The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1940-06-13

revenge. will listen. And won't
answer back"
Don't promise"
Say what you think" she in
sisted.
81 think the same now that did
when 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 we're,
when I saw you with the Mahara-
nee in the carriage. When / 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. Ell
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. 7"
do you always make love like
this"
81 don't even know the first rules
Of the game. I'm chronic bache-
lor, suddenly converted"
"But Captain Norwood"
"The only girl I ever fell in love
with calls me Carl or else calls the
police"
But" Lynn laughed. "Are there
any police"
TRY. Shout for them. An Indian
night is as full of eyes as the sky
is of stars"
'But wouldn't know what to say
to the police. I'd better call you
Carl"
'sAnd now to use one of your
phrases, let's get this over with:
I'm a pauper. I've four hundred
pounds year and an Engineer Cap
tain's pay"
carl, I hope you don't think
I'm wealthy. I haven't a cent in
the world. I've been disinherited." "
"You have? Is that an actual
fact?"
"Yes. Aunty hasn't even left me
a reputation"
That's marvellous! Oh, my God,
what luxury! I was scared stiff"
"You? Scared?"
"Yes. Scared of you. Afraid you'd
think was after your money"
Carl, haven't cent"
"All right. More prelin1inaries.
Mostly live in tent. My servants
are scandalous rogues, who know
nearly as much as / do about crime
and treachery and worse"
Lynn laughed: never lived in a
tent, and I've been kept away from
sinners. I'm a very ignorant per-
son. You'd better think again.
hadn't you?"
''No. 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 questions?"
Millions of questionsl Billions! ]
don't even know you. I'll ask them
afterwards.
Good. That's the style. There'1l
be lots of time afterwards. Well,
you've refused to call the police, and
you've promised not to talk back or
| make a scene. So I'll be damned il
I'll wait any longer. Lynn, love
YOU"
The Indian night and the Indian
stars; the perfumed silence and the
moonlit lotus pool all merged into
consciousness of love-one mo-
ment of eternity that swept away
the past-one moment of unselfcon.
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 un.
real. Until gradually, even in Car
Norwood's arms, Lynn's awareness
of earth resumed its spell and she
looked away at their reflections ir
the moonlit lotus pond.
'Look, Carl. See US! Look"
Shadows. Then he spoke
strangely: Shadows of reflections
that reflect what? You and I are
shadows. We move in response te
something else. What is it?"
Carl are you real? Is that yot
talking?"
ST suspect it's the real me talking
to the real you. Lynn, I'm STEPPED
in eastern thought. Life's good
We're growing-getting wiser grad
ually. That's why 1 spared Run
dhia. He'd have been hanged if
hadn't done what I did. Now he'll
get some money from the Maha
rance and live in Europe"
"But Carl -" Lynn hesitated
perhaps I shouldn't say it."
"All right, I'll say it for you. Hell
go to Europe and do it again. Ans
blots of women won't have sens,
enough to stand him off until he
ruined them and sneered and gone.
| Eyes, I was thinking of that. I
was a mean thought"
mo, it wasn't"
"The way I thought it, it wa
mean. Carl, I believe you becaus
I can't disbelieve you, not for an,
other reason. 1t seems impossible
How can such a man as you are
with such thoughts as you think, pos
sibly love me? believe I deliberate
| iy tempted Rundhia. The Maha
rance"
| Norwood chuckled. "All right, T.
say that for you, too. She said h
really loved you. He'd be fool
he didn't. The trouble is, he is
fool. So it won't last. Not that
males any difference. e.,,