The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1913-06-27


ly, burning glad, that she had stopped
Miss Cannon
YES" she said, "just for moment.
II you don't mind"
Rose had never seen the woman be-
fore, and at the first glance supposed
her to be some form Of peddler or q
person selling tickets. The daughter
of Bill Cannon was eagerly sought by
members Of her own sex who had
wares for sale. and it did not strike
her as odd that she should be stopped
in the plaza on foggy afternoon. But
second glance showed her that the
woman before her was better dressed.
more assured In manner than the fe-
male vender, and she felt puzzled and
interested.
You had something to say to me?"
she queried again, the questioning in
lection little more marked.
Yes, but not much. I won't keep
you more than few moments. Won't
you sit DOWN."
Berry designated the bench and
they sat on it, a space between them.
Rose sat forward on the edge Of the
seat, looking at the strange woman
whose business with her she could not
guess.
You've never seen me before, have
you, Miss Cannon said Berry. "You
don't know who I ann"
The young girl shook her head with
an air Of embarrassed admission.
+ I'm afraid / DON'T" she said. III
I've ever met you before. it must have
been a long time ago."
you've never met me-" said Berry,
but l guess you've heard Of me.
am the wife Of Dominick Ryan"
She said the words easily, but her
eyes were lit with devouring fires as
they fastened on the young woman's
face. Upon this, signs of perturba-
ton Immediately displayed them
selves. For a moment Rose was shak-
en- beyond speech. She flushed to her
hair, and her eyes dropped. To a
jealous observation, she looked con-
fused, trapped. guilty.
Really" she said after the first mo-
ment Of a shock, I'll really don't
think ever did meet YOU" With her
face crimson she raised her eyes and
looked at her companion. IF | have,
I must have forgotten It,"
"You haven't" said Berry. "but
you've met my husband"
Roses color did not fade, but this
time she did not avert her eyes. Pride
and social training had come to her
aid. She answered quietly and with
something Of dignity.
yes, l met Mr.. Ryan at Antelope
when we were showed up there. |
suppose he's told you all about it?"
NO." said Berry, her voice begin
ming to vibrate, ''he hasn't told me all
about 1t. He's told just as much as
he thought l ought to know"
Her glance, riveted on Roses face,
contained a fierce sntagonism that
was like an illumination Of hatred
shining through her speech. He
didn't think 1t necessary to tell me
everything that happened up there,
Miss Cannon"
Rose turned half from her without
answering. The action was like that
of child which shrinks from the an
cry face of punishment. Berry leaned
forward that she might still see her
and went on.
'He couldn't tell me all that hap
pened up at Antelope. There are
some things that it wouldn't have
done for him to tell me. A man doesn't
tell his wife about his affairs with
other women. But sometimes, Miss
Cannon, she finds them out"
Rose turned suddenly upon her.
Mrs. Ryan," she said in cold, au-
thoritative voice, what do you want
to say to me? You stopped me just
now to say something. Whatever IT.
is, say 1t and say 1t out.
Berny's RACES invariably worked
themselves out on the same lines.
With battle boiling within her, she
could preserve up to certain point
a specious, outward calm. Then sud-
denly, at some slight, harmless word,
some touch as light as the pressure on
the electric button that sets off the
dynamite explosion, the bonds Of her
wrath were broken and it burst into
expression. Now her enforced re-
straint was torn into shreds, and she
cried, her voice quavering with pas
sion, shaken with breathlessness:
What do you suppose I want to
say? I want to ask you what right
you've got to try to steal my hus-
bandT
81 have no right" said Rose.
Berry was, for the moment, so TAX
en- aback, that she said nothing but
stared with her whole face set in
rigidity Of fierce attention. After q
moments quivering amaze she burst
out:
Then what are you doing IT forr'
81 am not doing it."
You're liar" she cried furiously.
You're worse than liar. You're a
thief. You're trying to- get him every
way you know how. You sit there
looking at me with face like little
innocent, and you know there's not a
thing you can do to get him away
from me you're not doing. If a COM
mon gutter girl had acted that
way they'd call her some pretty
dirty names, names that would make
you sit up If you thought any one
would use them to you. But l don't
see where there's any difference. You
think because you're rich and ON top
of the heap that you can do anything.
Just let me tell you, Miss Rose Can
non, you can't steal Dominick Ryan
from me. You may be Bill Cannon's
daughter, with all the mines Of the
Comstock behind you, but you can't