Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1902-01-09
CIIAPTER IX. lContinucd.l

In the center of the room stood the
girl. claspeI close in the arms of tall
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 NE because I
call this place, to which 1 have come to
meet you, the world of dreams, will
you?" asked the girl, looking up. visit
fully. into the face of the man. Think
how long we have waited: think how
often, in my dreams. l have dreamed
Of you-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 1T in that, is there?"
Indeed, my sweet 1 am nearer to
tears than to laughter replied the
man. How can 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 to
say to you Sol am not laughing.
dear Olive; I 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; I have been able, mer.
cifully, 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 1
have come through, since 1 fell asleep,
to find you, you would be glad, as I
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 call her back to the
vital present, and to show her where
they stood and what terrors lay before
their feet. For all the impression, he
might as we'll have cried to the angels.
'Indeed-indeed. 1 am glad" he said.
But want YOU to see that this is but
I dream of yours, from which you have
now happily awakened. I want you to
know that we are united, not in a mere
dream sense. but in reality; that we
are living flesh and blood, man and
woman: and that the world is here be-
fore u.s.. to be conquered. Look into
my eyes; hear my voice, and when
tell you that Gilbert Rickerby is not
lead, that that is all a mistake, that he
stands before you now, with his arms
close about you; that he is your living
Over
She seemed to ponder his words for
1 moment, and then suddenly, put Up
he hands and thrust him away, COW
cred her face with her hands and ne
gan to cry softly, like a child in pain.
'Oh-rny dream-my dream" she
whispered, brokenly. us 1t to be shat
tel ed. like all the rest? Have 1 come
through so much pain and WEAKNESS to
dni him; and now he does not know
me? I dreamed that we had left the
the World of Dreams, and that all the
sorrow and the waiting were ended.
oh-nly dream-my dream!"
He saw what he must do; he stepped
forward hurriedly and put his arms
again about the weeping little figure.
Indeed was wrong, sweetheart" he
said Il had no right to say such
thing at all. Call it the World of
like, so that you let me hold you like
this-so that I know you are safe"
Yet, under his breath, he muttered,
softly. 'Oii, heavens! to find her like
this!'
She seemed comfOrted with that,
gradually raised her head, and looked
At his again, with something of the old
confidence. Ursula Sewell, listening
and watching like someone il dream,
heard the strange thing this man the
girl called Gilbert Rickerby had to say
uext.
Now, I want you to do something for
me, dear Olive-something to please
me- he said. "It is necessary that you
should go away from here; that you
should go away in the nighttime, when
-FOUR dreams come to you. There are
those who would do me harm if they
could-those who would take you from
me-
"Ah-no-no!' she cried. clinging to
him. 'They shall not do that. But do
you think they can reach us here-now
that we have got beyond them-far
away from them?"
II fear they cam" he said, sadly.
"And so want you to do what 1 ask
just as you used to do a long while ago
whcE-when we were in that-that 9TH
p world" He knew that it was neces-
sary to humor the idea in her mind If
he was to get her to do what he want
3D.
II will do it, gladly-whatever it Isl"
She said, quickly.
That's a dear girl" he cried. II
want you to go away from this place
to go away with good friend of mine,
who will take care of you until I can
come to YOU. Remember, if you remain
mere. they will keep you from me-will
lind means to separate us. Will you do
what I ask?
She looked at him in bewilderment.
IL do not understand she said,
nervously. How can they come hereo
How can anyone divide us ever again?'
Believe me. dear Olive when I say
that they will. Come, now. in that 9TH
er world you say we have left behind,
yoA always believed in me, always let
metake the lead in everything. did you
not" win you let me take the lead
rou,0'