CHAPTER XLIX. A HAPPY COUPLE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13425, 16 March 1907, Page 6

CHAPTER XLIX. A HAPPY COUPLE.

" Ernest!" Margherita sprang to meet her lover

as lie entered the room where she was sitting, idling over a book which she; could not read. i Ho took her in his arms and held her to him for minutes without a word, covering her face with kisses. | " Sweetheart!" she whispered at last, still clinging to him. " How good of you to come back to me so soon!' 1 "Good of me!" — he drew her head back against him, looking down into her eyes with a gaze that made her own droop. "How could I keep away from you one hour longer than was peces-j sary! And I want to take you backj with me — in a few hours." "To take me back! Oh, Ernest!) Does your sister really wish " i "To welcome you with open arms. Yes, ray own darling, and Edendale, too." "I must hear everything, Ernest.! Come and sit here — so " — placing him| in a chair — " and I will kneel at your feet humbly and submissively." > " So," Beaudesert interrupted, as she suited the action to the word, folding her to his heart again. " Yes. that arrangement suits me admirably." " But you must tell me all about it,'' said Margherita. " What you said and what they said." "You are as bad as Rosalind," sad lie, smiling and caressing the beautiful head laid against him. " And how am I to toll you long stories when yon &ye nestling to me like this, and I only want to hold you and look in your face ; and if I talk at all I must talk sweet nonsense?" She coloured, but laughed softly. "Won't the sweet, nonsense keep, Ernest? I don't deny liking it; ,but I want so much to hear all that happened." "Then as your will "is law, dearest, I, must tell ydu,_.and you can come with me?" ' (To be continued.)