The Wagner post. (Wagner, Charles Mix County, S.D.) 1912-current, 1912-04-26
P III.


Everything went on just as
mouth-piece for the mo-
ment happened to be Lady Ryder
desired; just as Louisa surmised that
everything would; the letters Of on
gratulations; the stately visits from
the magnificent diamond tiara from the
latter; the rope of pearls from Luke;
the silver salvers and inkstands and
enamel parasol handles from every
bod who was anybody in London So
ciety.
Louisa's portrait and that of Luke
hastily and cheaply reproduced in the
| k a white negress with a cast in her
eye, and he like the mutilated hero Of
L'Homme Qui Rit; the more elegant
half-tone blocks in the six-penny
weeklies under the popular If some
what hackneyed heading Of THE Earl
Of Radclyffe's heir and his future bride,
Miss Louisa Harris" it was all there,
other girls and hundreds Of other
young men before Louisa had dis
covered that there was only one
man in the whole wide world, and that.
beyond the land Of diamond tiaras and
of society weddings, there was a fairy
universe, Immense and illimitable,
wherein the sun Of happiness never
" oAAA Lo IAS oo1 GU SAiNu
alone, only hand in hand with that
other being. the future mate. the pupil
and teacher Of love, the only one that
mattered.
And the wedding was to be in Jour
weeks from this day. The invitations
were not out yet, for Louisa, closely
pressed by Luke, had only just made
up her mind half an hour ago about
the date. Strangely enough. she had
been in no hurry for the wedding day
to come. Luke had been SO anxious,
SO crestfallen When h put him off
with vague promises, that h herself
could not account for this strange reti-
cence within her-So unworthy a level
headed, conventional woman of the
world.
But the outer lobby of the fairy uni
verse was surprisingly beautiful, and
though the golden gates to the inner
halls beyond were ajar and would
yield to the slightest pressure Of
Louisa's slender fingers, yet she was
they not hand in hand? What mat
tered waiting since eternity called be-
yond those golden gates?
This morning, however, convention
still voiced by Lady Ryder-was more
vigorous than was consistent with out
ward peace. Louisa, worried by aunt,
and with the memory of Luke's ex-
PASooAcA VA olo oRPol
ment when last night she had again
refused to fix the wedding day chided
herself for her silly fancies, and at
IL o'clock set out for q stroll in Bat
tersea park. her mind made up, her
unwonted fit of sentimentality smoth-
cred by the louder voice of common
sense.
She and Luke always took their
walks abroad In Battersea park. In
the morning hours they were free there
from perpetual meetings with unde-
sired company-all outside company
being undesirable in the lobby of the
fairy universe. Louisa had promised
to meet Luke in the tropical
.punctual. and he always before his
time; she smart and businesslike in
her neat, tailor made gown and close
hat which, defied wind and rain, he al
ways a little shamefaced when he took
her neatly gloved hand in his, as most
English young men are apt to be when
sentiment for the first time happens to
overmaster them.
Today she saw him coming toward
her just the same as on other days.
He walked just as briskly and held
himself as erect as he always did, but
the moment that he was near enough
for her to see his face she knew that
there was something very wrong in the
world anQ with MIN. some n from
the world Of eternity beyond had seen
fit to push the golden gates closer to-
gether. SO that now they would not
yield quite 50 easily to the soft pres
sure of a woman's hand.
What is 1t, Lux 2" she asked very
quietly. as o as her fingers rested
safely between his.
What Is what?" he rejoined foolish
ly and speaking like a child, and with
a forced, almost inane-looking. smile
on his lips.
what has happened?" she reiterated
more impatiently.
Nothing" he replied, that need
worry you, I think. Shall we sit down
here7 You won't catch cold 2" and he
indicated a seal well sheltered against
the cold breeze and the impertinent
gaze Of the passers-by.
II never catch cold" said Louisa,
smiling in spite Of herself at Luke's
funny, awkward ways. But W. won't
sit down. Let us stroll up and down,
shall we? You can talk better then,
and tell me all about It,"
There's not much to tell at present.
And no occasion TO worry"
There's nothing hat worries me so
much as our shilly- shallying, Luke. or
the thought that you are making futile
endeavors to keep something from
-.- % - -1f~~t.l a1-o1ck t~rf<ah lx, xt;r