The Washington times., 1921-02-20
A Fascinating New Romance Of the South Seas

ansriiy upon the sloping clin-oncs
twice.
Then ivorys voice arose:
Dearly beloved. we are gathered
II was done; we rose 20 our feet.
still holding hands. a little awk-
wardly. / think we were not quite
sure what we ought TO do next.
The words of the ceremony.
Numbered out In lyory's loudest
Michael-Angelo- Moses style. had
passed over my small head AS the
crashing northwest season storms
passed over the safe. low caves OF
Hiliwa Dara.
There was one thing. and one
thing only, about the ceremony that
had moved me-the ring II was no
ugly plain band, but pretty trim
ket OF fligree gold and forget-me-
nots, a. delicate thing that had
been used to see hanging on my
fathers watchchain. knew Il had
been my mothers; knew. too.
he did not like TO talk about II.
| had put In claim for It longs
And to-day this ring was min.
tiny, exquisite. just fitting my small
third finger. She must have had
little hands who wore II before me.
Little hands, as ! have known In
later years, that could hold to
nothing; not home. not peace. nor
love, nor duty, nor even her baby
child. nor, last Of all, to life.
Her ring was mine; Luke had
slipped II on my small. warm hand.
speaking as he did SO strange, Sc
rious words, dictated to him by the
silyer-bearded old prophet standing
over us.
Luke, at some signal from old
Ivory, loosed my hand, bent over
me from his sturdy height and
placed cool, shy kiss upon my
cheek. kissed him back with a
hurried peck and held up my hand
triumphantiy.
Doesn't It look lovelyT ! said.
Ever SO much nicer than your
ring, Dinah."
Dinah, her large, blunt features
swelled almost unrecognizably with
crying, could only shake her head
In reply. But my father, first look
ing at Ivory, as II he would say that
there was another matter wanting
attention. beckoned to Luke and
myself.
"Dara," he said, when we were
: standing side by side at his couch,
II had a reason for giving you that
ring, and no other. 1t isn't a we'd
ding ring, as commonly used. But
It is the one you will wear till you
and Luke make your home TO-
gether. And / want you both to
promise solemnly that until that
time comes you will not speak OF
what has been done to-day to any
one. There are very good reasons
for keeping silent about 1t. You
would be annoyed-made fun Of
YOU would be made the butt Of fool
ish, vulgar Jokes. Most people, as
you've yet to learn, are very vulgar
m1nu6u. FUR yum oWh PictSNtAoA
want that promise from both OF
you."
Old Ivory brought forward his
large, blackboard. silver-clasped
Bible.
He then took my hand, not the
one on which my new, beautiful
ring was glittering. but the other,
and laid It on the cover Of the book.
"Say after me-" he dictated. Il
solemnly promise, on this Holy
Book, that l will not disclose, with
out the leave of my parent or my
guardian, or until l reach the age
of twenty-ope, my marriage OF to-
day"
Luke made his promise In the
same words as myself, but added
with perfect GOODNESS, a distin-
gushing clause of his own:
UNLESS some serious necessity
should arise"
."What is that for?" asked my
father, slight hint Of dissatisfac'
ton in his tone.
Let It stand" said old Ivory.
1.-THE boys a good boy; i can trust