The Ely miner., 1924-04-04

knew were brlstllng about the board
Prosperity of course Is wonderful
unguent. and Joe's report was so elo-
quent Of the prospect of 1t that the
development of any friction upon the
surface of things would have been Inn
possible. Nothing short of volcanic
eruption could have broken through
and this didn't happen.
Joe was able to report the organiza-
ton of forty-two subsidiary companies,
with a normal capacity of four thou
sand tons of straw each, which meant
that nearly ten per cent of the entire
straw crop of the fiax-growing country
would be processed next year under
their patents 1t wasn't possible, Of
course, to compute the profit in ad-
vance, but with market conditions !
they were today, 1t would be very
large indeed.
The formal routine of winding up
the business of the meeting was clicked
off under Jennie's practiced hand as
rapidly as possible. AS soon as the
adjournment was taken, John with
Gregory and Frank Crawford went
away. There was no disposition on
their part to linger for an informal
discussion of affairs, or for the bottle
Of ancient Scotch which Joe offered to
produce. They would be having a
confab of their own, Henry supposed.
and was glad they hadn't invited him
to take part in it. There was momen-
tarily thoughtful look in Joe's eye
as he watched their broad top-coated
backs receding down the corridor.
He produced his bottle. Jennie,
though invited, declined to join them
over it. She wanted to get her min
utes in shape, she said. Henry ex-
claimed in frank astonishment at the
enormous size of the drink Joe poured
for himself-an ordinary tumbler 1t
was, and he had filled 1t more than
two-thirds full. He got up as soon as
Henry had done slipping his drink, say
ing, IF you're going home I'll drive
you up"
1t occurred to Henry that Violet had
spoken of running in for a few min
utes after lunch, but it was now well
after four. Assuming that she'd car
ried out her intention at all, which '7as
not any too likely, she'd almost GER
tainly have gone by now. He'd lave
to chance it.
Oddly enough, after the first horri-
fed moment when he saw the two
coming face to face, he was enormous
ly relieved that it had happened. Joe
happened to be standing where Violet
couldn't see him as she came down
the corridor to the sitting-room, and
she called gayly to Henry that she
had him in her power now. She could
blackmail him with Margaret to any
tune she liked, after this look about
the fiat.
She flushed like a schoolgirl at the
sight of Joe, threw him a rather cav
alier nod of greeting, and then, SEEM
ing to change her mind about it. went
deliberately up to him and held out
her hand.
II wonder if you ever got message
from me-" she said, composedly enough
but without trying to make the words
sound completely casual. Il left one
with your butler one day last winter
when you were hurt. l hope you're
quite all right again. I've known, the
last two or three months, how miser-
able it is to be ILL.,"
Joe remarked, without answering
her question, that he'd heard she
hadn't been well, but that, apparent
ly, her trip had done her good.
81 don't know whether it was going
away or coming back that did it," she
said, so lightly and swiftly that Henry
was not quite sure whether he'd heard
her Alright or not. She went straight
on, with a good deal more emphasis,
to mention tea. She thought she could
manage to produce some If they'd
like it.
Another odd thing happened then.
Violet offered to go and make it, nat
urally enough, since she had been the
one who had suggested having it; and
Henry, equally of course, insisted on
doingiit himself. This was his house.
and tea-making was his speciality. He
took hesitating step toward the door,
saying, "But, of course, If you would
rather make it, Violet"
She whipped around, and in so do
ing turned her back squarely on Joe,
her face ablaze with an uncomfortable
evaporation. Her voice had a per-
ceptible edge on it, too, though luck
lily it was not as expressive as her
face, as she said, "I've no passion for
making tea, Henry, nor even for drink
ing it If it's any bother"
(TO BE CONTINUED)