Oakes Republican., 1902-01-10

CHAPTER IN. Continually

xiii, cluSpel close IN lle arms OIL Il ltlll
man. to whom she was speaking as /,
woman speaks only to the man she
loves above all the world. .And-most
appalling thing of all-she called this
man Gilbert Rickerby.
''You will not laugh at me because I
call this place. to whicn l have come to
meet you, the world of dreams, will
you??" asked the girl, looking up. wist-
fully, into the face of the man. Think
how long we have waited; think how
often, in my dreams. 1 have dreamed
OF Nou-poor Gilbert Rickerby-doomed
TO wander over the earth. loving me,
yet never seeing me, never holding ms
in your arms Oh. there is nothing to
laugh at in that, is there?"
Indeed, my sweet, l am nearer to
tears than to laughter, replied the
man. How can L bear the thought of
meeting you like this, after all these
years, Olive?" He held her closer in
his arms and stared, hungrily, into her
innocent, upturned face. Look into
my eyes, and listen to What 1 have tG
say to you. Sol am not laughing.
dear Olive; l am in deadly earnest.
You have been told that this old lover
OF yours, Gilbert Rickerby, is dead?"
Yes she replied, quite calmly, and
smiled up into his eager eyes. But
that is nothing at all; for death has
not divided US: 1 have been able mer,
tcifully, to come back to you, to meet
you again. Why should we grieve, or
trouble about that? Oh, if you knew
all the dark and wandering ways l
have come through - since I fell asleep.
to find you, you would be glad as l
am"
Still he held her close; still he tried
to show her what he really was, and
that this was no dream-world Wherein
they met, but world of flesh and blood
and strife and danger. He knew that
he could do nothing to help her, or to
get her away from that dreadful place,
while she held to that strange belief of
hers: he wanted to cell her back to the
vital present, and to show her where
tEey>stood and What terrors lay before
their feet. For all the IMPRESSION he
might as we'll have cried to the angels.
''lndeed-indeed, l am glad" he said.
But want you to see that this is but
a dream of yours, from which you have
now happily awakened. 1 want you to
Know that we are united not in mere
dream sense. but in reality; that we
are living flesh and blood. man and
fore us, to be conquered. Look into
M eyes: hear my voice, and when
tell you that Gilbert Rickerby is .1ot
dead, that that is all a mistake, that he
stands before you now, with his arms
eiosc about you; that he is your living
4OTer''
She seemed to ponder his words for
n moment, and then, suddenly, put Up
he hands and thrust him away, COW
cred her face with her hands and be
gan to cry softly, like child in pain.
'oh-my dream-my dream!" she
whispered, brokenly. rs it to be shat
tered, like all the rest? Have 1 come
through SO much pain and WEAKNESS to
:fni him; and now he does not know
me? [ dreamed that we had left the
world behind; that we stood alone in
she World of Dreams, and that all the
SORROW and the waiting We're ended.
Ch--nlE 6iream-my dream.'
He Saw what he lnust do; he stepped
forward hurriedly and put his arms
again about the weeping little figure.
<'Irsleed-I was wrong, sweetheart" he
said; II mad no right to say such a
thing at all. Call it the World of
Dreams, if you Will; call it what you
like, so that you let me hold you like
fhis-so that l know you are SAFE
Yet, under his breath. he muttered,
softly. 'Oh, heavens. to find her like
1!1iSt"
She seemed conlforted with that,
gradually raised her mead, and looked
at his again, with something of the old
confidence. Ursula Sewell, listening
and watching like someone ic 2 dream,
heard .he strange thing this man the
girl called Gilbert Rickerby haG to say
uext.
+Now, I want you to do something for
me. dear Olive-somethirg to please
me- he said. at is necessary that you
should go away from here; that you
should go away in the night time when
your dreams come to you. There are
those who would do me harm if they
could--those who would take you from
me
"Ai1-no-no.' she cried, clinging to
him. "They shlll not do that But do
you think they can reach us here-now
that we have got beyond them-far
away from them?"
Il fear they can" he said, sadly.
and SO L want you to do what 1 ask
just as you used to do long while age
wher--when we We're in that-that 9th
e. world" He knew that ii was neces-
sars to humor the idea in her mind if
Inc. WAS to get her to do what he want
ed. .
y. will 90 it, gladly-whatever it is!'
she said. Quickly
IThatsi a dear girl!' he cried. II
want you to go away from this place
who wilf.iake care Of You umtil m il ! 'r can
come TO you. Remember, if YOU remain
here, they will keep you from me-will
find means to separate U.S. Will you dc
what ask?"
She looked al aim in hewildermcnt
I'll do not understand" she said
,uervously. "How can they come here