The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1923-11-09
By Janet Of. Eairbank
Copyright by The Bobbs-Merrill Co.

should prefer to work here. There is
more bad news from the front"
AIMS frightened eyes Intercepted
him. charlottesville? she whis-
pered, unwilling to voice the POSSIBLE
ity of loss at that important point.
Eyes. Another defeat
"But l thought we had twice as
many men there as the Confederates?"
Lee is great general. Ann, and
the sooner we Federals realize 1t the
better. They say the loss of
life is appalling-perhaps twenty-five
thousand men killed, and many more
wounded"
Into AIMS mind rushed a realiZa-
ton of Hendricks in deadly peril.
After all, until they were treasured of
his safety in this present terrible bat
tie, she would not tell her guardian
what she had written; she would spare
him that much.
In the morning the sun shone bril-
| liantly; high clouds moved majestical-
ly about a faraway blue sky. and the
breeze, even in the city, was laden
| with the odor of fruit trees in bloom.
| 1t was the sort of day that Densley
that he had not lived to see it. After
all she thought, it would have been
better for him to be buried on the kind
of rainy day he hated.
Her guardian went with her to the
services in his neighbours house, but
he could not take the time to drive out
to the cemetery, so Ann went alone,
and stood on the fringe of the small
group of mourners. She felt that the
ceremony had strangely little to do
with Densley, who had talked so much
of the joy of life, and so little of this
numbing sadness. She wondered at
herself for not feeling more acute
grief; she clenched her hands until
the nails bit into her soft palms, and
still she could not force herself to an
emotional crisis. She wished that she
were the sort Of girl who cried easily !;
it would be better than this sensation
of all the world falling away from her.
|. Floods Of tears, she felt,
would be inadequate, and she hated
herself because she stood, still and
composed, with her white lips closely
set.
In Washington square a great con-
fusion awaited her; everything was in
a whirl of excitement even old Joseph,
who opened the door for her, was
Renneslyer's voice, breathless and
shrill, came clearly out to her from the
drawing room. She was there, ele-
gantly emotional upon a sofa, while
Fanny was wiping her eyes beside her,
and Hendricks father was striding
about the room, red-faced and incoher-
emily profane. Mr.. Cortlandt was
standing, very still, in the window.
There was something ominous in
the air, and Ann halted abruptly. st
is Hendricks !" she cried. HE is
dead!"
Mr.. Renneslyer treasured her.
Dead? Nonsense" he burst out
Hendricks is a hero-that's ala
regular hero! Damme, no one would
have thought it when he was boy
/ have a letter from his colonel: Hen.
. bricks distinguished himself in a night
neutrality-suspicious. bravery, he says
They've made him captain-at TWEEN
ty-two, by Cd"
There was an instant's silence after
this outburst as Mr.. COrtlandt came
over to Ann and took her hand. She
was glad that he stood so as to shield
her face from the others.
"You must be very proud, my dear,
he said, tremendously. 1--WE must al
be proud of Hendricks"
The girl sank into a chair, dazed by
, the sudden reaction. Into her MIND
came, unbidden, Densley Howard:
casual depreciation of Hendricks in
action; she had an instant's clear
vision of him, red-faced and domineer
ing. But her guardian was right
just now, for a while, she must bt
proud; she should have no place fol
any other emotion.
There came a great jangle at tn.
doorbell, and every one already in al
emotional state, started nervously
Joseph brought in a note, and Mr.
Cortlandt ripped it open. 'It is from
Horace Greeley" he said. 1T il
marked Important He glanced a
the brief inclosure and turned sudden
ly white.
"What is it?' Ann whispered.
Mr. Cortlandt did not seem to hea
her; he might have been alone in tn
room for any attention he paid to tn
people gathered there. He reread tn
note aloud, stupidity, as if he had no
mastered it's contents.
"Dear Friend: 1t is my sad duty t
inform you that in the official list
sent me for publication, of men VIII
have gloriously fallen at the battle o
Charlottesville, the name of you
nephew, Hendricks Renneslyer az
pears. can say nothing to soften you
grief-nOthing to >" His vofc
trailed off into silence as Mrs. Rer
neslyer interrupted his reading with
= loud scream, and Joseph burst int
lamentations The room was suddenl
II filled with a clamor of sorrow. An
stood very still, half-stunned by tn
Il shock. She looked over at her guart
h ian, and saw his face become old an
gray under her eyes. She went owe
u to him and put her arms around hi
q. neck; she was trembling violently, an
= Mr.. Cortlandt slipped his arm abor
her, and drew her close to him.
n "Poor child" he whispered. "Poc
+ child"
m The girls convulsive clinging sui
=, donIv wont slack Rehind har Mr.
er Renneslyer's shrill grief arose, an
Fanny's outburst of sobs, but she di
w regarded them. Standing there wit