t live happy, we may.” “ «Never morning wore to evening but some heart did break ’—there you have the Laureate’s account of it,” remarked Cyril. CONNIELOOOKS (2)