The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1923-12-14

Inat IS all past, Ann SalQ. 1t mas
nothing to do with my marrying you.
or not"
With violent effort, Avezzana re-
gained his smooth control Of himself. +
Please" ne begged. give me little
time. Do not yet make up your mind
against me, beg YOU"
Every WELL" Ann conceded grudg-
ingly. "But don't be too hopeful"
That night, before he left, Avezzana
had a word alone with Mrs. Cortlandt,
and the next afternoon Ann came in
| to find the two closeted in the library.
| She was only too glad to steal past the
door to the stair, filled with an exhil-
arating sense Of escape.
She had been in her room but few
moments when Mrs. Cortlandt raped
portentously at her door. She came in,
Ann thought, like ship under full
sail. "Well, MISS" she flung at the girl,
with a complete return to her old man.
ner, land so, having disgraced the fam
lily which has been your benefactor,
you have the insolence to refuse to
marry the man who Is willing to clear
your good Manner
| 49," Ann said Indignantly, she has
told you.''
"And high time he did! What your
guardian will think of such behavior!
All night Alonep
mo" Ann corrected her coldly.
'Not alone. With Count Avezzana."
"Have you no sense of shameT'
81 have nothing to be ashamed Of.
1 can't see why he had to- tell you
about it, now everything is an over"
"Over? Nonsense! Count Avezzana
is willing to marry you, Ann
"But Pm not willing to marry him.
1 don't love him, Aunt Emily"
Mrs. Cortlandt looked at her, exas-
peration written plainly on her face.
You have compromised yourself with
him." she said. You might just as
to marry him."
do you think uncle would agree
with you in that?"
Mrs Cortlandt paused; for a mo-
ment she was staggered. II dare say"
she said, at length, that your
guardian is sufficiently infatuated with
you TO excuse even this improperly,
but If you have ordinary gratitude for
all his kindness, you will marry Count
Avezzana, and save him the embarrass-
ment Of explaining your escapade."
AIMS eyes widened She had not
thought of that aspect Of her sorry
case. II wish you would let me ex-
plain 1t to you," she said, weakly.
Mrs. Cortlandt furled some of her
sail, at this concession. She seated
herself majestically, and bent a sorry
Ing look on the culprit. Nothing can
ever explain it, Ann" she said heavily.
There Is nothing for you to do but
marry Count Avezzana. And your
guardian approves the match. 1 have
had letter from him stating his
wishes in regard to it."
ooh, may 1 see it?' 1t seemed to
Ann like life line in drowning seas.
Certainly not, miss. :. This young
man is everything you could want
titled, head over heels in love with you
rich, even. You would be mad to
hesitate, even If you had an alterna.
tive" She looked at Ann shrewdly
Your guardians choice! Have you
no gratitudeY
Suddenly WEAKNESS engulfed Ann
This angry woman arguing with her
She wanted to be rid of her at any
cost. /. She could see years of rail.
ing stretching out before her, and in.
nuendo about 1t, too; she thought
shivering, that nothing could be worse
than that. -. Her guardian wished
the match. That, in itself, was enough
She amazed Mrs. Cortlandt by a
swift capitulation. every well. I'll
marry him. You can tell him So"
She looked at the older woman in
open sneering scorn as she bounced
up from her seat; Mrs. Cortlandt
smiled, she even kissed Anna swift
peck on an averted cheek-murmurins
"Contessa !" as she did so.
Fanny was all a-fiutter over hel
friends romantic alliance; the Rem.
neslyers were pleasantly congratula'
tory, and fiattered, too, and Avezzana
was delighted. From the moment Mrs
Cortlandt conveyed the good news to
him he doomed into happy conviction
that Ann had loved him all along
that it was only maidenly modesty
which had prevented her admitting It.
He gave her an ancestral ring Of such
magnificent proportions that it fairly
staggered her. With it on her hand
she could think of nothing else; she