The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-07-27

But Ramon became gay. He pressed
her hand between his palms. He
said, without waiting for answer:
You're giad7 Sandy darling, are YOU
heard? What did you stAahks3 Mot chat
I'd forgotten! Forget you ?eNo< for q
He explained the reason Of his
silence.
In March Of the previous year he
had gone with party Of engineers
to the north of China. They started
from Picking, going part Of the way
BY automobile and the rest by camels.
When they reached the desert Of Cobb
Their guides ran away. After three
months Of laundering they managed
to hit the town Of Urga. He wrote
from here, but with no certainty that
his letters were forwarded.
The engineers were sent by an oil
company to explore the country about
Mongolia. At the end Of July Ramon
became ill. 1t was August before the
missionary doctors visited him. They
thought he was finished-typhoid
fever. He lay for months, delirious
part of the time, in q stupor toward
the end. No one expected him to
rally. The first of November they
moved him. He got . relapse.
He didn't know whether he'd writ.
ten all those months or not. He
thought that he tried to. He recalled
dreaming of misunderstanding that
she came to visit him and carried
him off in q cool white ship; that
she lifted him bodily and carried him
as though he were feathers weight
to this ship Of hers; that she said to
him many times, "Now I will have a
perfumed breeze blow will have it
blow this heat away and you'll I've
cured"
He looked down At her, laughing.
"Wasn't that odd, Sandy! hut I've
always associated you with fragrance.
One dream that filled me. with neacs
was Of you with starlight and mist in
your hair"
She said in o pinched. forlorn way,
ut must have been awful to be SO
i'll and so alone"
think Id married."
"You wrote about . girl you met
the girl who looked like me. After
THAT ] didn't hear. All that time l
got no word. OF course, I thought
you'd married"
Internationally her voice rose on !
high. accusing note that brought his
The pallor of his skin became
leaden. "Did you hope for NV mar
riaee. Sandy? You speak as though
you you are angry because I've come
ITO me. Ramon1 Oh. no! Not to
me-"
They were driving out jackson
street, past the beautiful homes that
look across the Preside trees to the
clean blue straits and the nude. inn.
posing bulk Of the Martin hills.
He smiled vaguely repeating: "Not
to you, Sandyf Why, then. did /
come? Al, Why else
He stopped the car on the crest Of
that noble hill 1t Broadway and
Divisadsro. In . vista Of swinging
beauty went the Coden Gate. TIE
proud Little islands and beyond &his
the cleaning white Of cities magical
and enchanted BY the distance. The
Campenile against its many. many
hills was slim tower of light; far.
Their on. Diablo doomed massive and
black.
He now sat with his profile toward
her. It had . set, anguished 1ook.
She couldnt tell whether this jeeS
due to his appalling thinnsss, but Is
seemed eaten - from within. She
recalled the phrase OF his letter: ssYou
IRE burned In me, Sandy-burned into
the fiber Of my being. can't rive
you up. You can never be released"
She was torn between resentment
and pity. This Ramon now sitting
at her side was 50 ruthlessiy differ
ent from the Ramon she had some
times pictured. She had fancied him
and gallant a. IA
had been when she first met him in
the islands. Shs had pictured him
married TO beautiful xirl; buying
lovely gifts for her-bronsed and
Suddenly she leaned over and gently
Told him this. she said resolutely:
Yes. ! hoped FOR it. With Ill my
heart hoped for It. Ramon. have
nothing for You. N0thing for anyone"
His eyes focused desperately ON
her hand - It rested on his. He
yet his lips. drew them in slowly.
Once she had thought his lips too
LuH. They were narrow now. With.
put looking Ut her. he spoke 20.
! piercing nonotony that made her
feel lonely: made her zee vast, dew
astated fields.
And that's what you Thought Of
me. Sandy? Isn't u strange I can4
accept this? That all the while I'VE
been away I've thought Of you .
mine? All the while
ay III. the vision Of you kept 1ife
CONTINUED on paes. seven.)