The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1931-09-03
b. lAURA LOU
I BROOkMAN
Author Of
"MAD MARRIAGE"

eyel1dS that had been striving
bravely to blink back tho tears.
",There, dear. Don't you e every.
things going to be all right"
She let him kiss her, rested in
his arms while Mark patted her
shoulder as one might comfort a
child. After . moment Norma
Strengthened.
1T means we can't e each other
any more" the girl said m~iserably.
''You mustn't come here again."
/. "Why. Normal" Mark looked at
her in establishment. Nothing of
the kind! We're going to be mar
ried. Right away! Why, darling,
I wouldn't give you up for anything
in the world. Don't you know that?"
"Oh. It's sweet Of you to talk that
way but we can't. Throwing away
your whole 'life-that's what your
father said 1t would mean. IL
can't let you quarrel with your
father over me. He said you
couldn't ever come home. You'll
nave to 90, MARX
but I tell you I won't! Sweet
heart. we're going to be married
right away. Tonight! Please, Nor.
ma. Won't you marry me tonight?
Oh. you darling-!"
9
CHE felt his kisses on her lips,
~ her cheek, In the soft hollow
Of her throat. His dear head bent
to hers. It was q maddening, ut.
terly unanswerable form Of argu.
hent. II, banished haunting terrors
that had been like knives In Nor.
mas heart. , It opened vistas Of
rarest rapture. Now. II she only
dared!
Chris Saunders, feeling her pres.
ence neither called for o needed.
had stolen from the room. When
she reappeared after a discreet in
terval she found Norma and Mark
still In each others arm. They
greeted her exhuberantly.
"Chriszyou can't guess!"
'It's going to be tonight. Con-
graduate me! Isn't this wonder
| full? And don't you think I'm the
luckiest guy in the world?"
you'll have to come with Us.
Christ"
The older girl stopped short, sur
veying them. "Am / to take all
this rs Z wedding announcement?
Remember I haven't even met the
young man yet. Norma. Do you
honestly mean you two are plan
ming to be married tonight!"
They chorused assent. There fol-
lowed half an hour Of excited. in
coherent planning. Norma and
Mark were to, drive to Woodbury.
in the next county to be married.
Chris was to come along. Mark de-
parted to give the girls time to
dress, to hunt up an Acquaintance
to act as the second witness and to
I'LL the car with gas.
It proved an evening of surprises.
The friend Mark brought to make
the fourth in the wedding party
was Bradley Hart, Chris employer.
Mark had run into Hart on the
street. There were swift intfOduc-
lions. With = minimum Of furry
they were OF In the roadster at
last, headed for Woodbury.. Mark
drove with Norma beside him.
Chris and Brad Hart were in the
rumble seat.
BY nine o'clock they were pass
ing through the outskirts Of MARI
boro. Ahead lay the state highway.
The ~roadster's speed increased.
Nine-nfteen found them plunging
through darkness. At that very
moment Bob Farrell. anxlously
gripping the receiver ina pay sta
ton phone booth, waited for the
voice to come over the wire. There
was none. Five seconds. Ten sec.
onds. At last he heard the operat.
tors crisp soprano. "They don't an
swer!"
Farrell put up the receiver. and
turned away.
ITO Be C~ontinued)
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