The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1897-10-06

of explanation, and then ran down again
to Geoff and Josie.
81 call this horrid surprised" she
said. II always did hate surprises; they
are no better than practical jokes.
What do you think of jamie now?"
Perhaps the poor fellow is Dead"
suggested Godfrey.
"Not he; naught never comes to
HARM" said Josie, spitefully. 1.-The best
can hope for him is that he is ruined"
"Wel1, Heaven be thanked that what
ever has come to him we have Anna
back safe. She looks horribly i'll. Geotf,
you will come in tomorrow to hear all
there is to hear about it?" For Geoff
was evidently ready to depart.
II shall be in first thing, of course. |
would stop if / might, but it won't do
to scandalize your pupils. If there is
anything to be done you will fetch me
directly?"
II am so glad you are here!" said
George again.
Poor Anna! her tale was told in few
words, but those few words contained a
volume of sorrow. Her outward voyage
had been prosperous and exceedingly
pleasant. She was leaving poverty be-
hind her, and was about to meet the
man to whom her whole heart was
given, and who had, as she knew, made
comfortable living for himself. She
was strong and well and light-hearted,
and all on board the vessel conspired to
court and fiatter her. She might have
obocop n husband from ornonre+ - 10
a dozen men, but it was Jamie she
wanted and Jamie to whom she was go
ing. All through the voyage she pic
tured his delight when he should rush
on board the Petrol" to welcome her,
but the "Petrel" arrived and there was
no jamie. Nor the next day, nor the
next day; she settled herself in hotel,
wrote to him and waited.
After three days waiting lady was
ushered into her room-a lady most
distinctly of the strongminded genus.
Not a bad-looking woman, Anna
thought to herself as the two stood
watchfully regarding one another; not
baG looking, nor vulgar, nor quite a
lady, nor just at this moment quite at
her ease.
"You are Miss Edgar, aren't you?"
sh. said, after that pause of inspection.
81 is rather awkward for us, you see
am Mrs. Barrington-you won't take
it kindly, am afraid-but Jem would
not come himself, he would send me.
Now what can we do to put things as
right as they can be?''
he IaIo do
lighted bridegroom had not rushed to
meet his bride because he was already
husband to another woman. 1t went
hard with Anna, but she was proud
woman and compelled herself to give a
Geld attention to the explanations that
Mrs. harrington forced upon her. AS
il, being betrayed, it mattered to her
how the thing was done! A rescue from
danger on the one side, nursing
through an illness on the other. What
did it matter to the woman they had
cheated? Mrs. Barrington's offers of
assistance were haughtily declined, and
the first steamer that left Melbourne
carried Anna Edgar with it.
"Did you foresee this, George, when
you gave me the exact passage money
in that purse towards the house plen-
ishing?'"
Don't ask home questions, darling"
answered George with kisses. Lie
still and get well as quickly as you
can"
For Anna had been exceedingly ill
upon the return voyage, and was still
terribly weak and shaken. The sym
pathy of all the place was with her, for
seeing the impossibility of keeping the
disaster secret. the Edgars had decided
to speak of it openly at once, and friend
ly gifts of all kinds came in to show the
kindly feeling of the neighbors. The
little house overfiowed like cornu-
copia with fruit and flowers.
Godfrey hung about, ready to nurse,
run errands, write letters, or do any
thing that could be required of him, as
long as his business could spare him,
and then unwillingly announced that
he must go.
"You will say it is heartless of me if |
suggest that it is an i'll wind that blows
nobody any good" he said, squeezing
Georges hand as they sat over the
twilight fire; 'but you see Anna could
not have done me better turn than by
coming to grief in this way. All your
misfortune seems to be good luck to
me-. If she had not come back l should
have been afraid to ask you to come to
me, Georgia, darling, for you would
have said you could not leave Josie. l
capnot offer you anything like what
You are used to or what you ought to
have, but you say you do not mind
being po"r.'
81 like it, Goeff, DEAR" answered
Georgia; "and. besides, your poverty
is wealth compared with ours"
Internationally was Anna Edgar
when she went out to Australia in the
"fetrel." At three-and-thirty she was