The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1914-07-03
TheHOlOW
Of Her Hand
George Barr MoCutCheOn
/22 6/N0DU NkAD e.. CCV114T/

I'm blowed If l consider it an honor
to be refused by any woman. +"
"Mr. Wrandall!" she cried, fixing
him with her flashing, indignant eyes.
you are forgetting yourself" She
was standing very straight and slim
and imperious before him.
He Quailed. Il beg your pardon.
IL"
There is nothing more to be said,"
she went on icily "Goodby."
Would you mind telling me wheth-
er there is anyone else?" he asked, as
he turned toward the door.
do you really feel that you have
the right to ask that question, Mr..
Wrandall"
He wet his lips with his tongue.
Then, there is some one!" he cried,
rapping the table with his knuckles.
He didn't realize till afterward how
vigorously he raped. Some con-
founded English nobody, l suppose"
She smiled, not unkindly. There
is no English nobody, If that answers
your question"
Then, will you be kind enough to
offer reason for not giving me q
fair chance in a clear field? I think
it's due"
Cant you see how you are dis
tressing me? Must again go through
that horrid scene in the garden?
Can't you take plain no for an an
swer?"
Good Lord!" he gasped, and in
those two words he revealed the COM
plete overturning of a lifelong esti-
mate of himself. 1t seemed to take
more than his breath away.
"Goodby," she said with finality.
He stared at the door through which
she disappeared, his hopes. his con.
ceit, his self-regard trailing after her
with shameless disloyalty to the
standards he had set for them, and
then, with rather CHASTITY smile of
decentralization on his lips, he
slipped out Of the house, jumped into
the motor car, and gave a brief but
explicit command to the chauffeur,
who lost no time in assisting his mas
ter to turn tail in ignominious fight.
Hetty was gloomily but resolutely
employed in laying out certain of her
personal belongings, preparatory to
packing them for departure, when
Sara entered her room.
They regarded each other steadily,
questioningly for a short space of
time.
Leslie has just called up to ask
what the devil l meant by letting
him make a fool of himself" said
Sara, with a peculiar little twisted
smile on her lips.
Hetty offered no comment, but after
a moment gravely and rather wistfully
| called attention to her present occu.
patton by significant flaunt of her
hand and saddened smile.
81 eee," said Sara, without emotion.
''If you choose to go, Hetty, 1 shall
not oppose you"
my position here Is a false one.
Sara / prefer to CO."
This morning should have held
| a sword over your head"
1T is very difficult for me to realize
all that has happened"
you are free to depart. You are
| free in every sense of the word. Your
| future rests with yourself, my DEAR ~
1T hurts me more than l can tell
to feel that you have been hating me
all these months"
at hurts me-now"
Hetty walked to the window and
looked out.
What are your plans?" Sara in
| CURED, after an interval.
81 shall seek employment-and wait
| for you to act"
II? You mean"
II shall not run away, Sara. Nor do
l intend to reveal myself to the au-
thorities. / am not morally guilty of
crime. A year ago 1 feared the con-
sequences of my deed, but / have
learned much since then. was a
stranger in a new world. In England
>>>>>>>>~