The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1930-03-07
By WYNDHAM MARTYR
COPYRIGHT IN THE q. s.
wNU Service

Ana during the last week her rather
had been letting fall sly hints that
Northampton might not seem so far
away as she thought.
did you close the contract?" she
asked, when she had kissed them.
Money is tight" said Unwin. again
plucking leaves. 81 shall try them in
months time"
He saw Mary droop a little. He
knew the disappointment. II nerved
him to give her uncalled-for encour-
agement.
''I've something up my sleeve better
than that old contract ON Thursday
morning ask me what mean. II may
mean Smith for you and Tech for
Bob"
1t seems too good to be true" the
girl said. DADDY, I'm so tired of
being Mr.. Railways stenographer. I'm
in a constant atmosphere of fear and
it's bad for me. Every one in the
Office trembles when he comes in. If
ii weren't that he pays more than
I'm worth I'd leave tomorrow"
When she had gone down TO prepare
the evening meal Irwin looked at his
wife anxiously. "Mary is very beau
tiful girl" he said. 81 wonder if
undesirable men try to force them
selves on her." he walked about the
roof garden aimlessly. That was his
chief defect, his uncertainty of aim.
Bob, the seventeen-year-old son. with
the mechanical turn OF mind. came in
Unwin turned to greet him with a
cheerful smile. He anticipated the
unasked question.
81 didn't get it," he said; money
was light. went in at bad time
Next month, perhaps. I'm sorry.
Bob"
The boy was taller than his father
In a sense he was more reSolute and
reliable man. He put his arms about
the elder with a protective gesture
Il know you did your best" be said
simply.
ARa all through the dinner poor IN
win was haunted by the certainty that
he had not done his best.
When the hour for dinner drew near
Gibbons was inclined to blame the
pale secretary that men like Betting
ton and Unwin, with whom he had
now no common ground of intercourse,
should be his guests.
Outside the house Floyd Unwin was
waiting for Howard Bettington. He
needed moral support. He had come.
so he told himself, upon task that
hardly promised success. He cursed
himself for his perpetual enthusiasms
1t had looked 80 simple, so probable,
so assured. He had been losing cour-
age ever since he had donned his
ancient evening dress.
He had not seen Bettington for FL
most ten years, but there was no mis-
taking the tall form that came toward
him out of the gloom. Together they
knocked at the bronze doors. In the
few moments that elapsed before a
foOtnian opened to them. Bettington
found himself ashamed that the old
friendship had meant so little. He
was conscious, wildly, of the good.
dreaming student days, when Irwin
had been so close friend He had
forgotten Unwin after the first few
years. Unwin had married while at
Cambridge. Then came the girl and
he RI haI -;
old friend painting. That was ALL
AS to Gibbons, that was different. The
financier was so constantly spoken of
that he was fresh in che mind. But
all these years Howard Bettington had
not once tried to meet him. He had
heard him speak at public banquet
and had seen that the man be used TO
like was dead. In his place had come
the grasping, INSCRIPTIONS capitalist
who was to carve bis way to power.
The fOotman, when he had ushered
the guests into hall, where the but
Ter stood commandingly, looked curl
ously at them. He knew they were
not habitues of the Gibbons home, or,
where such as he were content to
serve. AT BettingtOn the lackey looked
with faint approval. Bettington wore.
as was his custom, black velvet din
ner coat. But it was we'll cut and
the man moved as though these mag
nificent halls were his usual haunts.
Ii was at Unwin. poor Floyd Unwin
scholar and failure, that the men
servants looked with scorn. Such gar
ments were not now worn. Bettington
saw that Unwin was losing what small
confidence he possessed. He patted
the shorter man almost affectionately
on the shoulder and simulated ap
prevail. "You look splendid" he muir.
INJURED. 81 suppose | ought to have
worn full dress, too"
Irwin trotted by his side vastly
gratified Gibbons was standing with
that faint sheer on his face which had
become habitual. The financier was
prepared to be thoroughly bored. He
judged man by his ability to make
money; and with these standards he
had only contempt for the small
nervous man who peered through thick
lenses at him. He looked with deeper
interest at the painter.
at doesn't seem possible we are al
of an age" he said, when they were
seated. "Tu5by looks fifty, look
forty, and I'm id if Betty doesn't
look ten years less. How do you dc
it?"
Bettington resented the sneerine
manner in which the successful mar
of affairs regarded Irwin.
ITO me you look the elder" he sale
sua .ely. "Tubby may have put or
weight. but there's age in your face
Three Brass Balls. and wrinkles {
half-inch Deep"
Gibbons flushed. He had not forgot