Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1897-08-19
"N.o." abe said. still hesitatlng. III

"N-o," she said. still hesitating. "He
came to London to get special H.
cense. We are to be married In South
ampton In two days time. But after
he left me to-day. I could not resist
the temptation to follow him and
watch over him, mad so followed.
Mrs. Baxter tried to persuade mo to
so after him."
"Do you mean Mrs. Baxter Of The
George FIotel?" Quericd the station
master.
"Yes." assented zana; "she was
very kind to me-"
''rhen. my dear. you shall go back
to Mrs. Baxter (whom I know very
welN by the night mai:.," was the
prompt rcjoinder. "Wait quietly down
there until Mr.. Norton returns;s YOU
are far too young and pretty to he
wandering about alone. I'll get you
a compartment all to yourself, tell the
guard to look after you, telegraph to
Mrs. Baxter to meet you ut the sta
ton, and-there you arc, you see."
He spoke with an air Of such good
homered decision that Zana's feeble
protests were quickly swept aside.
And thus, even as Mrs. Baxter had
foretold, she returned to Southamp-
ton by the night mail. Late as it was,
the worthy landlady was Mt the sta
ton to receive her. and welcomed her
heartily. But when she had heard Of
what had bcfallen at Waterloo, she
looked very grave indeed.
Il don't like the look Of it at all"
she remarked, when they were alone
in the girls room. "Mr. Norton gets
your telegram, tells the porter it's all
right, and then leaves you to cool
your heels for several hours at the
station! Just like man, of course;
but" she added, angrily, Every un-
like gentleman, and did think he
was one"
"He is all that is noble and good, and
I am sure it was through no fault of
his he did not meet me-"
"Then why didn't he turn up?" per-
sisted Mrs. Baxter, merciless in her
logic. A moment later she would
have given her best dinner service to
have recalled the words.
Zana turned deadly pale.
'Why didn't he turn up?" she re-
peated, slowly, and as though for the
first time clearly realizing the full
import Of her lovers absence. RE
cause he could not. Some
evil has befallen him, as I knew it
wonderland she threw herself upon
the bed in a paroAysm Of grief so
violent that the landlady, for perhaps
the first time in hec life, felt her own
strong nerves giving way.
Come. come, dearie," she said, pill
lowing the sorrow-stricken little head
upon her motherly bosom, "you
mustn't take on like that because a
young gentleman misses an appoint
ment. Why, for all we know, the port
or may have given the telegram to the
Wrong person!"
The good woman did not for mo.
ment entertain this transparent i'm
probability herself. but it was the tirst
explanation that suggested itself, and
it sounded soothing.
''Do you think so? Really" querjed
Zana, between her sobs, and clutching
eagerly at the hopeful words.
''Porters is that stupid, my DEAR"
continued Mrs. Baxter, "that hotel
walters is shinin' lights compared to
em: and goodness only knows what
have to put up with from my blcc
heads! You'll find, when everything
comes to be explained, either that Mr..
Norton never got the message at all,
or thought that it referred to to-mor-
row."
Once more she was belying her own
convictions, which were steadily hard
ening against the truant lover; but her
immediate mission was to soothe the
weeping girl, not to heap reproaches
upon his head. Time enough for that
when he should next make his appear
ance.
By degrees Zana grew calmer, and
by the time Mrs. Baxter had put her
to bed, she had soothed the troubled
soul into the belief that there would
be news, and good news, from her be-
loved Ernest in the morning.
"Of course there will be-" assented
the landlady, cheerfully. "And even
if there isn't, there'll be nothing to
worry about. Mr.. Norton arranged to
be away two days at least, and per-
haps he's not one of the letter-writing
sort. know when my old man pays
visit to his brother "a tanner he is,
with snug business at Bermondsey)
never expect to hear Of him until he
comes back. So, goodnight, my dear,
and don't fret any more about this
happy-go-lucky sweetheart Of yours.