The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1903-09-12

LotE MP al tne man
eShalf Idress now, brother
Yes Rose
she laid her hand q mine for g miRs
uge. and then walked toward 3 door
81 the other side Is the room. The
swish, swish of her dress seemed to
heclson me on. andI started after her
The man hel6 cut restraining hand.
wait. he said. With a smile; 'shewll
be yours Id "a hour
After she had gone, I turned to him.
what does this all mean asked.
aYou have been siak for g month,
he said. slowly Hahd ! am afraid you
have suffered lapse ofmemory.
Asick2" I repeated, duly.
eYes At n time we ~despaired oA
your life. Your brain seemed on fire,
and you were filled with all sorts OF
queer fancies. You did not know me,
nor Rose
"Rose?e
eyes; your fance." )
'My hancel Why, man, I never saw
her beforel"
He smiled, a little sadly, and said,
gently, as he might to a child: You
have been very sick, and you have for
gotten many things. You have been
engaged to my sister for nearly six
months, and you set to-day for your
marriage. Cant you remember?"
I pressed my hand Over my aching
head.
"No," I said. "Does she EXPECTING to
marry her to-day?" I nodded toward
the other room, and thought Of the
laughing black eyes and the hair that
smelled of flowers that bloom in the
springtime.
"Of course" he said. "You see, she
wishes to be your wife, even if You
can't remember all that has hap
pened."
I said nothing. Twas mad with love
for the girl, and yet I felt / had nc
right to make her marry a man who
had lost all memory of having known
her in the past.
"Does she want the ceremony to take
placer" 1 asked.
"Does she? Why, man, can't yoU
see the love light in her eyes, and tRi
passion in every move she makes
Can't you feel it when she takes you
hand in hers? Don't you know it By
her very presence?"
"Then," 1 said, looking him full il
the face, "then all the men in Christen
dom can't keep us from becoming hus
band and wife"
"Jack!' he cried, 81 am proud o
you. There isn't another man in tn
whole world I'd rather have for
brother-in-law. I'll get the preache
at once, and we viii have a quiet cere
mony here in the parlor."
Rose came in from the other roon
just then. Straight. to me she walked
and placed her two hands %confdingl.
in mine. The man leaned v US wit
a Good bless you, children" and the.
slipped out into the hall.
! The preacher, white-haired an
, sanity, came back with him, and "
I stood up, ready to be married.
! / don't remember when / heard tn
noise first. / think I was watchin
Roses brother, and that his frightene
face was my first animation of tn
trouble. Then 1 heard a tramp c
many feet, and a knocking on our doc.
Threw my arm protectingly about Il
girl.
Come int" I shouted.
Before I had spoken the words, Il
door opened. The first nan to ent'
was my brother. After him came tv
burly officers Of the law.
oNy God, Jack" he cried, as he sa
our position. 1T isn't too late?"
"Too late for whatP" I demande
white with anger at the |interruptio
"You aren't-aren't married?"
"No," I said, "but 1 viii be in Fl
minutes. Stand back, and let the Ger
mony proceed"
He sprang forward. "You will new
marry that woman" he declare
"Can't you see, you fool, that she is ]
A fit wife for you?'
"But she loves me-" / said, weak
seeking an u
Eyes" he sneered; "she loves you,
she loves any man who will bring h
money. And you, with your inhe,
lance of uncle's. will make a capt.
husband for her"
"My i~nheritance?" repeated, pus
ing away the girl to look at her; Il
inheritance"
le Then, like a flash, it all anne back
me. / had been notified Of the dea
of my uncle, with a will that left
Of his rich property to me. I h
heard Of it only yesterday-or was
last year?"
he "What day Of the month is this9'
j demanded.
m "June "a, 1902" answered ]
he brother,
q Then I saw the trick. 1t had all be
ny planned, from the smallest detail.
ie some way they had learned Of my
heritance, had calmly kidnapped
from my own lodgings, and had put
the cock-and-bun story of my sickn'
ilt after drugging me with some mt
-A-a-aa. .lnw.n49An Nh ~