The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1927-06-24
Men MnrOO11ed


der. as the panied eyes Of Clara met
her husbands shocked look.
"My poor boy! You-you mean he
actually ordered you away-for
Year," stammered the incredulous
Charles.
Garth's arm shepherded the CULVER
Ing shoulders of the girl, as he nodded
to his brother over her golden head.
"But you look so fit-so rugged,
Garth" protested Clara. you've re-
covered all your weight. I don't un-
derstand."
"And the wedding" EthePs quest
ing eyes lifted to his.
poor dear I wouldn't have the
heart to take you up there. 1t would
be unthinkable." He gravely shook
his head.
up whereY" She turned on him
fear In her eyes. "You can live out
of doors here?"
II can't loaf here-I must do some
thing. And a friend has offered me
the chance of air-and work, too. Up
on James bay. I've been offered
job with the Hudson's Bay company"
Had Guthrie's announced destination
been China, the shock could not have
been more profound to his hearers.
The plump face of his brother dark
ened In a scowl of frank disapproval.
Clara sat open-mouthed, incredulous.
Ethel probed Garth's level eyes. as IL
in doubt of his meanlng-then, chin
in hands, stared duly at the table
cloth.
you bound yourself" she said Mt
length, in a voice empty of emotion.
you planned all this-to go away for
year-without consulting me l
don't seem to count, then" Rising
stiffly, she had left the room, followed
by the sympathetic Clara.
Yes, 1t had been brutally abrupt
unfeeling, admitted the man lying by
his sleeping dog, as the storm drove
past the tent in the alders. But the
alternative would have been endless
letters of protest, reproach, so he had
not written. Through the slow months
of the winter, with their loneliness
and introspection, he had learned to
doubt both himself and Ethel. Often
in the intervals between her visits
with Clara-Charles had been too
busy to appear more than onee-Garth
had desperately tried to analyZe the
nature of her affection; often, in his
doubt of her, fought to free himself
from the magic of her hold over him;
always, In the end, to realize how he
was missing her-how hungrily he
waited for her coming. No, the sep
aration had not broken the spell or
lessened his need of her, but 1t had
touched his enamored eyes with vision.
There in the white hills Of his Danish
ment, beyond the glamor of her phys
zeal loneliness, he had learned to see
how utterly she had failed him. Hurt
in body, disillusioned, he had returned
from the holocaust of Flanders to the
refuge Of her arms-the solace of her
love-to find regret-a yelled shrink
Ing from the change in him; to learn
that she still chung to her memories of
the boy with unmarried face who had
carried away her heart into the maeI-
strom of the final years of the war.
He pictured the scene at the Vic
toria station. Old comrades-fellow
officers, there with their Godspeed,
chatting in group, nearby, while he
talked with family.
ITO think that can hear from you
so seldom-that is what makes 1t so
hard" Ethel was saying.
With a thrust Of the old pain he
remembered that the girl whose face
bore the unmistakable marks Of suf-
fering even at parting, had, from hab-
1t, stood on his left side. A year had
failed to reconcile her. The furrowed
cheek was still thing hideous.
"It is tough. There's only the
Christmas mail and summer packet
up the coast from Albany" he had
replied, "but there's always the chance
of a canoe or dog-team being sent
through between times. So write reg
ularly and I'll get them in time. In
France I'd often get five or six ut
once-and read them in their order"
ooh, you mustn't expect the letters
I used to write, Garth" she had swift
ly replied.
NO." he said grimly, "Pve learned
not to expect that"
'You know why"
eyes, think 1 know why" They
stood, avoiding each others eyes, In
their unvoiced misery.
The train was about to start. A
wave to his friends; a grip of the
hand for Charles; hug for the teary
Clara; and he turned to the dry-eyed
girl. "Good-by, dear. A year is not
so long" He took her In his arms and
kissed her. But the face he touched
was cold. Her arms hung stiff at her
side. ''Good-by, Ethel" he repeated
"Tm sorry"
"Good-by, Garth" she faltered.
This, suppose, is the end-Pve lost
you"
Down the Missinaibi to Moose, up
the coast to Fort Albany, the man who
had gone into the north to find health
and the solution Of his problem in
separation, was companioned by doubt
and self-censure. 1t had been unfair
-brutal-this wrenching himself from