The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-04-10

than she had been when holding the
cobra.
It's nerves, he thought. Life with the
musty old professor and his cobra as
] sociates is depressing enough to wreck
I the nerves OF a bronze Buddha. I'll
have to get her out of this.
/ SO he rushed matters little. and it
was all settled for Christmas week. The
professor gave his consent reluctantly
enough, Herkomer thought, and the
/ count congratulated him with an ironl-
/ cal sheer that made Herkomer long to
give him a toss in the air from which
/ he would alight on the top of his curly
black head.
When he and common sense sat face
to face, common sense told him that
Minora loved him with all the strength
! of her high strung nature. What else IS
there in it for her, common sense
argued. for the majors Inheritance was
limited to what his sword might cut
down from the pagoda tree, with the eX-
ception of a trifiing allowance, barely
large enough TO settle his monthly gym
account.
That was the way common sense put
it, but the other. intuition, or whatever
other alias he masqueraded under, said
there was something behind ii all, and
for once in way they were both right.
The love was there right enough, and
also something else behind it, and this
something else might have all come
( out one evening if Herkomer had not
been so Cooley-headed; honorable he
called ii at the time.
1t lacked two weeks of Christmas
time, and they were sitting on the We
randa, as they had sat that otehr even
ing. Minora, putting her cool white
hand on Herkomer's wrist and turning
her face a little into the shadow, so that
ha Il nd ~
was, said: Il have confession to
make. Rolando!"
Don't make it, then. little woman.
Confessions are silly things for which
we are always sorry afterwards"
But L shall be happier if you let me
tell you about this. ] can't marry you
without telling you first l WON'T
Look here, Minora," said the major.
turning her around so that he could
look into her face. my objection 10
your confession is purely selfish. You
see | couldn't let you confess all on your
side. without unloading some of my sins
into your ears, and if we exchanged
experiences--well, well. ! fancy the
count would appear such saint by
comparison that l should lose you alto
gether. BY the way,-Ill compromise
he added, laughingly. III just ask you
one question. which you may answer or
not. and then Wen call the whole thing
off,
7 will answer" she said quietly,
''only-only"
We'll, has it anything to do with the
count, what you were going to tell
me?"
No"
Then 1 can't possibly listen"
And so the chance went by. the evil
went on-went on for two weeks Longer,
and it was the eve of the wedding day.
Love does many strange things.
among others causes a pony to Sallop
so fast that a svce cannot possibly keep
pace with the winged rider. That was
why Herkomer arrived at Minora's
home syceless. AS there was nobody
to hold his pony. he led him around
behind the bungalow to the stables.
Minora's rooms were in the north
wing of the bungalow, and as he passed
the great windows opening on to the
veranda and reaching from ceiling to
floor. and open save for the shutters,
voices that he could not help but hear
fell upon his ear.
For an instant he stood petrified. 1t
was the counts voice, speaking to Mi
nora.
You will wreck your happiness for
a fancy" sneered the voice.
Herkomer quickened his pace, so that
he might hear no more, and of her an
SWer, Whatever IL WAS. Ht only caught
the one WORD confession" as he turned
the corner of the bungalow.
But all the fierce jealous passion that
had slumbered in his heart for weeks
arose and smOthered him-smothered
everything-all sense of shame, of jus
tice, of prudence, and he rushed into
Minora's boudoir a passien-m man.
What right had she, who was to be-
come his wife the next day, to hold Sc
cret intercourse with the count there in
her own apartments?
With a startled cry Minora thrust
something into the drawer of a secre-
taire beside which she was standing,
and stood with her back to it as though
she would guard the secret.
Perhaps l am de trop." remarked
the count. passing beyond the purdah
with a low bow. and as Herkomes
thought. a sneer upon his pale face.
''Wky-why have you rushed in here.
Rolando. and frightened me?" asked
Minora confusedly.
i am sorry If | have frightened you
said the major shortly, and | will an
swer your question by asking another.
for perhaps your answer will suffice for