The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1924-11-28

Here was a long pine box, hoped with
tin bands for shipping, It's lid securely
nailed on. He set down his lamp ant
with shirt-sleeve wiped1off some of the
accumulation ofsdust and spider-web
A card with the words, David Bur
rill Lee. Rocky Bend" tackled to II
made Its appearance. Lee shook his
head and attacked the lid.
/ ITS like digging out a dead man.
he muttered. well, we'll bury hin
again tomorrow"
1t was box of odds and ends
Clothing, few books. pack of pho
tographs, an ornate bride, a pair OF
gold-chased spurs, a couple Of hats
gloves, no end of the varied articles
which might have gone hastily into
such receptacle as this from the hur
ried packing in bachelors apart
ments. Bud Lee, with dress-suit ant
the articles 1t demands, even to tic
and dancing-shoes. went back into the
room above.
Like Hampton" he unused, looking
at the things in his hands, II wonder
what It'll feel like to get back into
thesel I'm a fool" He laughed short
~ and set to work to improvlse a fiat
iron to take the worst wrinkles out OF
the cloth. "Once fool, always q
fool. You can't get away from it,
1t was settled. He was going &c
Marcia's party. He insisted upon cab
ing 1t in his mind, ''MarcIa's party
And he was wondering, as he shaved
how Judith was going to look.
AS Bud Lee came through the Macs
into the courtyard, he heard the tinkle
of distant piano and the tremolo-of a
violin, so faint as hardly to be distln
| guished above the plash and gurgle
of the fountains. The court, bathed
in soft light, seemed a corner of fairy
land, the music vanishing elfir
strains to some mischievous troop put
ting signs and love dreams into sleep
ing maids breast. The night was rich
| with stars, warm with summer, serene
with the peace of the mountains. He
was late. They were already dancing
within.
He stood a moment, looking in at
| the outer edge of the flood of light
which gushed through the wide doors
Behind him japanese lanterns hang,
ing from vine-covered trellis; before
him flowers, bright chandeliers. girls
dresses like fluttering, many-colored
Ito nh hut uyfn0 haf
been saying to himself: Il must hurry
if / want to dance with Marcia" And
something stirring restlessly within
bim showed aside the thought of Mar
cha and put in its stead the old won
der: "What sort of a Judith would he
see tonight?"
He found it difficult to form any
picture Of her here, among these gay
inconsequent merry makers. Judith to
him spelled a girl upon horse, boot
ed, spurred, with scarf about her
neck futtering wildly behind her as
she rode, the superb, splendid figure OF
girl of the out-of-doors,s alive with
the hot pioneer blood which had beer
| Her TlCH q SUI VI WOAdCl
| full boy-girl. Remove her tapping hat
her boots and spurs and riding-suit
and what was left of Judith
Outside were half dozen of the
| boys who had not mustered courage tC
set foot on the polished floors, Carson
and Tommy Burkirt among them
! Tommy stared at Bud Lee and his
| jaw dropped in amazement. Carson
took swift stock of such clothes as he
had never suspected a good horse
foreman owned, and gasped family:
"The d-n =. lady-killer"
But Lee had neither eyes nor
thoughts for them, nor remembrance
of his own change from working garb
to that of polite society. The dance
came to a lingering end, the couples
throughout the big room strolled up
and down, clapping their hands softly
or vehemently as their natures or de
gree of enthusiasm dictated, and Lee
forgot Marcia and sought eagerly for
glimpse of Judith.
Refused a second encore, the couples
stood about chatting. the hum OF
lively voices bespeaking eager enjoy
ment. There was no early chill upon
the assembly, to be dissipated as the
dance wore on; the day of festiyity
outdoors had thawed the thin crust of
icy strangeness which is so natural a
part of such a function as this. AL
ready 1t seemed that everybody was
on the most cheerful terms with every
body else.
Suddenly his eyes, still seeking
Judith. found Marcia. Surrounded by
a little knot of men, each of them
plainly seeking to become her happy
partner for the next dance, adorably
helpless as usual, Miss Langworthy
was allowing the men to fight It out
among themselves. Lee moved a little
nearer to see her better. In pale
blue gown, fluffy as a summer cloud,
her cheeks delicately flushed, white
rose like a snowdrop in the gold of
| her hair she was fiutteringly happy,
reminding him of those little meadow
blues that had flown palpitatingly
about him that day In the fields And
she was obviously as much at her
ease here, in an atmosphere Of music