The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1924-01-18

months II she can ind somebody TO
go with her. Well. she could take
Beatrice along, just as well as not.
She doesn't want to 60 till July, but
that will just give Beatrice and me
chance to start getting acquainted"
Jennie felt her mind going blank.
What could you do with a man like
that? She got herself together.
chucked away her cigarette. and
charged the position, head on. "Joe,
you're Wild" she said. You can't do
things like that-not outside your own
Office, you can't. They won't work.
You haven't an idea. really, what the
girl Is like. You don't know a thing
about her tastes or her ways. You
don't know whether she'd like these
people or not Nor whether they'd
like her."
They'd better like her |" he retorted,
half aloud. Then. with a laugh, Look
here, Jenniei Do you want to bet a
thousand dollars, real money. that II
ask Miss Craven to take Beatrice I'M
der her wing for a few weeks down
East she won't grab 1t like a trout7
Come on, now? Don't be crab un-
less you're willing to back your opin-
ion."
Was that subtlety, she wondered, or
naivete? Had he just this moment
Numbered into it, or had he thought
1t all out, In that amazing brain Of
his, at their dinner, the night before7
He being Joe, you never could be
sure.
NO" she said, beaten. "Pm not
taking any bets with you tonight"
Anyhow" he Immediately went on,
not stopping to gloat over her discom-
future. this is all barking up the
wrong tree. There's no argument
whether we want the girl or not. The
question is, how are we going to- get
her? / have written her an invitation
and sent thousand dollars in care of
my lawyer, and hope that will bring
her to me-"
Jennie came over to where he was
standing, and took him impulsively by
the shoulders. II wish you luck, any
how" she went on. 81 hope it works.
I hope she makes you happy"
Clearly, he was startled by the ca
ress. She had never done anything
just like that to him before. He didn't
respond to 1t with any gesture Of his
own, but his voice, when he spoke, had
real emotion in it.
Jennie! If had had the luck to
marry you twenty years ago." he
said "Well. what are you grinning
att"
For she'd instantly stepped away
from him at that, and the quality Of
her smile was derisive.
"Annabel wasn't the wife for you,
for a fact" she admitted. "But you
don't hate her, even now. And, oh
Lordl How you would have hated
me!'
1.-THE right wife for you," she said,
would have to be pretty, silky, way
up in the society game. She ought to
be little afraid of you. so that she'd
take care to keep you afraid Of her.
And you'd have to be proud, when
ever you thought of it, that you'd got
her."
She saw this go home to him.
"All right" he said. "You needn't
rub 1t in any more. Look here, It's
half-past ten. You'd better be rum
ming along home. I'll telephone Burns
to bring your car around"
She was mildly amused at his sud-
den concern for the proprieties, and
she tried to tease him a little about
1t, but he insisted on treating the mat
ter seriously.
II don't want young Burns getting
any funny ideas In his head about
you. He's welcome to think what he
pleases about me, and about some Of
the people I play around with. / don't
care d-n what he thinks But I
want you to be careful. Do you get
that?"
"All right, bcss," she said, sounding
very meek as she rose and went to
find her wrap. "Sure, / get It."
This final slant of the talk recalled
her resolution regarding the boy, 50
while she and Joe stood In the CORR
dor waiting for the car to come up
tiukt