The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1927-02-04
HE WAS
A CONFIRMED
WOMAN-HATER
By oRRIN B. SMART

((THAT man, Miss Banks" said
Lady Sylvia, lis our district
governor, John Garner. 1t is
a remarkable achievement of
mine to have induced him to come to
my party, because he is a confirmed
woman-hater."
Doris Banks surveyed Mr.. Garner
thoughtfully. She had never encoun-
tered the species In her native state.
She was accompanying her father on
his visit to Singapore, where he had
accepted charge of big water-works
plant.
She was fascinated by the strange
sights, by the tropic life, the spectacle
| of the handful! of English men and
women living ever upon the crater Of
native disaffection.
He was Tilted ONCE" added Sylvia.
1T was years ago, 1 think. He is
thirty-seven now. We know all the
mems ages in Singapore. But they
don't know ours" she added, smiling.
Doris learned more about John Car
ner during the ensuing days. He was
the administrator the most feared by
the natives. On him devolved the re-
sponsibility of the administration of a
province little larger than New Jer-
sey, and ten times as populous.
Doris was alternately interested
and piqued by his indifference to her.
She had met him several times, and
once he had ridden a little way with
her, but he hardly spoke to her and
1t was evident that she was, to him, a
child.
Il congratulate you on your con-
quest, DEAR" said Lady Sylvia to Doris
one day. II hear that the mis-
| anthropic John Garner has been rid
ing with you"
"We happened TO meet. 1 don't
like him." said Doris, struggling her
| shoulders.
"He is a comfortable sort Of man,
though, isn't hep said Lady Sylvia.
I'm what wayT
81 mean the sort of man a woman
likes to have about her in time Of
/ danger. And you know times are very
/ critical here. Although we pretend
not to be afraid, we are really fright
ened out Of our wits with all this talk
Of native uprising. But now for
| John Garner: l believe you have
made more impression on him than
you imagine. What a joke it would
be to win the woman-hater's heart"
"a job for a time, till it was won,
| perhaps" said Doris.
I'D love to see him feeding out Of
your hand, my DEAR" said Lady Syl-
via. 'sIt would repay some of US wom-
en- for what we have suffered from
his Indifference to our affections"
do you mean that?"
ST certainly do. But it isn't pos
sible."
ct is possible" said Doris, remem-
bering John Gamers face of patroniz-
/ ing approval. And I'll do it"
She did it. How, is a woman's Sc
! cret, but in three weeks time John
! Garner was "eating out Of her hand"
His infatuation was the talk Of Singa-
pore. They rode together, they
danced-for John Garner had come
out Of his shell, and it was pathetic
to see the man trying to regain his
lost youth at Doris feet And at last
came the looked-for evening when he
asked Doris TO be his wife.
1t was at the governors ball. Doris
/ listened, while her heart was alter
| nately elated at her conquest and
bowed down under the sense Of guilt
When he had finished she raised her
head, looked into his eyes, and
! laughed.
But 1 don't love you, Mr.. Garner"
1 she answered, and 1t was less the re-
fusal than the jeering tone that stung
John Garner to the quick.
+ The look that he turned On her then
| was not patronizing, but it made Doris
| feel more Inundated than she had
ever felt in her life before. 1t stung
her as her words had stung him.
Without a single word he turned and
left her.
Doris never forgot. Singapore had
become unbearable to her. She felt
outraged, she felt as if she wanted TO
sink under the kindly earth and be
hidden there forever.
Daddy, take me home" she plead
ed a few days later. Il am tired Of
Singapore"
Henry Banks looked at his erratic
daughter whimsically. "Why, my dear,
I thought you were devoted TO the
place." he said "Still, my work is
almost finished, and the hot season
will be here in a week or two. Sup
pose we sail in ten days time"
Il don't want to wait ten days"
sobbed Doris, and ran out of the
room, leaving her father looking after
her with that expression a man wears
when he discovers that he has pro-
duced something totally unexpected
They had booked their passage on
the vessel, but they were not destined
to sail on it. For on the second night