The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1931-06-05

ance was sure to be upon his return
from Europe.
The Classes lived in magnificence
that seemed towering even to the ac-
customed eyes of Ada. The sweeping
lawns, the baronial halls, the superb
art wing and spacious nursery quar-
tiers were on scale gargantuan. Eve
lyn's youngsters, true to forL-, were
neither mentally nor physically re-
markable. A nice enough brace of
children. boy and girl who had
inherited much of their mothers dusti-
ness and apparently little of their ia
theirs glamor.
Evelyn herself had not changed. In
fact she had not even aged. The moth
gray quality in her was apparently
dust cover to the years. Quiet, unob-
trusive, completely lusterless, she was
the same quiet enigma who had star
tied her community by capturing the
brilliant Tom Cass.
When Tom returned from what had
been the flying business trip to Lon
don his delight upon re-meeting Ada
was all that Evelyn had promised her
it would be. Here was recreation, q
new toy. a new delight, new face.
The years had dealt lightly with
him, as life had in general. He was
personality amoLg personalities, as
sured, tremendously jovial, magnetic
even beyond what he had been. Sue
cess had italicized him.
Curious, the bantering, sex-con-
scious, excited relationship that was
Immediately re-established between
him and his old colleague. 1t was as
if the intervening years hid been
merely hiatus, and here they were
again, tiptoe as they had been in
their youth, filled with awareness of
each other. tantalizing to each other
and strangely exciting.
During these months the beauty OF
Ada seemed to take on a new sheen.
Her dolly blue eyes became brighter,
her hair more jonquil yellow, the nat
ural pink in her cheeks more surpris-
ing. She was taking the particular
social set in which she Las finding
place for herself, chiefly it is true,
through the Cases, by storm. Her
dinners. her functions became focal
points of the city's gayety. Not only
Tom, but the town was agog with
her.
What did he see in Evelyn?
More and more this question began
to torment Ada. Why, here within
arms reach, except for this drab
woman with no face in particular, was
happiness beyond anything she had
dreamed. Not the person to err twice,
her second alliance would not only be
crowned with success, but it now be-
came evident to Ada that all through
the years of her marriage to another
man, her one grand passion had been
for Tom Cass. And here he was, ready
of a plain wife and plain children,
ready t. march himself back into her
heart
Fool, fool, fool that she had been,
ever to miscalculate in those years
back thereto let slip for want OF
Imagination, yes. it had been just that,
the youth with a future, for what
seemed to her to be the youth with
his future in his hand.
Fool. Fool. Fool.
What does he see in her?
Of course, the expected happened.
There came time when Tom, as II
to announce to the world he was no
more than human, began to be seen
about more than was discreet in the
company of the golden grass-widow.
Inevitably there was talk. One or two
of his friends even ventured to remOn-
strate. But Tom was involved. Tom
was smitten. Every one, with the ex-
ception of Evelyn, saw that. Plain as
the nose on your face. Tongues
wagged.
Tragic! Even with all his security,
a scandal hurts a man like CaSs. Has
always seemed devoted to Evelyn.
Well, serves her right, letting herself
remain drab. Can't expect t, hold
dynamo like Tom Cass. Poor Eve
Ign. Wonderful woman. Such sense
of humor, but dumb!
Never a word out of Evelyn. Never
a lapse in her carrying on Of the
gigantic household, her duties to her
children, to her social position, to her
husband.
Funny thing, said Ada, al I'D to her
mirror one night. I've feeling she is
laughing at me. Fool!
There came the crisis. Ada lost. A
sickened, revolted Tom suddenly
jerked to his senses, staggering from
her presence with a sense of finality
and self-loathing.
Strange, but Tom, too, had the
sense as he lay with his head ii Eve
lyn's lap and his arms flung about
her knees, that she was laughing at
him.
mo, darling, / am not laughing.
It's just that am so much wiser than
you are, sweetheart. I've been watch
ing it happen, praying for how it
would end-and somehow knowing m
bad boy to be just the youngest mem
Der of this family, feeling so sure
so sure just had to
see the funny side or go un-
der"
(0. 1881. Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate,
(WNU Service.)