The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-12-17

his was elizabeth LnduKS. Sne
smiled; she could afford to smile, for
she knew from Charles letters that
she held his heart absolutely, al
though he never dreamed of it. But
that night she prayed for his sake that
he might not marry Doris.
The prayer seemed to be strangely
answered. For the next week Doris
came to her, after longer interval
than usual She sat down at her feet
and began patting her hand.
what is it, DorisY' asked Eliza
beth.
Il don't love Charlie" Doris burst
out. ut was all a mistake. / have
found the man I love, and he loves
me. So you will not have any more
of those horrid letters to write. He
isn't the sort of man who is above
me. He is Frank Bewlett."
The actor?"
'Yes," answered Doris meekly.
what will Charlie say?"
II want you to write and tell him."
answered Doris. Promise me. You
know, you got me into this trouble,
Elizabeth, and you must get me out
you must %
Elizabeth sat down that night with
a heavy heart and wrote to Charlie.
Doris was going home; she loved an
other; he must forget her and never
write to her nor try to see her again.
She did not sleep that night, and
went to work with a heavy heart next
day.
That evening Charlie called, and
she was totally unprepared for it.
He came in with a white face.
Il haven't been to see you since
met Doris" he said. Il can't forgive
myself for neglecting an old friend in
my happiness, as 1 supposed it to be.
Do you know-know-W
Elizabeth nodded She could not
manage to utter the trivial sympathy
in her heart.
"Why did she do it?" he demanded.
"We love each other. If you could
have seen the letters she wrote me |!
| They were not the letters of foolish
| girl. There is something / can't I'M
derstand in this. The man she thinks
| she loves now is-well, not the sort Of
man that girl would love-"
He forgot himself in his despair. He
| paced the room. Suddenly he stopped
before EliZabeth's desk. Elizabeth
sprang up. He was looking at half
;elOo Io@f oh hoI
when he came in.
He turned and faced her. what
does this mean?' he asked, looking at
the handwriting. Doris has been
here this evening. See, the ink is
scarcely dry! She has been here, and
she is here now"
mo, Charlie" said Elizabeth help
lessly. you don't understand. Our
writing is very much alike"
81 have never seen her writing" he
| answered, with slow suspicion. But
1 know that the writing of that letter
| is hers"
1T isn't, Charlie. -
"Then you wrote those letters at
| her dictation She showed you my
| letters and dictated her answers to
| you. So they filtered through two
persons-all those fine professions Of
love and eternal loyaltyp' he said Bit
terly.
Elizabeth did not know what to
say. And she solved her problem in
a woman's privileged way by sinking
down into her chair and bursting into
bitter tears.
She looked up at him. Go, now,
pleasew she sobbed. "Yes, think any
| thing you please. l wrote them for
| Doris, if you like. What does it mat
ter, now that your trust has been
betrayed by heartless girlY'
He stood irresolutely in the door
way; then he came forward to where
she sat, her head bowed on her arms,
| striving to still the sobs that rent her
as she thought of the bitterness that
had overtaken their two lives
at means a good DEAL" he said.
did you-did you help her to COM
| pose those letters? And were some
of those thoughts yours? Believe me,
1 see her in her true light now, and
it seems to me incredible that she
could ever have written to me as she
did. The woman who wrote those let
tiers was a woman Of soul far above
| Doris"
Hush Do not think unkindly OF
her." said Elizabeth softly, raising her
streaming face. 1T is all over now.
She would never have understood
what love means"
"You inspired them," he persisted
doggedly.
81 wrote them all, Charlie" said
Elizabeth, rising and facing him. "She
was afraid you would look down on
her. She loved you in her way re
member that. She is only a child
She asked me to help her keep your
love, and wrote them"
He held her hands. 81 thank God,
he answered gravely, "that at least
can keep my faith in women
And he was gone. But Elizabeth
Gray's heart was singing. For she
knew that he would come back, and
that her love for him would find its
reward-some day.