The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1920-05-28

I'll have to ask you again to call up
Ethel Marbridge and tell her we'll be
over about O'clock this afternoon"
Dale was sitting in the room, ,smok-
ing and reading the morning paper.
For moment Marjorie tried to con-
tain herself. She vas vaguely con-
scious of wanting to avoid showing
what a little temper she had when
aroused. But restraint went flying at
this second instance of brotherly blind
ness.
'1'll not do anything of the sort,
Harry I'm sorry, but-well, / don't
like Ethel Marbridge and I'll not tele-
phone to her." She forgot for an an
gered instant Dale's presence in the
room and went on: II won't give
that girl chance to laugh at me. I'm
sure she knows how I've been looking
forward to Mr.. Dale's-"
Her sentence went unfinished. With
a quick glance at Dale and little
cry of confusion she rushed from the
room in tears.
swell, I'll be hanged" remarked
Brother Harry, stunned. 81 never
saw her act like that before. 1 always
thought she was blushing violet AL
ice" he said to his older sister, who
had just entered, whats the matter
with Madge? I just asked her to
phone to Ethel Marbridge, and she
fatty refused. Flew into a rage and
said something, to the accompaniment
of flashing eyes, about having looked
forward to Jerry's visit. Can it be
that. By George, I'll bet that's 1t !"
"Of course that's it," said the shrewd
and observant Alice. "Only blind
and stupid brother would have failed
to notice it. Why, she's been moon
ing over Mr.. Dale's picture ever since
the annual came"
Excuse me, please" said Jerry, ris-
ing, ~ have to go up to my room for
something"
But Dale did Not reach his room. On
the way to his room he had to pass a
little alcc~e on the second floor, and
from that alcove he heard sounds of
crying. He knew it was Marjorie. He
hesitated moment and then went in.
Don't cry, please, Marjorie" said
Jerry. He felt a great desire to COM
fort her. However, Jerry had had
very little experience with girl psy-
chology, SO his resolution went to bits
when at his first words of attempted
comfort Marjorie turned on him, eyes
blazing, and all Inundated at the re-
membrance of her half-uttered confes-
sion of what Dale meant to her.
"Please leave me. I'm crying about
something else," said Marjorie in a
denial that was the best confession.
II don't care what you're crying
about" said Jerry. Don't cry at all.
II don't like to see you cry"
II guess 1 can cry if want to.
Please let me pass. want to tele-
phone to Miss Marbridge."
To the uninitiated Jerry this exhibit
ton of perverse feminine psychology
was a puzzler. Hadn't her protests
to Brother Harry meant anything?
Why had she refused to telephone in
the first place? Girls were funny and
v al DdlC.
Marjorie brushed past him and
started for the telephone at the other
end of the hall. She had given the
when Jerry, still remonstrat-
ing, reached her side. His pleadings
were of no avail Marjorie was bent
on telephoning, cost what it would to
her heart.
She was sure she hated Dale as
much as she hated her brother and
the world in general that fine April
What right had Dale to
overhear her impulsive revelation of
his significance in her thoughts!
Hello! Is this Ethel Marbridgew
asked Marjorie in her sweetest voice.
"This is Marjorie Brown" She was
on the point of delivering her brothers |
message when strong hand was |
placed over her lips and another took |
the receiver away from her ear: Shed
was held in Jerry's arm away from the |
telephone.
Hello" said Jerry into the trans
mitter. "This is Mr.. Dale. We asked |
Marjorie to call your number for US.
Harry can't whisper over the phone
so he wants me to tell you that we
can't come over this afternoon. Sorry"
There were few perfunctory re-
marks and Jerry hung up. 'Now, Mar.
jorie, do you understand why I'm |
not going over to Miss Marbridge's |
this afternoon? Because I'd rather |
spend the afternoon with you. Madge,
Iook!" He took from his pocket little
photograph of Madge. .
"Pve carried this in my pocket for
months. Harry missed it from his
dresser, but he never guessed that his
roommate had appropriated the picture
Of his pretty sister. We can tell him
now. And we can tell him that FL
ike you very much, Madge"
Marjorie was having a hard time
making her lips stop their trembling
happy, fearful trembling. Was it real
y true? 1t must be, for she was look.
ng into Jerry's glistening eyes.
Lets go into the aicove," said Mar.
orie, jealous of these happy moments.
And in the alcove they came to a very
happy understanding. When finally
hey. came out, in response to Harry's
calls for Jerry, Madge, after
/ mad, glad embrace, said: "And you
IAN tell that thoughtless, blind, brutal
brother o. mine that II like you very
much, Mr.. Jerry Dale"