The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1932-03-18
CHAPTER IV-Continued

lie how am to believe anything
you say to me?" she cried. Jim, you
don't know what you are saying |!
You can't know. Jim, do you
mean that when you have taken me
in your arms, it has been a lie? When
you have kissed me it has been
a lie, too? Jim, you can't mean
that. :" 1t was a cry right up
from the depths of her hurt heart. A
cry it would have been easy to an
swer. He had only TO take her into
his arms and tell the lie again. =.
But still he couldn't. The personal
equation was a stronger thing than
he had ever known. He shook
himself free of her hands and moved
away from her.
81 do mean it." he said.
She went so terribly pale that he
thought she was going to faint; but
she didn't. She stood stone still, for
a moment, then bowed her head and
covered her face with her hands. The
utter stiffness Of her was almost IN
canny. 1t seemed to him that no liv-
ing thing could ever have appeared so
utterly lifeless. Then slowly she
raised her face. all white and drawn,
and looked up at him again.
"Then suppose" she said toneless-
~. Il suppose it is true sup
pose l must believe. :"
The change in her was startling.
Some life had gone out of her eyes
some lit from her voice. It was as
if in that moment of stiffness her
youth had died. With a word he had
killed the lovely youngness of her.
1t gave him a feeling of having driven
his fist into the face of a child.
But. JIM" she went on in the same
toneless voice. "Why? Why, Jim?
What has made you do this to me?
What have | done that you should
want 70 hurt me sop
You are your fathers daughter"
he answered slowly.
Then what is it that he has done?
Jim. you must tell me. You can't do
a thing like this and leave me all in
the dark You can't say these night
mare things and leave them unex-
planned You must tell me. What
has father done?"
do you remember telling me Of the
man who had robbed a pay clerk and
been imprisoned ?"
She drew a breath as If she knew
what was coming. and nodded.
do you remember saying that he
was hOrrid? And that he had to be
hurt?'
yes"
"Well, I'm that man."
There was silence. Her eyes never
left his face, but they were quite un.
readable. Whether she was shocked
at this news or not, he couldn't tell
Perhaps after what had just gone she
was past the point Of being shocked
further. She was so unmoved that he
aid again:
81 am that man."
well" she said in that steady,
measured voice that sounded so ter
ribly wrong. from her. well. you
are that man. then; | believe you.
After tonight. | don't think | shall
ever find it difficult to believe any,
thing. You are that man. still don't
understand. I'm slow, ! suppose
But why did you marry me. Jim?"
ITO pay them back" The words
fell very cold and clear.
Father" she questioned.
"And-Ames."
"Oh, yes. . I'm beginning to
see. - She passed a tired hand
across her eyes.
"They let me go to prison." he said
harshly. For three years. :"
For robbing pay clerk?"
"Yes with violence. =.
Three years penal was my SEN
tence. :" There was another ST.
lence. then:
Had you done it, Jim?" Her dead
voice came up to him, hitting on his
nerves. If only she'd change the tone,
show some life.
you said that that man must have
done it," he retorted bluntly. "YOu
said that Ames wouldn't have let him
go to prison if it hadn't been absolute
ly proved that he had done it. -
Yes; did say that remem-
Der. :" she admitted.
You said" he went on. ''that he
must be hurt. Well. he has been
hurt. Believe me, he has been
hurt. Can you imagine what a
purgatory prison is. Can you pic
ture what II meant to ne, with my
strength and ambitions, to be caught
and held for three whole years? With
life going by outside? Three years
Thirty-six whole months. A hun
dred and fifty-six dragging weeks. :.
Over a thousand interminable days.
=. ! Hurt?' be laughed DULY. Don't
worry about that, Lucy. =. I've
been hurt +. good and plenty. :"
"And so you hurt met" she said.
"No; them-your father and Ames
through YOU"
"You set yourself to make me love
you, so that you could make Oliver
suffer &. and father. ="
Hell scarcely like to have jail
bird for a son-in-law," he broke in
bitterly.
"Oh, yes. see. +. 1t was neat
plan, and marvelously successfully
carried through"
If she would only cry or break down
in some way, he thought. This dead
level calm was CHASTITY to listen to-
sand ! see why you were afraid OF
losing me. Always so queerly afraid