“Can I believe my eyes?” he exclaimed mentally as he hastily glanced over it, then gave it a more careful examination.
The certificate was for stock to the amount of one hundred thousand dollars yielding six per cent; there could be no mistake, and he felt that he had suddenly become a rich man.
But at that instant a low sob from Marian caught his ear, and instantly everything was forgotten but that she was in trouble.
“My darling, what is it?” he asked, putting an arm about her and drawing her closer to him.
“Oh, I am so frightened!” she said with quivering lips. “Read this letter from Sandy.”
He did so at once. The boy wrote warning Marian that their father had in some way learned that Captain Raymond had shown himself a friend to her, so suspected that she had gone to him for protection, had found out the captain’s address, and started east with the probable intention of hunting her up and carrying her back to Utah with him.
“Oh, what can I do? Can you protect me from him?” asked Marian, as Dr. Conly refolded the letter and drew her closer into his arms.
“He shall never take you from me,” he returned in determined tones and holding her close to his heart. “I think the surest thing will be for us to marry at once, if you are willing. O my darling, you are not afraid to trust me?”
“No, no, indeed!” she exclaimed, adding, “if you are willing to take me just as I am, only half educated and——”
“More, much more than willing,” he replied. “But there is no time to be lost. Let us go up at once to the house and consult with the friends there.”
“Yes; especially Cousin Elsie, and my best and kindest of friends, dear old Cousin Ronald.”
They were glad to find all the family in, and quickly told them their story; Arthur concluding with, “I think the best thing we can do is to marry at once, so that I shall have a prior right to that of Mr. McAlpine, and can prevent him from carrying her away from us.”
“I agree with you, sir,” said Mr. Lilburn, “and should think it well for you to carry her away to some place unknown to the unnatural man, till he wearies of his search and goes back to Mormon-land.”
“Then, if the plan is approved by my wife and others, I will go at once for the _Dolphin_, and we will sail or steam away to-night with the bride and groom,” said the captain. “We can visit Mount Desert and whatever other points we please along the whole coast between this and our city, making occasional calls here if we like, and go home when we wish and are satisfied that the danger there is over.”