The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1912-04-25
CHAPTER III,

AND NOW ALMOST LIKE A DREAM
Everything went on just as conven-
tlon-whose mouth-piece for the mo-
ment happened to be Lady Ryder
desired; just as Louisa surmised that
everything would; the letters Of CON
and to Lord Radcliffe, Luke's uncle;
the magnificent diamond tiara from the
latter; the rope of pearls from Luke;
the silver salvers and inkstands and
enamel parasol handles from every
BODY who was anybody in London So
ciety.
Louisa's portrait and that of Luke
hastily and cheaply reproduced in the
half-penny dailies, SO hat she looked
like a white negress with a cast in her
eye. and he like the mutIlated hero of
LHomme Qui Rit; the more elegant
half-tone blocks in the six-penny
weeklies under the popular If some
what h~ackneyed heading Of The Earl
of Radclyffe's heir and his future bride,
Miss Louisa Harr1s;'' it was all there,
just as 1t had been for hundreds of
other girls and hundreds Of other
young men before Louisa had dis
covered that there was only one
nan 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
set and whittier no one dared venture
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 four
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 she put him off
with vague promises, that she herself
could not account for this strange reti-
cence within her-so unworthy a level
headed, conventional IN 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 We're ajar and would
yield to the slightest pressure Of
glad to tarry awhile longer. Were
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,
anu Will Tic ilCllIOIy VI Iuhc > CA
preston of misery and disappoint-
ment when last night she had again
refused to fix the wedding day chided
herself for her silly fancies, I'M at
IL o'clock set out for a stroll in Bat
tersea park, her mind made up, her
unwonted fit Of se~ntimentality 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 n 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, out
the moment hat he was near enough
for her to see his face she knew that
there was something very wrong in the
world and with him. Some one from
the world Of eternity beyond had seen
fit to push the golden gates closer to-
gether, so hat now they would not
yield quite so easily to the soft pres
sure Of a woman's hand.
What is II. Luke?" she asked very
quietly, as SOC as her fingers rested
safely between his.
what is What" he rejoined foolish
~ and speaking like a child. and with
a forced, almost in~ane-looking, smile
on his lips.
what has happened?" she reiterated
more im~patiently.
Nothing" he replied, that need
worry you, / think. Shall we sit down
here? You wont catch cold?' end he
indicated a seat well sheltered against
the cold breeze n the impertineni
gaze of the passers-by.
II never catch cold" said Louisa,
smiling in spite of herself at Luke's
funny, awkward ways. But we won't
sit down. Let us stroll up and down,
shall we? o 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 that worries me so
much as your shilly- shallying, Luke. or
the thought hat you are making futile
to keep something from
me- she retorted almost irritably this