The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1930-03-07
CHAPTER l

MIR. Unwin Makes a Call

MIR. Unwin Makes a Call
The financier, sitting alone in his
remote and splendid library, looked up
with scowl at the apologize secre-
tary who came softly in.
But" the secretary was reiterat-
ing she says he is a very old friend.
Unwin is tie name. Tubby Unwin,
sir. he said you would remember
him by that
He could see that his employer re-
membered. Something of the hard
ness fell from the face Gibbons had
gone back in that moment of recollec-
ton almost twenty years. OF course.
he remembered "Tubby" Unwin. And
with Tubby there swan back into
memory that other one of the three,
Howard Bettington. They were in
Separates at Cambridge In the old
days. Every year they swore to have
a reunion; and in the eighteen years
that had gone by he had not seen them
once
Tell him I'm too busy to see any
one for three days. Then ask him to
dinner" Gibbons thought moment.
"Find out from him If Betty-HOward
Bettington-is in New York. If he is,
ask him to dinner and let me know
when they are coming"
The secretary, assuming an intimate
of his employers must be of the ia
vored classes over whom kind none
tary angels hover, gave Unwin the
message and supposed he was tele-
phoning from another fine residence.
Floyd Unwin's home was not of the
kind to awaken envy even I'm a Glib
bons secretary. 1t was small apart
ment on the fourth floor of a structure
now dwarfed by Notwithstanding and
scornful buildings which hemmed it
in. Unwin's daughter. Mary, used to
say it looked as though it wanted TO
run away and hide, but dare not. If
the place had no beauty it was home
to the Unwins; and there was roof
garden which endeared the common
place fat to them.
II was to this retreat that Floyd
Unwin took his way on the receipt of
Gibbons message. His wife, who
spent most of her invalid hours on
couch, looked up with a smile She
was one of those really good women
who accept bodily ills as Gods judg-
ments; she felt her long illness was
sent in some mysterious way to pre-
pare her for eternal life.
I'm to go there to dinner next
Wednesday," Unwin said, land I'm TO
ask Howard Bettington. Gibbons is a
very big man. They say. In ten years
time he will be the greatest capitalist
in he country" Unwin unused mo-
ment. HE was always inclined to be
hard and masferful. And yet,
to think that but f. r me and my coach
ing, he would never have got his
A. B."
Unwin fell into a mood of depres-
sion. At college re had been esteemed
brilliant, and Gibbons had been ac-
counted dull. And Gibbons was a
multi-milionaire. And Floyd Unwin
solicited advertisements for a trade
journal and was its associate editor
Then he thought of Howard Betting
ton, who had made some success as
q painter of seascapes. Bettington was
the best OF the three. He WAS better
looking, better bred and could have
attained eminence in anything he set
his mind upon. And he had chosen
to adventure into far corners of the
earth and seas and every now and
then exhibit his unusual canvases to
the appreciative few who admired but
did not buy.
ibid you close that contract?" ne
heard his wife, ASK The contract had
been talked over a great deal. The
commission would have removed the
steady calling of an intoIerant indi-
vidual who concerned himself with
payments of furniture on the install
ment plan.
Unwin removed dead leaf from a
plant. He did not want to meet his
wife's eye.
1.-The time was not ripe" he said,
a little weakly. "Next month, per-
haps."
His wife said nothing. To her II
was an evidence that God desired her
to be yet more strengthened and puri.
fed by suffering.
do you think Mr. Gibbons will?'
she asked presently.
"Yes," Unwin answered. "Why
shouldn't he? It's solemn moral OBJ
legation and I'm not sure II isn't q
legal one also. Gibbons was always a
man of his word know he has the
name for being hard in his dealings
but this is iiiferent."
He paused az he heard footsteps
"But not word TO the children.
don't want 20 raise their hopes and
then haze to disappoinl them"
Ii was Mary, eighteen and sweet
and now hopeful. She held In her
hand a packet of the literature that
Smith college sends out to those who