The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1914-03-20

Yes; I'm goin' in q minute" she
responded; but her voice was dead.
II feel-like l was going to be oper-
ated on. That's how l feel"
Jaw, brace up!" said Martin MCGEE.
Rosalie did not answer at once. Her
eyes. sweeping the room to avoid
direct gaze lighted on the dresser.
where stood a photograph Of Con-
stance Hanska-a solicited gift. She
fixed her gaze on that; and the fallen
lines Of her face lifted with determine
ton.
"Yes." she said. I'm goin' to brace
up"
She started upstairs to that room
on the third floor back, the center or
the sinister web which she had made
of this, her dwelling place. so strangely
acquired, SO strangely used.
In that web struggled half-blind'
half-distracted fly, toward which she,
the spider, was now creeping. Some
such comparison may have struck Ros-
allie, for she shuddered twice In her
slow progress. And these were not
the assumed shudders which an
nounced her false control"
Resale knocked at Miss Estrillas
door.
Come int" cried the invalid, more
eagerly than her wont. And as Rosa
lie entered, "Oh, was expecting you!
Can you-will you-today?"
I've been putin all the power l
have into this thing" said Rosalie LIE
Grange; you've no idea how I've
tried. l was awake half the night, just
gettin' into touch. This is my last sit
tin with you for ever so long, Miss
Estrilla. l can feel 1t goin'. When
I'm playin' for all my power, as I've
got to now, conditions must be right
You wouldn't mind. would you, If l
darkened this room complete? An
let's have a little more air."
There was window, which opened
upon the fire escape, at the foot Of
Miss Estrilla's bed. This window Ro-
sale darkened last of all: but first she
raised the sash foot.
THAT curtain will blow an disturb
me-" she said. "I'm goin' to pin 1t
down"
Had Miss Estrilla's soul held any
emotions, in that moment, but grief
and eagerness-had she been capable
just then of suspicion-she might have
noted tiny but significant sound. The
fire escape had creaked a little, as
though a weight had been imposed at
the bottom. 1t creaked again at inter
walls for the next five minutes, but aft
erward, usually, when the roar of
passing elevated train drowned all
slighter sounds,
Nov I'm ready to try" said Rosa
lie, settling down at the foot of the
couch. Dear, you do look anxious!
Don't try to crowd the spirits-thats
always the best way-but remember
again-this is about the last control
that's in me for a month. Be quiet.
dearie." Her eyes sought the dis
tances, her body shook. Then came
the change which Miss Estrilla had
watched so often, and with such fas-
cinated eagerness. Rosalie's body re-
Taxed and fell backward in the Morris
chair. Her lids gradually closed. She
breathed as though asleep.
"Oh. sad lady again!" babbled
Laughing-Eyes, quite suddenly. She
could hear Miss Estrilla shift eagerly
on her couch. Il can't stay long. John
speaks. He says he wants you quick.
John Is big and strong Good-by, sad
lady"
Rosalie's breath came hard; her
body wrenched; a masculine voice fol-
lowed-the voice which Rosalie always
assumed when she impersonated Cap
tain John H. Hanska
Il am here again, Margaret; love
you. | am ready to forgive"
"Oh, John, thank you-thank God
you will when you know. For. John,
you have SO little to forgive, beside
what | have already forgiven" As
usual Miss Estrilla made reply.
81 know. And suffer. But I un-
derstand. First l have told you how
little | saw that night. My flesh still
chung to me-"
Rosalie stopped here and seemed to
gather her body together. as though
the thing which controlled her was
struggling to assert more power.
$50 / do not know what happened
even before / passed QUIT came so
suddenly-say to me again that you
loved me-"
$50 much, John dear. that l cannot
tell you all"
And put aside such a love as that
for jewels!"
Eyes, John. And when I searched
your room-the night found you there
II would have given them all to you
If you had walked and spoken kindly
to me. But you were married-and
you would have died soon at the best.