Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1911-03-23
\ LORD
4 HOMELAND
CHAPTER XVII.
\ PROPOSAL OF MARRIAGE.

HFTER the restaurant was cleared
~ and all outsiders gone Alex
n snaer remained; wandering
q dolefully about the room and
discussing with Leo Cohen the sum he
hoped to get from the company in
which he was insured against fire.
The conversation ought to have beer
OF absorbing interest to Cohen. as
eventually Alexander's business would
be his. provided there were no hitch
IN the marriage negotiations. Never
theless. he was absentminded, for the
new waiter had not yet left the prem
1ses, and-the watchful Cohen had no.
uced a peculiar light in Isidora's eye
her father had %brusqaely or
dered her upstairs, "out of the way"
She had offered no objection to 60
Ing and had hidden Leo good night
very prettily. But before tripping
away she paused for an instant in the
corridor, her face turned toward the
kitchen in which P. Gordon was help
ing Black Dick put things to rights.
Cohen noticed this turn of the head,
this 1uttering hesitation, standing as
he did near the doorway now stripped
of the red curtain. But when Isidora
had vanished above Alexander dis
missed Blinkey and the Pole, shutting
the door which usually stood open, be-
cause of the draft from the broken
window.
HNNhu 6nn3f Won cnr1 that ~,D~ 49,
don away, too?' Cohen asked.
Because I'm payin' him big money,
and he's got to earn it," explained
Alexander. "He can stay and help
Dick tidy up, if it takes till 10 o'clock.
1t amt hurtin' us. Why should you
care?'
Even Cohen, who seldom erred on
the side of timidity in speech, scarcely
ventured to put into words the reason
why he did "care."
y Meantime Isidora had been busy jus
tifying her lovers worst fears.
AS she reached the top of the stair
case she heard the loud slamming Of
the door which had been warped and
bllstered by the heat. Her heart gave
a little jump of excitement. Already
n was keyed to a highly emotional
state, and in her longing for a talk
with Loveland alone she was ready to
u almost any risk. The unexpected
shutting Of the restaurant door caused
her a tremor Of delight. She tiptoed
down again, with her heart loud as a
hammer in her breast. and fitted softly
into the kitchen, not daring to speak
till she had quietly closed the door,
also lest the sound Of her voice should
carry across the passage.
"Oh, Mr.. Gordon" she breathed, "I'm
so sorry about your poor hand! And
your face is scorched tool! ! do wish
you'd let me do something for you"
Loveland thanked her, but said that
Dick had %bandaged up his hand and
wrist very nicely with a soothing ap-
plication of lard on an old rag.
1sidora gave a little sniff of scorn for
the negroes ministrations.
"a pretty bandage," she sneered-"a
Z nasty torn bit Of coarse towel! And
lard amt the right thing either. I've
taken lessons in first aid. All the girls
in my school did, and l amt forgot
what I learnt. Please come with me,
and TIL do you up all right. Now, don't
a no or you'll hurt my feelings. 1
feel ready to cry anyway, and l sure
will if you amt kind"
"Oh. I'll conner he said desperately
and followed Isidora into the passage.
The parlor, which also served as din
ing room. was appalling in it's bravery
of old gold plush and portraits of de-
funct ladies and gentlemen on a claret
colored wall paper.
She made Loveland sit down in a
leather armchair which smelled of the
tobacco her father affected, and then,
kneeling on a low footstool beside him,
she began to unfasten Black Dicks
clumsy bandage.
IT don't like to have you wait on
me-" said Loveland, who a few weeks
ago took the most exaggerated petting
for granted from pretty women.
well. ! like to do it anyhow" re-
piled the girl. with a lingering, liquid
glance. YOU'RE so brave I'm proud
ssto be waiting on you. l never knew
anybody just like you before"
Loveland thought this very proba-
BILE. but merely remarked, with be-
coming modesty, that he had done
very little.
You were a real hero.'' said Isl
dora. "Oh. o-oh!" And she breathed
little cooling signs of pity at sight of
the hero's burns. Il could cry over
your poor hand. It's a shame
please don't!' exclaimed Loveland,
laughing. Il can't stand any more
tearsr!'
did you mind when l cried?" asked
Lizzie.
"Awfully! said Loveland. AS he
spoke he smiled down at her in a
friendly way. and the kindness in the
blue. black dashed eyes made the girls
heart lutter like an imprisoned bird.
She had been in love with him since