The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1932-04-22
John Gresham's Girl

I'll take you at your word I'll take
the love I'm mad for Lucy. ;"
He took stumbling step towards her
and was close before her now, the tor
tured note turned to sheer agony in his
voice. A moment Of deepest silence
passed; then he broken into laugh,
and his hands dropped to his sides. He
turned from her.
"Skies above! You nearly took me
off my guard!" he cried in a low
voice. =. "But you shall not. You
can't! Offer me all the love in the
world and it shall not weaken me
You are asking me to betray the vows
l made, in the blacklist moments of
my humiliation. Vows made in
prison cell, from soul in purga-
tory, are not to be lightly betrayed
My weakness, shall not conquer my
strength Shall not! Do you hear,
Lucy?" He protested it strongly.
'YeS, hear, jim" she answered.
He caught her by both shoulders,
and drew her toward him. Held her
quite close and looked down into her
eyes.
"The power of woman is very great.
1t can do almost anything it likes, with
a man. Make of him almost any kind
of fool and traitor. But great as
it is, it can't tempt me away from my
task. Do you understand that, Lucy?"
Without looking up, she answered:
Eyes. Very well, Jim. have
tried; that's ALL" She pulled away,
but he held her close.
what can you think that l have
to fear from love" he said, the words
coming through clenched teeth. what
can love do to me, when I can hold
you near, touch you, look down into
your eyes and remain unmOved?"
She wrenched herself free, and
stepped back from him, flushed and
angry-eyed.
Jim, that's hateful! Hateful!
was speaking of love. Real
love. Not a passing, mOmentary
emotion, such as the worst sort of man
might feel, and the basest sort Of
woman might evoke. was speak
ing of love. :"
He stood for a moment hesitating,
then pushed past her, and went out of
the room quickly.
She stood as he had left her, hand
pressed tight over her mouth.
81. can't stand it. =. l
can't!" she cried to herself. II must
get away from it all. Right
away, so that can think. :"
The insult he had just offered her,
hurt badly. To say what he had said
to her, when his heart was given to
Jocelyn. 1t seemed to degrade all that
she had tried to do for him.
81 must get away from it all. ;"
she said again, as she went, after Lee,
to dinner.
Dinner was very silent meal that
evening. During the whole course of
it, he said only one thing. Which
was:
"Gresham's are busy with the ques-
ton of building two boats for the
Pavanari line. Linforths have got to
beat them on the deal You may as
well know that Linforths intend to-"
She looked at him with tired eyes
and said. in a subdued voice:
"Very well, Jim. Go your own way"
During the following week she
scarcely saw him, and when she did
he was particularly morose and I'M
smiling. She felt that she was await
ing some sort of crisis. She found
herself trying to guess what it would
be, and from what quarter it would
arise. Would it come from Jocelyn?
From herself? Or from Jim?
When it came, it came from a quar-
ter she hadn't reckoned on From
Oliver Ames. A letter, telling her that
Linforths had once again beaten them.
Their deal with the Pavanari Line had
fallen through, and he heard that Lin
forths had got the job of building the
boats.
"And it's no particular consolation
to reflect that they are bound to lose
on the Job" the letter went on. 81
think things are going to be serious
But We'll fight, of course. -
The news seemed to galvanize her
back to life and energy. She knew
now what she intended to do.
At breakfast she went round to Jim.
stood beside his chair. and silently
laid the letter before him.
81 told you that, didn't Iv' he said.
SIN going up 20 see Oliver about
this" she said abruptly.
"To Edgestone? Where the Gresham
shipyards are?" he asked, rather as
if he were thinking of something else.
81 shall go to an hotel in Newches-
ter. Edgestone is only. :"
"Four miles out of the city" He
supplied the information in the same
mechanical way.
$50 l can easily go there and see
Oliver Or he. ;" She broke off,
because he rose suddenly, pushing
back his chair, rather violently, and
said in an odd voice:
"Or he can come and see you at
your hotel, suppose"
ayes"
did 1t ever occur to you to ask
whether it would be convenient
to me?"
"No," she said at once. IT didn't
think / was under any obligation to
consult you about it."
Perhaps you're not. What
are you going for?" he broke out after
a moments silence.
ITO see him about this" She point
ed to the letter on the table.
ITO tell him about me, you mean.
don't you" he countered.
mo. | shall not tell him about Won.