The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1932-02-12
CHAPTER |
A Broken Thread


Bond street, after morning of de-
lightfully frivolous shopping. when
in crossing the top of rather
narrow street she was nearly knocked
down by big, blue car that was turn
ing into Bond street at a somewhat
reckless pace.
To avoid the danger, she darted for
the opposite pavement, and gained
it safely, but in doing so, somehow
managed to catch her hand sharply in
q long chain of Chinese beads she was
wearing. AS the thread snapped. she
caught the broken ends quickly against
her breast, but she was not in time
to prevent several of the beads from
scattering into the roadway
The owner of the car pulled up,
swung himself to the ground. and next
moment was standing before her, hat
in hand. apoiogizing.
At the sound of his voice, Lucy
looked up sharply, and found her eyes
caught, and most Unexpectedly held,
by the man who stood looking down
at her. The obvious aspects of his ap-
pearance were his huge height. inn
mense breadth of shoulder and sug-
gestiOn of great strength: but it was
not these superficial things that had
the power to catch Lucy's interest so
quickly. 1t was, rather. his somber,
unsmiling face; dark, sullen eyes-so
dark that she could not tell whether
they were gray or black-and curious
ly bitter, unfriendly lips.
His voice: 1T was entirely nv
fault I'm so sorry. But what exact
ly happened?" brought her to reality.
She drew a quick breath, and said
hurriedly:
"It's my necklace. pulled it some
how, and snapped the thread. Some
of the beads came off before could
stop them"
"Only the necklace?" he asked. 81
was afraid you had been hurt.
didn't see you until you were right in
front of the car" The words were
polite enough, but his voice was as
somber and unfrendly as his face. and
his courtesy was offered without the
q
"Oh, the car didn't touch me-" she
assured him. "The worst that han
pened was that some of my beads are
gone" she added.
1--WE can probably find those again."
he replied And then, as uncOncerned-
ly as if Bond street were no more than
track in the wilderness ne began
searching the road and the gutter for
the truant beads
Lucy was interested and amused 1t
was such crazy sort of thing TO
happen. AS she stood, securing the
broken ends of her necklace. she
couldn't help wondering who this big
gloomy-looking man was.
But his name. had he given it, would
have suggested no clew to his gloom
For, although she might have remem-
bered hearing that James Lee was one
of London's newest millionaires, that
would rather have suggested that he
should be well contented with his lot
If, though. instead of wondering what
his name was, she had just spoken her
own But she didn't, and so her
thoughts went on, until some inter-
ested people broke through them. by
pausing to wonder what had hap
pened. Then policeman came up
and wanted to know. with quite friend
" officiousness, what it was all about,
and warned them that cars must not
be left standing at that corner for
long.
BY this time the big stranger had
gathered round dozen of the beads,
and seeing no more lying about, came
toward Lucy, holding them in the
curve of his palm.
''These are all can find" he said.
81 think they are about all that
dropped" she answered. "Will you
put them into my bag, please?" She
held the bag wide. and he poured them
in. That done, she looked up again
and thanked him.
They made formal adieux, and part
ed. Lucy Gresham to go blithely upon
her way; James Lee to go somberly
upon his.
Thus, out of the kaleidoscope
dressed idlers and casual strollers:
changing restlessly, charming ever;
Chance, that greatest of all stage
managers, had brought these two face
to face. Yet neither of them guessed
that, with the first meeting of their
eyes, they had each looked straight
into the eyes of Fate.
James Lees knowledge of this was.
however, only postponed until the fol-
lowing evening. when, rather idly turn
ing the pages of picture paper. his
attention was suddenly caught by the
face of the little gold-haired girl he
had so nearly knocked down with his
car, looking out at him from one of
the pages
Next moment he was sitting straight
and tense in his chair, and smoth-
cred exclamation left his lips For.