The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-10-18
much about you feel as If I'd known

| he was quite taken aback. He took
the little white hand. and looked
down from his splendid height to the
sweet eyes that gazed into his he
bowed with Icy politeness.
81 feel battered. assure you, that
my brother should have mentioned
me to you"
Here he shot dark look at me.
"Sit down again. Garry" | said
'Berna and | want to talk to you"
He complied, but with an Ill grace.
We all three sat down and grave
constraint was upon us. Berna broke
the silence.
"You will stay with us for time,
won't you?"
''Well, that all depends-I haven't
quite decided yet. want to take
Athol here home with me-"
Home" There was a pathetic
catch In her voice. Her eyes went
round the little room that meant
"home" to her.
yes, that will be NICE" she fal.
tered. Then, with brave effort. she
broke into a lively conversation about
the North. AS she talked an inspira-
ton seemed to come to her. A light
beaconed In her eyes. Her face, fine
as a cameo, became eager, rapt. As
watched her | thought what a per.
feet little lady she was; and l fell.
proud of her.
He was listening carefully, with
evident interest. Gradually his look
of stern antagOnism had given way
to one of attention. Yet l could see
he was studying her. His intent gaze
never moved from her face.
After little, he rose to go
"I'll return to the hotel with you."
I said.
Berna gave us pathetically anx-
ious little look. There was red spot
on each cheek and her eyes were
bright. could see she wanted to
cry.
"I'll be back in half an hour, DEAR"
I said, while Garry gravely shook
hands with her.
We did not speak on the way to
his room. When we reached it he
switched on the light and turned to
me.
Brother, who's this girl?"
"She's-she's my housekeeper.
That's all l can say at present,
Garry"
"Married?"
"NO."
"Good Godw
'Sit down, Garry; light cigar. We
may as well talk this thing over quiet
ly."
He stared at me. His mouth hard
ened; his brow contracted.
"Now," went on" 81 want to say
this. You remember, Garry, mother
used to tell US of our sister who died
when she was baby. How we would
have loved her. would we not, Garry?
Well, tell you this-if our sister had
grown up she could have been NO
sweeter, purer, gentler than this girl
Of mine, this Berna."
He smiled ironically.
"Then," he said, "if she is so won
derful, why, in the name of Heaven,
haven't you married herr"
His manner toward her in the early
part of the interview had hurt me,
had reused in me certain perver-
sity. determined to stand by my
guns
Marriage" said l, isn't every
thing; often isn't anything. Love is,
and always will be, the great reality.
Such a love Is ours. There's not nine
ty-nine in hundred legally married
couples that have formed such a
sweet, love-sanctified union as we
have. That girl is purest gold, a
peach of untold price. There has
never been jar in the harmony of
our lives. We love each other alb
sOlutely. We trust and believe In
each other. We would make any
sacrifice for each other"
"Oh, mani manI' he said crush
ingly, whats got into you? What
nonsense, what clap-trap is this? I'm
almost glad mothers dead. 1t would
surely have broken her heart to know
that her son was living In sin and
shame. living with a"
Garry" l broke in, SIN younger
than you, and respect you; but In
the last few years I've grown to see
things different from the way we
were taught; broader, clearer, saner,
somehow. We can't always follow In
the narrow path of our forefathers.
We must think and act for ourselves
In these days. I see no sin and
shame in what I'm doing. We love
each other-that is our vindicatiOn.
"Balderdash he cried. "Oh. you
anger mel Look here, Athol, l came
all this way to see you about this
matter. You never told me anything
of this girl in your letters. You were
ashamed"
II knew l could never make you
understand"
"You might have tried. I'm not 80
dense in the understanding. No. you
would not tell me. and I've had let
tiers, warning letters. 1t was left to
other people to tell me how you
drank and gambled and squandered
your money; how you were like to
a mailman. They told me you had
settled down to live with one Of the
creatures, a woman who had made
her living in the dance halls, and ev.
cry one knows no woman ever did
that and remained straight. l would
not believe 1t, but now I've come to
see for myself, and it's all true, it's