The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1932-04-22
CHAPTER vi
Lucy Goes Away

fresh and unexpected perpleXity await
ing her: Oliver Ames
He was just going up to the door,
and turned as he saw her approaching.
Her heart quickened, and she forced
back the tears that had been fighting
TO master her. But the necessity for
quick thinking steadied her.
Oliver if anyone, would be likely to
recognize Jim, and the time for such
recognition was not yet She
did not know whether Jim was in. but
there was nothing for it but to greet
Oliver with the friendliness he would be
expecting .. = She went up to him:
SOLVER, you utterly surprising per-
son." she cried, 81 didn't know you
were in town" And her voice was
real triumph of conventional lightness.
He turned to her quickly.
'Lucy. how are you: Yes. came
up to see your father about this nasty
smack we've just had from Linforths."
She offered her hand and he took
II in silence. Then:
''I am making my ceremonial call at
q most unceremonial hour" he said
"but. :" She broke in with
rather forced little laugh What
would happen when he came face to
face with jim? Still, she must ask
him in. There was no way of getting
out of 1t. She opened the door with
her key; went in, and invited him to
follow, with all the cordially she
could muster.
She took him into the drawing room
and breathed a sigh of relief at find
Ing that Jim was not there.
At first they talked chiefly of the
Linforths affair, and Oliver was very
outspoken in his indignation.
Its simply dirty trick Linforths
have always been our rivals, but so
far they have fought clean. 1 can't
understand it, quite"
Lucy found it awfully difficult to
endure This was Jim he was speak
ing of. She had to swallow hard be-
fore she could say again:
81 understand perfectly what you
feel, Oliver"
She felt that the truth about Lin
forths must be blazing forth from her
burning face She ought to warn
Oliver that she knew that Linforths
would stop at nothing. But how could
she, without explaining how she knew?
Il think Gresham's ought to be pre-
pared" she said at last, hoping that
the words sounded less shaky to him
than they did to her. prepared
for well, even for a vindictive
campaign"
"Oh, I'm prepared, Lucy | wish |
weren't quite so much in the dark.
seem to be able to find out absolutely
nothing about the enemy. But if he
thinks Gresham's will surrender easily,
he's mistaken. We've big contract
hanging in the balance now. We've es-
timated as low as the thing can be
done l know what I'm talking about.
If Linforths estimate one penny lower,
they'll be doing it simply to under.
cut u.s."
''And then?"
''Then? Why, if they can hold out,
afford to lose hand over fist, why, they
can beat US. But of course, they
Ing it. And anyway" he broke off,
smiling, what right have l to bring
such troubles to you? Is life as
rose-strewn as ever, dear?"
The question, asked with that plucky
smile of his, somehow brought all
her troubles and perplexities, all her
unhappiness, to the surface, and the
tears she had been so manfully keep
ing at bay, came swimming into her
eyes again. She blinked them away
resolutely, and was grateful that he
only stayed a very little longer.
"Give my best salaams to your hus-
band, Lucy" he said, as he took his
leave, land tell him how sorry ! am
not to have seen him. l hope I'll
meet him when I'm next in town."
Yes; thank you, Oliver; I'll tell
him."
She went with him to the door;
biting her lip to keep back the tears,
but no sooner had he gone, than they
welled up into her eyes, overflowed,
and ran shiningly down her face She
was going toward her sitting room,
WITCH Tie Souuu VI THE uOOT Dc-
Ing opened with key made her stop
and turn back.
1t was Jim. He shut the door with
slam and demanded abruptly:
"Was that Ames?"
YES" she replied, trying to steady
her voice.
II saw him leave. l didn't think /
could be mistaken. 1 know the look
of him pretty well. What did he come
here for?"
'TO see us. He's been in town for
day or two discussing business with
father"
Business? The Linforths AFFAIR."
YES; chiefly"
He laughed shortly.
"What did he want to see
as for?"
She looked up at him, her forehead
puckering to perplexed frown; draw.
ing breath to get the sound of tears
out of her voice: