The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1939-11-16
CHAPTER XXI

of the spot where, one night ago, she
had bridled at Norwood's blunt COM
ments. 1t seemed as if a whole life
time had passed in the interval.
The guitar and the songs on the
wall were a far-off memory.
Norwood strobe out of the dark
ness. "Silence!" he said. ''Not a
word. Nothing so easy on the
nerves as saying nothing"
They continued walking until they
came to a moonlit lotus pond and
stood together staring at the refiec-
tons of trees. Then Norwood spoke:
Feeling better?"
81 can't analyze it. suppose I'm
feeling guilty"
Want some more silence?"
mo. would rather you'd say
what you think"
Norwood chuckled: "You remem-
Der the parrot. I draw extra pay
for thinking and not talking. I have
only one virtue"
You say only one virtue? What
is it?"
81 never use double meanings"
"Are you telling the truth?"
eyes"
Good. Then please say what you
think of me, straight, without any
double meanings or reservations.
Let's get that over with"
Every well, Lynn. But are you
quite sure you won't be belligerent
about it? I didn't bring you out here
to start fight"
81 never am belligerent," she an
swered.
mo? What a pity. Of course, I
don't expect to be shot but don't
even want to make you really an
CRY. You're bit angry now, aren't
your"
Yes, but with myself. I'm not
angry with you. Go ahead, punish
me. I'll take it. Say what you
think"
81 think the same now that I did
when I first saw you"
What is it?''
Perhaps I'm not being quite ac-
curate. It wasn't until that aston
ishing picnic at the palace that
made up my mind to marry you. I
fell in love with you at first sight,
without guessing who you were,
when I saw you with the Mahara-
nee in the carriage. When I saw
you on horseback in the early morn
ing, it was all over as far as I'm
concerned-nothing further to argue
about. I've committed myself to
the hilt. How about your"
Lynn caught her breath. "I-I
never dreamt of it," ..
81 know you didn't. And you're
not dreaming now. We're both of us
stone-cold sober and wide awake"
do you always make love like
this
ct don't even know the first rules
of the game. I'm a chronic bache-
lor, suddenly converted"
But Captain Norwood"
1.-THE only girl ever fell in love
with calls me Carl or else calls the
police"
But I wouldn't know what to say
to the police. I'd better call you
Carl"
"And now to use one of your
phrases, let's get this over with:
I'm a pauper. I've four hundred
pounds a year and an Engineer Cap
tain's pay"
carl, I hope you don't think
I'm wealthy. I haven't cent in
the world. I've been disinherited."
That's marvellous! Oh, my God,
what luxury! was scared stiff
you? Scared?"
Eyes. Scared of you. Afraid you'd
think I was after your money"
Carl, ! haven't cent"
''All right. More preliminaries.
Mostly live in tent. My servants
are scandalous rogues, who know
nearly as much as do about crime
and treachery and worse"
Lynn laughed: I never lived in
tent, and I've been kept away from
sinners. I'm very ignorant per-
son. You'd better think again,
hadn't your"
mo. I've finished thinking about
that. But how about you? It's your
last chance. Lynn, you're on the
edge of the abyss of matrimony.
ANY queSLlOnS!
Millions of questions! BillionsI I
don't even know you. I'll ask them
afterwards.
Good. That's the style. There'n
be lots of time afterwards. Well,
you've refused to call the police, and
you've promised not to talk back or
make scene. So I'll be damned if
III wait any longer. Lynn, I love
you"
The Indian night and the Indian
stars; the perfumed silence and the
moonlit lotus pool all merged into
a consciousness of love-one mo-
ment of eternity that swept away
the past-one moment of unsefcon-
scious mystery in which the lover
and the loved were one and all
life was their realm, all values were
In true perspective. Love was real.
Everything else was illusion and I'M
real Until gradually, even in Carl
Norwood's arms, Lynn's awareness
of earth resumed its spell and she
looked away at their reflections in
the moonlit lotus pond.
Look, Carl. See usI Look"
Shadows" Then he spoke
strangely: Shadows of reflections
that reflect what? You and I are
shadows. We move In response to