The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1922-05-05
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Tested and Found
True

By CLAIRE SMITH
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Copyright. 1922. Western Newspaper Union.
Esther was thirty-one. Francis
Pryce, whom she was to marry, was
forty-seven.
Two years and three months be.
fore Esther had sent away her lover,
Harry Goddard. They had been en-.
gagged five years and Harry showed
no prospects of doing anything either
for himself or for her.
"It isn't that you are unfortunate.
Harry" she said. But man who
thinks of marriage must be prepared
to make a home for the woman he
loves. You can't stick to anything.
you squander your money; you drink.
If you had ever saved l might" She
broke off and continued: Harry.
I'm going to put you to the test. DO
you think you can get position, hold
1t two years and save five hundred
dollars? If you can will marry you
when the two years are up. If not
don't want you to come back"
'If you'll only marry me now" he
cried, and Esther shook her head In
ner OBSTINATE way
"In two years." was all she would
answer; and so Harry went away.
Then Francis Pryce, state senator
and millionaire, had wooed her. And,
six months before, when he asked her,
she told him about Harry.
81 won't hide the fact, that we cared
for each other" she said. "In fact.
If he came back"
"You would care for him more than
for me?" asked the senator quietly.
eyes. But I do care for you," she
answered.
81 am satisfied with that" Pryce
answered Goddard shall have bis
chance. If he does not return when
the two years are up, shall claim
you. And / shall test you both," ha
added, smiling In his enigmatic way.
Goddard did not come back. Esther
learned that he had been living just
the same life as of old.
Now she sat beside her window,
thinking over the past.
"But Harry loved me-" she thought
and felt that atoned for all.
She murmured his name as she sat
by the window. And, even as she Ia
voked 1t a man stepped through the
shadows of the naples. 1t was Harry.
He had come back on her wedding
eve.
ESTHER, 1t is 1! !" he whispered. 4
have come back to YOU"
She stared at him i1credulouslS and
then recoiled.
"You are too late" she muttsred.
Don't you know what evening this
isl" Then, with rising passion,
'Why did you not come before?" she
cried.
81 couldn't come before" he an
swered. "You made the condition.
/ must have five hundred dollars"
"What did I care for Ave hundred
dollars, except as proof that you
were able to make some sacrifice for
me" she cried.
"But I have 1t now and in my
pocket" he answered. Come, dear.
We can start housekeeping on that"
Housekeeping! she repeated the
commonplace word with something
of mockery. "You are mad, Harry.
Do YOU think would break my en-
gagement with Senator Pryce at this
eleventh hour and steal away like
theft"
She burst into hysterical sobs and
when he took her in his arms she
felt that she had not the strength to
resist longer.
She looked back at the house, fear
full, and still uncertain.
"Why couldn't you come beforer
she whispered.
Harry Goddard threw back his head
and laughed.
Because" he answered, Senator
Pryce gave me five hundred dollars
to stay away until the wedding day."
what! He paid you money!"
Eyes. And the joke is that the old
man outwitted himself. This Is his
wedding day, because it is past mid
night. He thought the joke was on
me, but that's where he fell down."
Esther laid her hand on his arm.
Harry, you did this dastardly
thing?" she asked.
"Well, hasn't ne money 10 Sparet
And wasn't he just as bad, with all
his money, bribing poor mani?
SIT wasn't the bribe," she muttered.
Quietly she stepped back through the
window.
81 win," said low voice In her
ear. Senator Pryce was standing be-
fore her, In her room, smiling.
'eWhat does this meani" asked Es-
ther.
"It MEANS" answered the senator,
"that have tested you and found
you true, just as I found him false.
Oh, Esther, forgive me, but / couldn't
marry you until l had given you the
chance to see what you have es-
capped"
mo, what have found" she an
swered softly.