The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1927-07-08
By George Marsh
Copyright by The Penn Publishing Co.
WNU Service.

"You believe that storyT scoffed
the man of science.
The eyes of the girl hardened.
well. Mr.. Grundy it's none OF your
business or mine, Is it?'
II should distinctly say it was my
business-to have my sister, without
so much as an apology to me, shar-
ing his house with his-squaw," pro-
tested Quarter in tones Of outraged
dignity.
"Very well. How would you like to
have me sleep with you and the men
in the trade-house? He's given me his
room. What more could he do? And
I'd advise you as a guest of Mr.. Guth-
RE to be careful what you say. Did
you notice his face?"
"You mean the scar?'
'No, mean the mouth and the
eye
what about them%
! "Just this. blind man. I'd feel very
sorry for the person who was the
| cause of Mr.. Guthrie losing his tenn
per. Whether it's pity or affection,
don't know, but rather than have the
| last hours of this poor child disturbed,
he'd throw you into the river and the
rest of US with you"
Nonsense. I'll report him to his
superiOrs at Albany If he comes any
high-handed business with me-"
| Arch" she tainted, you know
that you're really bit timid, under
Meath" The man flushed angrily and
started to reply, but the girl stopped
him with her raised hand. You were
pretty scared when that blow struck
us-rather lost your head, brother"
Then she said, soberly: 81 advise you
to be very careful how you buster 70
the factor of Elkwan."
! Guthrie appeared at the door of his
house and called them In to supper.
As DR.. Archibald Quarter followed
his sister into the living room where
the table had been set for three, little
| in its meager furnishings escaped his
rowing eyes.
"We are very primitive here, you
see." Guthrie said as he watched the
biologists minute inspection of his
| quarters, which terminated at the
| bookshelves. "And I cannot guarantee
Anne's bread, it varies, but her carl
| bou stew and broiled whitefish I hope
you will like"
| MY brother, as scientist, Mr..
| Guthrie, is nothing If not thorough in
| his inspections" apologiZed Joan
| Quarter with a grimace which failed
| to conceal from her host her embar-
rassment. "And I shall reveI In your
whitefish."
Quarter turned petulantly. "There
you go again, Joan, always making
remarks at my expense" then adj
dressed Guthrie. 81 see from your
books that you are not interested In
science"
With a significant glance at the
girl, Guthrie soberly answered: mo.
| fear / haven't the scientific mind. I
waste my time up here reading fiction
and hist0ry-poetry, too."
Poetry" With silent depreciation,
Quarter shook his head as he took
the chair Gordon offered at the table.
Old Anne shuff1ed in with the steam
ing stew and crisp whitefish, her
wide, wrinkled face alight with pride
in the dignity of her Office. Quarter
was deep in the narrative of his sum-
mer voyage to the east coast Of Hud-
sons bay In the interest of a Toronto
syndicate, which had been formed TO
explore the region and to exploit, IL
commercially practicable, the copper
and iron deposits known TO exist
when the sound of coughing from an
inner room brought Guthrie to his
feet.
Pardon me-" he said, and left
| them
Quarters thick eyebrows knotted.
Hes paying the piper now. How an
educated man, as he seems to be, can
come up here In this Godforsaken
country in the first place, and then
take up with a squaw-Pahl
The girl he addressed sat tense,
with chin up, listening, as though she
had not heard. In a moment Guthrie
opened the door, his face gray with
anxiety.
"Could you ceme-a momentT' he
asked the girl who had risen from the
table. You said you could help
she's pretty bad?"
Joan Quarter hurried to her medi-
cine kit in Gordon's room, emerged.
and followed him. There, to the an
noyance of the man who ate heavily
Of Anne's cooking, they stayed until
he had finished. At length, when the
| opiate had brought respite to the suf-
| ferer, Joan and Guthrie returned to
the living room.
I'm sorry, SIR" said Guthrie, that
you should be disturbed-that / should
need the services of your sister, but
she's been a godsend"
Quarter nodded stoIidIy, without
! removing his pipe from his mouth.
| Then, as if spurred by a sense of duty
| to the performance of task not too
disagreeable, cleared his throat and
began:
MIR Guthrie, may I ask how you. a
man of education and family, find your
self in a-minor position, so TO speak,
with the Hudson's Bay company?''
A corner of Guthrie's mouth lifted.
His rather deep-set eyes shifted from
the questioner to meet the glance of
the girl, half amused at the abrupt
| question, half wondering at his an
swer.
Your question Is a fair one" he
replied. st came here for my health.