The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1898-10-26

"Oh, l hadn't heard you come in! DE-
sit down. Aunt isn't well. 1 am sc
sorry you should have had the trouble
of calling for nothing, but she hoped
| to be able to go until the last moment
| Won't you let me give you some tea 2
She spoke with nervous hurry, scarce
ly pausing for an answer.
Ted Markham took the chair she Of
| fered him, and listened in silence while
she ratified on. Suddenly she stopped
conscious of his fixed glance.
rs anything the matter?" she asked
in slightly alarmed voice. 1t was
surely not possible that he could al
ready have learned Betty's treachery
Eyes. We can't GO on like this, Miss
Helmsley!!"
mol" Nora felt the color go out OF
her face.
"It isn't fair to you, and besides +
things have changed"
"Yon mean that Betty"
Miss Oakhurst is going to be mar
ried." Nora gasped, but did not speak
"She is engaged to Lord Barthorpe.
met Lady Oakhurst just now, and SHIT
was overlooking with loving kindness
to the world in general"
Betty has behaved abomina bly!'
put in Nora. Indignantly.
Ted Markham smiled.
81 think, on the contrary, that she
has shown remarkably good sense.
am going to leave London; really
came this afternoon to say good-by."
Nora bit her lips.
II am sorry" she began. hesitating
ly. 81 am afraid was rather to blame
but 1 thought Betty really cared
and"
She left the sentence unfinished. Tee
Markham's demeanor puzzled her; he
was quite white, and there was lool
in his eyes which troubled her. Wha'
was there in her fuffy-haired blue-eyee
little friend to move a man so? Tha
her companion had taken some great
resolution, and that a singularly diff
cult one, it was easy enough to per
ceive.
"Are you going to be away long?'
she asked, awkwardly. 81 mean, ara
you going far?"
81 think of going to have look al
the antipodes. My father has some in
terest, and hope to get sent off tc
Melbourne"
"But haven't you made up your MIND
rather hurriedly?" she objected, tim
idly.
"Hurriedly? Why, 1 put things il
train weeks ago!"
"Weeks ago!" she exclaimed. "Bur
Betty's engagement is quite fresh. Die
you suspect"
81 suspected nothing. I knew"
"You knew!" she exclaimed, indig
nantly. "Then why didn't you speak
Why didn't you tell me?"
Tell you'll" She stared at him, hi:
tone was so vehement. 20, about
Betty, you meant"
"Of course. What else could
mean?"
Nothing, of course"
Really, 1 don't understand YOU"
He laughed drearily as he rose. mo
I must not explain. Good-by."
She looked up at him with startled
eyes.
"You are too hard on Betty. She
"On Betty? Don't you know that
haven't thought of her for weeks-that
1 found out long ago that we had made
mistaken"
''Then, why are you going?"
She managed to keep her eyes upoI
his face, though her cheeks burned anc
she felt almost choked.
Don't you know that I am almost
pauper?" he said, bitterly, as ht
turned away.
Nora took step after him. care
you going" she asked in trembling
voice, because you want to make your
fortune, or because-because l am toe
rich?"
Moral"
She covered her face with her hands
80, if you were not in love with
Betty, didn't you see-didn't you CUES;
weeks ago"
The voices of the chaperons were
loud in condemnation when the en-
gagement was announced, and tn,
mothers of younger sons and ungil
titles declared that Lady Hewitt hat
allowed her niece to throw hersel
away; while Betty Oakhurst shook hel
pretty head and reflected sadly tina
men were tickle creatures and tha'
feminine friendship was but broker
reed.-London World.