I Forbid the Banns! — page 44: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

34 “7 FORBID THE BANNS!" “ Of course; so I can quite easily run down the steps alone.” “Pray do not do so for one moment,” saidthe man. “I hope you will not think me impudent if I ask you to play a part ina little drama with me just at this place. Dont think me a lunatic escaped from my keeper when I ask you to be good enough to walk toward me when I stand just beside that pointed rock at the edge of the cliff.”’ “It sounds mysterious,” said the girl. ‘ But I don't believe that you are a lunatic, and I’ll walk toward you— not close to the brink, however.” “Thank you,” said he. He went across the undulating ground covered with vegetation distinctly of the type ‘scrub,’ and soon reached a rock with a spire-like point at one end and an even sur- face resembling the seat of a chair at the opposite end. Here he stopped and raised his hand. The girl, with a laugh, stepped out briskly to where he stood motionless. | She was tall and beautifully shaped, and she held her head high in the air as though she were listening for some voice to speak to her from above. As she walked the strong breeze blowing from the sea _ forced her garments against her body and held them there until every delicate curve was suggested. It also loosened one of the strands of her hair and sent it flowing behind her. He watched her. A dozen steps brought her face to face with him. She paused and looked up to his face, with a little flush on her own, and laughed as achild laughs in the middle of one of those formal games that children love. ‘‘ Well,” she cried. “Thank you,” said he; ‘you gave me your hand when we were climbing the ladder—will you give it to me once again ?”’ eonniclooolxs (2) m