The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1932-03-11
CHAPTER III-Continued

s.
But she rewarded him with a quick
little look of delight, as she caught
his big hand in hers, and turned the
Old-fashioned ring round.
It's a sweet" she said softly. He
pulled it off and slid it on to the third
finger of her left hand.
It's rather large, I'm afraid" he
said. But she only answered.
It's all warm from being on your
finger" and she raised it and laid it
against her cheek, caressingly. Then
she looked up at him with laughing
eyes
Now, I'll wear a great big one as
well, even a flashing one, if you want
me to as a concession to the wicked,
cOnQuering cave-man in you, that
wants to advertise his conquest. -. :"
He laughed with her, not quite GER
tainly; then put out hand and drew
her close to him.
81 must go and you must sleep.
Lucy, you'll marry me soOn?
LAS soon as you like" she promised
He drew a breath.
Then it will be soon as it is pos
sible," he told her. "Good night,
Lucy"
She raised exquisite eyes TO his.
Good night" she said softly.
"Jim Jim. :" She spoke the
name as if the sound of it were sheer
music to her; then drew away, add
ing:
Jim, wasn't it queer, the way we
met? The odd chance of it. And
then the necklace breaking. AS
II warning ME that nothing in my
whole life was ever going to he the
same again! And, you see, it isn't"
His arms caught her close to him.
at that; so close that the strength of
them was painful
Nothing in your life is ever going
TO be the same again." he repeated,
steadying his voice with an effort
''The symbol was true in that"
True and wonderful" she whis-
pered. breathless in his embrace. Jim,
don't crush me all to nothing, dear.
I'm not going to try to escape
don't want my life TO be the same
again | want it to be like
this with you. - She
raised her face to his, and once again,
his lips were close upon hers.
That was how James Lee won John
Gresham's girl Taking the sweet
ness of her lips, for his lOveless kisses.
Giving revengeful triumph in exchange
for her loving heart.
Three weeks later they were mar
ried. Lee hurried it on, anxious to
have it safely over before Ames came
back from Norway. He was not en-
tirely sure that Ames would not recog-
nize him. As a matter of fact, Ames
was in no hurry to get back. When
he heard from Lucy, telling of her en-
gagement to Lee, he made business an
excuse for staying away till the first
agony of the news had subsidized. She
had written as tenderly as she could.
During her whirlwind engagement
Lucy learned many things about the
man she loved.
And he certainly managed TO make
that three weeks time of dreams
His wOOing was a quick, determined
affair that swept all before it; impa-
tient enough to have been the wooing
of an ardent love, instead of. as it
was, a wooing of revenge. And, as
he had told himself, Lucy made ii
easy. She adored him for his differ
ence from other men: for his splendid
size and strength: for his curious.
brooding silence; and the sudden tenn
pests of emotion, that made him catch
her close in an embrace that had
something almost desperate in it. as
If he were afraid that he might. after
all, lose her. She leased him about
this once, and he looked at her
startled. and after a moment, said in
an odd way:
well, it's true; | am afraid that
something will steal you from me and
destroy all :" He drew a breath.
Then finished: "All my hopes"
She laughed at him tenderly, for his
fears, and, because she did not re-
motely understand the reason of them
loved him all the more for them
If there were moments-moments
perhaps, when she Struggled into his
arms, confiding and content; or when
she said some little, specially fond
thing; or when, with the slightest i'm.
aginable breaking through of her
rather shy reserve, her lips would
cling a touch more closely than usual
when he took his goodnight kiss-ii
at these moments the voice of con.
science told him that 1t was a das
tardly thing he was doing, he turned
a deaf ear to il and refused to listen
Didn't he owe them everything In the
nature Of revenge, that he could pos
sibly pay? Were they to be allowed
TO rob him of those three years. and
get off scot-free?
Their wedding was a quiet one; Il