The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1923-12-21
By fanet Il. Fairbank
Copyright by The Bobbs-Merrill Co.

She found him waiting when she
reached home.
"Where have you been. milo Bella"
he demanded, gayly.
AS Ann looked at his radiant happi-
ness, perverse desire to shatter it
arose within her. i've been to take
look at your church." she said. cold
ly.
"My church? Per Bacco-our church,
share all things"
''Shall we? Shall we, really, Guido?"
"You ask me that! !" His devasta-
ton at her doubt was thorough, but
theatrical.
Ann persisted. in spite of him. 1--WE
don't share anything at all, now.
There are things l cannot even talk to
you about. /. 1t makes me very I'M
happy" She broke off, in panic lest
tears should make her protest ineffec-
tive
what things?"
"Well-that night at Gettysburg for
instance"
mo, you are right, not that"
"But why not? 1t Is where you fell
in love with me. You told me so, that
morning, before you left. Don't you
remember? 1t is part of us-that'
night. 1t is ridiculous to act as if
it hadn't happened! When two people
love each other they should be natural.
-. We are never natural, when we
are together"
Mature? She is for the people
not for you and me-"
"But l am of the people, Guido.
You never seem to understand that 1
wasn't born to all this luxury When
| was a child l used to be poor;
peeled the potatoes, and brought the
COW in at night, and In winter l
cleaned away the snow. =. You
don't like me to talk about that, do
your"
Guido's dark face flushed. "No. For
the Contessa Avezzana it is not neces-
sary to go quite so far back. In my
country no one will question where 1
find you. 1t will be enough that you
nave DcSOLfc WllS.
at will never be enough for me-"
Ann burst out: "Guido-can't you see
that I am all wrong for you? Can't
you understand that I can never make
you happy" She was Mortified at her
words as she said them, but she dia
not withdraw them. Instead she
waited, breathless, to hear what Avez-
zana would say.
To her amazement, he patted her
hand Will, complete calm and MUIR
INJURED: you are nervous, my Ann.
F.. Do not distress yourself; you
have only to leave all to me-"
1t was too much; the girls nerves,
to which he had so soothingly re-
ferred, suddenly snapped. She poured
torrent of appeal upon him; she
found herself saying things of which
she never had any premOnition; she
begged him to let her go-to forget
her. 1t was after this climax that
she felt the Italians cold eyes upon
her; they brought her up sharp.
go? No-never," he said frigidly.
"You are child to speak to me sol
/. i. This is what comes of unbridled
talk. You see, my way is better"
But, Guido-I don't love you. 1
never entirely realized it before-but
l don't"
"Why should you, before we mar
ry? 1t is enough that you do not dis
like me. After, you may leave
it to me-"
But suppose 1 shouldn't grow to
care for your"
Avezzana smiled superbly. 81 take
the chance" he said.
Doesn't it make any difference to
you, knowing how 1 feel"
at puts me on my mettle. milo
Bella"
And that was the end of that: Ann
realized quite clearly that she was.
this time, well caught. In moment
Mrs. William came bustling into the
room with foreign package in her
| hands, which AvezZana identified as
addressed in his mothers fine hand
writing. The two of them opened it
expeditiously, while Ann stood apart,
watching them with sullen eyes. There
was beautiful old Venetian lace in the
| package, and a necklace of diamonds
which sent Mrs. Cortlandt into an
ecstasy. She insisted on trying 1t
around the brides slim throat, in spite
of AIMS Indifference. AyeZZana
stood looking on with shining eyes,
/ cir hot
cred her apathetic attitude becoming
one for the future Contessa Avezzana.
(. She escaped as soon as she
could, on the plea of being very tired.
When she had gained her room, she
shut the door behind her, and stood
| for some moments with her back
! against 1t. She was breathing hard
and her eyes were wild. He was
merciless. She looked about her at
her pleasant, familiar room. She
would be in strange places, too.
There was no one to whom she might
talk freely. If only her guardian
were at home! She flung herself
across her bed. in passion of tears.
After long time her sobs lessened,
and she lay for a while, listening to
the homely sounds that drifted in
from the square. She was, now.
more melancholy than desperate. :.
She wondered If she might get Fanny
to advise her, but memory of her
friends aloofness since she had
broken with Hendricks made her give
that up with sobbing sigh. The
aunts were worse than useless, and
she had no confidence in Mr.. Rem
neslyer's good sense. !. +. Peter! How
stupid she had been not to have
thought of him before! There was,
at last, some one to whom she could