The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1928-09-21
CHAPTER vi
f.

Doris had had a white night She
was an uncommonly healthy girl, and
her sleep was ordinarily sound But
perhaps it is not surprising that on
this particular night the wheels got
going round. The truth is, the shock
she had received from Nina Morgan's
revelation was tremendous. She
could not have been more surprised If
she had suddenly discovered that her
own father was a rogue, and the
height of her previous confidence In
Jim Stanley was measured by the
depth of the perturbation that now
overwhelmed her.
Her state OF mind was indeed pc
culiar for girl who has just engaged
herself to be married. She thought
mostly, in fact, not of the man of her
choice, but OF the man whom she had
discarded for him. In fact, If Water
man could have known the thoughts
that were surging in her head the
better part of that night, he would
have been a good deal disquieted.
Word by word. and step by step,
she retraced the details of her talk
with Nina Morgan. She re-examined
the girls story. She tried to find a
flaw in it, tried to see what possible
motive Nina could have had for lying.
In vaiE-there could be none.
And yet she had wild impulse TO
20 to Stanley the very next morning.
IN -. .ho o;rl,S Storv apd och him
for Gods sake to explain it. But this
she realized, she could not possibly do.
She had given her word of honor. No.
she was bound to silence by her own
act.
Her maid found her slightly irritable
while dressing. for a new source of
anxiety had just occurred to her-her
father. No-she must go to church
alone. She found herself reluctant to
tell her father of her engagement. She
could not explain this to herself 1t
surprised her. but there II was. She
made up her mind also not 70 see him
until she had seen Waterman again
She could not disguise from herself
the fact that she was most unhappy.
She knew perfectly well that If her
father saw her he would guess il, and
guessing it. though he might not ask
her why, he would he distressed if she
withheld her confidence. No. she could
not see him until she had had time in
which to get a better grip upon her
self. She could adjust herself TO what
she had to face. but she must have
time. Church was the safest place
she would go TO church.
Waterman arrived at the church In
time for the occasional. Standing
there he heard the diminishing voices
of the choir. the last throb of the or
gan. the final hallelujah. the ultimate
Amen.
Doris smiled brightly as she came
mp the aisle.
LET'S 90 for walk" she said.
II was a lovely. soft October morn
ing. The air was bland, the sun was
bright, there was no wind at all. The
skies were almost like the skies OF
Paris in the month of May
.Rollin." said Doris. as soon as they
were out OF ear-shOt of the church
door. 1--WE been thinking"
About what?"
"AbOut jim"
"Yes. yes. | know. So have l."
"Rollin, I've been wondering II we
are doing quite right"
"What do you meanw
Isn't there some possible way by
which | can test the truth of that
girls story?"
Waterman was considerably Jared
nv this. Heaven knew what might not
turn up If his fancee were. allowed
to continue thinking along this line.
But" he objected. II thought that
you were thoroughly convinced that
she was telling the truth?"
$50 am-so far as anybody can be
convinced by story that Is unsup.
ported by independent evidence. After
you left last night | couldn't sleep
/ beat my brains for hours trying to
imagine what motive she might have
for lying to me, but II didn't seem pos
sible that any such motive could exist
and il doesn't now"
my dear girl. Pm afraid there isn't
ANYTHING more to do about 1t. And
You mustn't go on torturing yourself