The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1924-03-14
CHAPTER vI-contInued.

your miuu was ali AiSht, ohN
wait for that. But of, course I'm on
his side," Jennie went on. "As sais,
I'm fond of him. All I've cared about
you was whether you were going 70
make him happy or miserable. Thats
all I've had a chance to care about
because / don't know you very well.
think l could get to like you, II we
ever had a decent human chance,
You're enough like him for that.
"But in this last particular mess
was on your side. did all |. could to
keep it from being a mess. met
your father at the train myself. and
lied to him about the reason why
which isn't thing I like to do with
people care about. kept him away
from home as long as possibly could,
to give George Burns chance to
bring you back first. So / haven't
been an-enemy exactly"
The girls eyes were smoldering. If
you weren't an enemy, why did you
give George away?" she asked. sui
lenly.
THAT was my mistake" Jennie adj
mitted. 81 didn't think of it as CIV
ing him away. I thought he'd done
good job and wanted him to get the
credit for it. When I saw how your
father was taking it, 1t was too late
to STOP"
81 should think you might have
known"
1t wasn't gracious reception of an
apology, but there was note of
wavering In 1t that gave the older
woman an intimation of victory. She
was content to say, THAT'S right.
suppose l must have" and wait.
"Oh, i haven't got anything against
you-especially," Trix broke out at
last. "And don't suppose It's your
fault that you're here. But-did you
ever have anybody watching you and
telling tales on you? Making that
their business? Well, you'd hate 1T,
too. And you'd hate anybody that did
1t. And the nicer and smoother they
tried to be, the more you'd hate them.
l don't know why you've been letting
me alone, like you have; having me
give the orders and letting me go
wherever I liked in the car
"But you think it was because l was
trying to get something on you, to
report to your father? Is that 1t?
Good Lordl Talk about poisoning
wellsl 1 don't mean you-nor your
father, either. But what situation I"
She took minute to think 1t over /;
blankly at first, but then she began
to find her line. Look here, Trix, "
she said; "weIl sign treaty. I'll give
you my word not to write any letters
TO your father about you, or about any
thing that concerns you. You manage
the correspondence yourself. If we
come to a final smash I'll write and
tell him why, but I'll show you the
letter before 1t goes. In the mean
time, I'm not spy. I'm not watching
you. and I'm not having-you watched,
either. won't ask the new chauffeur
where you've been. That's the sort
of thing mean. Is that all right, as
far as it goes"
The girl had curled herself up in a
corner of the davenport, her chin in
the crook of an elbow. There was
something compact about her poses,
even in relaxation. She looked quite
a lot like a young tom-cat. She said
nothing to Jennie's proposal for the
better part of minute, and then it
was not an answer.
what do you want me to promise
on my side?" she asked.
II can't think of anything want TO
ask you to promise" Jennie had put
a faint stress on the word ASK" but
she didn't know whether 1t had reached
the girls ear or not.
After another silence Beatrice
asked, "Does that include kilograms,
too?-that you won't send father about
me?"
Until she tackled on the supplement
tary question. Jennie hadn't the least
idea what she was talking about. "Tel-
egrams?" she echoed. Then as the
meaning broke over her. "Oh!- Mer-
ciful heavens
The surge of contemptuous disgust
at a suspicion so mean, and a mind
ungenerous enough to entertain it, was
openly revealed in her tone. Trix
looked round, met Jennie's eyes, and
then lowered her own.
I'm sorry" she said. 81 beg your
pardon for asking that. Only, what
are you doing it for? If you're that
kind of person, why did you come?
And If you despise me like that and
and aren't going to tell on me, why do
you stay7 1 know you hate 1t. You
said you did. And it seemed as If
there must be a trick about it, some
how"
Jennie's mood veered suddenly round
to pity. "You poor child" she said
"you have had rotten time of it,
haven't youa I'll try to tell you the
why of 1t ali, as far as I'm concerned
came, as / said, because your father
wanted me to. 1t was little weak
minded Of me, guess. One of the
things in the world I'm proud of Is
the idea he's got that never fail him.
He certainly needed help from some
where Sunday night, so when he
asked me for 1t / said I'd try. On the
off-chance. to tell the truth. that ]
could make better job of 1t than he
had. / can do better than he. once
in a while. with certain kinds OF
things.
"Pll tell you why / thought perhaps
/ could here. It's because you're SO
much like him. I've worked for him