The Ely miner., 1914-02-06
CHAPTER X-Contlnued.

We'll, then l suppose there's no use
askiD'." went on Rosalie, "why you do
1t. It's because there's nothing else
to do. Your play is to find something
Just as absorbin' and as excitin' as
liquor. but not quite SO foolish"
"Sure!" said Tommy. "The pot Of
gold at the end of the rainbow, or Cap
tain Kidd's treasure Anyhow. I'm
going away from here"
Now. Mr.. North" said Rosalie,
there's two ways Of facing a thing
down-stay. an go. Which is better,
{ don't know. Which is braver, I do.
Here's a room for you. Board here
the rest of this week-on melville
you look around-an' IL you think then
that COINS the best way, then CO."
Tommy North, Injured to an atmos-
phere wherein none gives something
for nothing, regarded Rosalie LIE
Grange with a look in which gratitude
struggled with suspicion.
You're thinkin'," responded Rosalie,
reaching out to seize his thought,
that this is just my plan to fill my
10. But this is my proposition: You
keep this room free until Monday, an
II you want, you can have it perma-
cent at twelve a week, which is what
you paid Mrs. Moore"
I'm sure I'm much obliged" said
Tommy. suspicion departing. 'Tll stay
the week out, and make up my mind"
Sensible" replied Rosalie. "Tll send
up towels-and dinners at six-thirty."
We have taken little time to con-
slider Betsy Barbara. Let us view her
now, as she stands. dressed in blue
trock for dinner, tapping at Con-
stances door. Betsy-Barbara's flesh
and spirit were twenty-four; her heart
was eighteen; her purpose was forty.
Whenever even the darkest ray
touched her hair. 1t flickered with gold.
IN full sunshine. even her brows and
dashes glittered and twinkled. Her
mouth was large and generously irreg-
llar: her nose was small and whim-
sically irregular; her violet-blue eyes
were as clear as pools. AS she stood
there, waiting for Constance to rise
and open the door. her merriment took
flame from some sleepy remark In
that precise psychological moment, all
planted by the fates. Tommy North
came down the hall ON his way to din
uer. The laugh arrested him dead.
The door opened then She vanished
like golden fairy caught in a mist of
vapor.
A minute later, Tommy North was
sitting I'm the dining room at Rosalie's
rtght-waiting for something He
found himself In a state of embarrass-
ment uncommon with him. What was
he that he should talk to a decent
girl7 And would she know that he
was-the branded? But when, a mo-
ment later. she trailed in behind Com
stance like a luminous shadow, when
Rosalie introduced them both by name,
and when he recognized them as the
women in the Hanska affair. one part
Of his embarrassment fioated away.
Twice during the dinner he laughed
uproariously. causing Miss Harding to
remark that he was getting back his
spirits. anyhow. This was when Betsy
Barbara ventured mild joke Twice
again she included him in the CONVEX
sation. Once she asked for the but
ter. which impelled him to reach fran
tically for the salt, and once she re-
ferred to him the question whether
one could reach City hall. Brooklyn.
sooner by trolley or by subway. where
at he got temporary reputation as a
joker by answering both" He sat
dazed through the soup. ecstatic
through the roast. and rapt through
the dessert. Only when Betsy Barbara
and Constance rose together, did he re-
member that he had finished long ago.
At the door Of the dining room next