The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1924-04-11
CHAPTER vIlI-continued.

nor did she, until they heard the flop
of the swing-door into the kitchen.
Then she turned and faced him, and
he moved step toward her-anu
stopped Something the same look
was in her face that he had seen just
after he had kissed her. the look that
had made him think of Beatrice; not
woman's look at ala childs. II
was troubled now, and desperately
resolute. Her pose was not a woman 3
either; it was-a schoolgirls. de
saw her lips were trembling and fell
a lump come into his throat.
81 must say II quickly" she began
and then for matter of seconds
stood silent. "It was true, what you
said in the car that day. 1t was all
true. That's why it made me so angry.
didn't know it till you said 1t. That's
that's one of the things l had to
tell you. l didn't think I'd ever do
it, but / haven't been sleeping very
well. And none of the things l tried,
to get it out of my head, were any
good So l thought if l told you
You see why, don't you? mean, you
understand 1t isn't"
Eyes, L understand" he told her
hastily. This was quite untrue. In
the revulsion of feeling that had swept
over him he was bewildered. The
thing to do, he admonished himself,
was to remember every word she said
SO that he could think out her incred-
ible meaning afterward. They wouldn't
have much more time now. Henry
might be coming back any minute.
81 wish you'd sit down." he said. and
after she had obeyed him, in sort of
entranced docility. he added. IF
there's anything you want me to
do"
"There isn't" she interrupted with
a gasp ); mot a thing. It's just"
She broke off there and clasped her
hands tight in her lap, between her
knees. There's something else
John what really happened that day.
But l didn't tell him-what you must
have thought l did. l said it wasn't
anything. / gave him my word it
wasn't. l just wanted him to let me
alone and not ask questions. But of
course he thought"
"Yes, of course" Joe assented at
random That's all right"
HE was horribly angry" she per-
sisted. Il don't know whether he is
yet or not. He doesn't act that way
any more, but perhaps that's just be-
cause he doesn't want me to-worry
about it."
"Well, that's all right" A CLEAN of
a smile broke through ON the words.
"You don't need to worry about me,
anyhow. I'll look out for myself. l
have been, all along, for that matter"
She nodded. II couldn't bear to have
you think, If anything did happen,
that was the one who-started it..
/ knew what you'd think of me. When
you'd really been the one who-saved
me. I didn't suppose men did chival-
rous things like that. That's what it
was. Because it wouldn't have
meant anything-much to you"
Its al! right" he repeated. The
poor phrase seemed to be all he could
lay his tongue to. After a moments
struggle, not with embarrassment, but
with the mere stiffness of his mind,
he added, There's nothing more for
you to worry about. You can forget
all about It,"
Che crni1nI IN, fuI 70 hot
and he met 1t with smile of his own
At last he had something to say.
THAT was a surprising word you used
-chivalrous. / don't believe it was
ever hooked on to me before. I've
never been what you could call a
Galahad-"
II know" she broke in. There was
spark of animation in her tone now.
She was no longer frozen. 81 heard
all about that before 1 ever knew you.
/ always thought you must be one of
the-horridest people, that way, l had
ever known. 1 suppose that's why
partly why-it got me when you acted
the way you did in the car"
81 can't see," Joe said, "that there
was anything much tolthat. 1t was a
string we couldn't play out, and /
said so. Maybe If / hadn't had a good
deal of-experience, / wouldn't have
seen that we couldn't play it out"
When she spoke again, at the end
of short silence, her manner had
stiffened, so that once more it Yves as
If she were trying to recite something.
II suppose ! must have been one of
the most ignorant people in the world.
didn't think l could tell you this. |
don't believe it's thing you'll be able
to believe. But it's true, and it's the
only real excuse have. / thought
/ knew lot, as much as most people.
but / didn't. / knew-nothing at all.
1t was all new-that day. AS If I'd
never been married-or anything. You
can't believe that-can you"
II knew it then" he said, not look
ing at her as he spoke. "That was
what pulled me up, gave me time to
think" He added moment later, at
wasn't VIII. we wanted-either of
u.s."
He had strange sensation that this
last remark of his went falling, fall
ing, for long time, like a dislOdged
rock, down bottomIess canyon.
bounding from wall to wall, sending
up fainter and more distant echoes.
until at last an abysmal silence swaI-
lowed it.
After while she said, You wanted
to be friends with me then. | sup
pose it's too late for that to be any