The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-06-25

change Of color, looked up at her COM
panion.
'How did you know that?"
II must have dreamed It."
Eyes. But Vance and / had been
engaged a long, long time before I
met Ian. Seven years, in fact. Isn't
that terrible timer"
ut is" laughed the nurse, reflecting
complacently upon her own engage
ment of year, soon to be happily
terminated. II think most engage
ments just naturally expire If they
stand that long,"
Mrs. Benedicts lips twisted In a
wistful smile that seemed to look back
to days when she was not SO happy as
at present.
"Do you know, nurse" she said
softly, II think, if Ian had not
died and Vance's life been wrenched
so violently, we never would have
married. We had been engaged too
long, as you say. He was wild, and
was wild; perhaps poor Vance thought
me little swift to make a good wife.
But somehow Ian always saw the real
me behind the mad escapades. He
was my champion, always ready to
defend me, get me out of scrape,
make love to me himself or try to
straighten Vance up for me. 1 was
so mad about Vance that l couldn't
seem to see the other man; but he
was there, always, when he was need
ed. He was-what shall / call him.?
yes, friend, the best and truest.F
Vance was comparatively poor. AllI
this"-her gesture swept the stately,
house and grounds-"was made pos-ss
sible by Ian. He left his fortune to-.
Vance," r
The pretty nurse bent suddenly [
over her.
Dear Mrs. Benedict, you are tired
you look pale. Had you not better
go int"
"No-I want the baby There he
comes now with his nurse, and-why,
Vance is with them. How lovely!"
The man stood apart, arms folded,
the immobife mask he wore hiding
whatever Joy or pride he experienced
as his son was laid in its mothers
lap. She made a soft sound as she
folded back corner of the blanket
which wrapped the infant and gazed
hungrily at the tiny, perfect face. A
long time she looked, without speak
Ing.
1t was Miss Joyce who broke the
silence as she said, trifle anxiously,
'You are trembling with fatigue, my
dear. Let me hold the baby"
Mrs. Benedict looked up rather
blankly. For moment she seemed
not to have heard or understood the
nurses words. Then, abruptly, she
surrendered the blanketed bundle.
She nodded to the older nurse.
you can go, Mrs. Bassett Miss Joyce
will bring him in to you presently"
Then, turning TO her husband, she
murmured, "Sit here beside me, dear.
We can look at the baby together.
am tired and want to lean on your
shoulder"
He came quickly to her, putting his
arm about the slender figure and hold
ing her against him.
Miss Joyce, grooming to the baby
in nearby armchair, was watching,
rather nervously, the peculiar ex-
preston of her patients face as she
sat with head bent down against her
husbands breast. She saw the 9TH
er woman's arm steal up about his
neck as he whispered softly to her.
Her white, small fingers touched his
hair. Then suddenly, quicker than
thought, the gray mask was torn away
and flung upon the grass.
Miss Joyce sat staring at the
mask, fearing to raise her eyes TO
the horror which they must see. The
square of gray silk lay beside the
photograph which, forgotten, had fall
len to the ground. The two who had
sprung up and stood facing each other
made no sound. And at last,
trembling, Miss Joyce raised her eyes.
The face Of the man was neither
scared nor torn, nor otherwise repel-
liant. The features were grave and
kind, and flooded with an impas-
stoned, pleading tenderness. They
were the features of the photograph
which lay upon the grass.
Miss Joyce, clasping her small bur-
den, fled to the house. Behind her she
heard the woman's voice, strained yet
somehow joyful-''The baby looked
like you, Ian. 1 had to know. OIL
have been blind-my dear"