Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1897-08-12

You Must not Remind me Of That
l felt so sure your father would never
consent to our union
WAS that your only reason:" inter-
rupted Zana. Are you sure that your
English prejudices counted for moth
ing: l have read the books you used
to bring me, and, as you know, my
mother was English. Is it not true
that many Englishmen would say she
lost caste by marrying my father, de-
spite his native rank? Is it not also
true that they would say you would
lose caste by marrying me? And yet,
Ernest, my fathers ancestors were
rajahs two thousand years ago! What
were yours then? What We're those Of
your great queen-empress even, then
:. You loved me! Yes, you loved
me. just as the Christian knight, Gil
bert Beckett, in the story, loved the
Saracen maiden, whom he abandoned
at Acre and who followed him to Eng
land, with the one cry of Gilbert! Gil
bert! upon her lips! Yes, you loved
me as he loved her :. But l love
you as she loved him."
The girl had risen to her feet as she
spoke and now stood before her fugi-
tive lover, her dark eyes flashing. her
shapely bosom heaving, her delicate
nostrilS Qulvering--aS passionate pic
ture of unjustly sighted love as artist
need wish to see. What wonder if, be-
fore this tempestuous outburst. the
smouldering fires of passion in Ernest
NortOn's heart was famed into an all
conquering flame?
canal" he cried. "My peerless love!
My queen! Forgive me! The scales
have fallen from my eyes and see
now that, in obeying what I deemed
the dictates of prudence, I acted
wrongly. unworthily. Let the world
say what it may, my darling. Its cal
lous verdict shall part us no more!"
The flashing eyes grew wondrous
soft; the ripe, red lips parted in q
sweet smile Of heavenly content; the
naughty, supple figure trembled then
swayed, and fell into the repentant
lovers outstretched arms. For better
or for worse, the hearts of these twain
at length beat in unison.
Love making, especially under such
unforeseen circumstances, is apt to rem
der the love makers oblivious of their
surroundings; but it presently dawned
upon Ernest Norton that the situation
was a somewhat compromising one for
Zana. OF course, marliage-and that,
too, at the earliest possible moment
was an imperative necessity; but, until
the ceremony should have taken place,
what was he to do with her? Most GER
tainly she could not much longer pro-
long her visit to bachelor staying at
the George hotel, without setting Mrs.
Grundy's tongue wagging at an alarm
ing rate.
"Zana." he said, with little, per-
picked laugh, "what am to do with
you"
do with me?" repeated Zana won.
deringly.
81 mean," he explained, "where are
you to stay until l can arrange about
our marriage?"
81 shall stag with you" she replied
promptly. ''Where else should stay?
"But, my darling, you can't" pro.
tested her lover. According to Eng
lish custom we must get married first
every well" rejoined Zana. LET us
go and get married"
Norton laughed outright at this sum.
mary settlement of the difficulty
''That is rot such an easy matter as
you suppose" he explained. '"To get
married in the ordinary way, either by
publication of banns or before regis
trar. would necessitate a delay of three
weeks. and would involve something
very like perjury as regards your age
"Banns? Perpury?" echoed Zana