The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1932-02-26


answered.
1T would not have been possible In
any case" he said.
"Why not?" The question came on
CULVER
Because I should not have let IL be
possible" he told her calmly.
"Oh but / had promised
him.
And | had promised myself"
''What what had you prom
ised yourself?" she asked
THAT you should have upper with
me-" he answered promptly. $50 it
would have been hard TO decide which
promise was TO be broken. /. Yours
to him. or mine to myself"
She laughed slightly.
THAT is a wickedly tricky argu-
ment!" she said. And anyway. my
promise was made first
"How do you know that?"
Because it was made days ago
more than a week. :"
mine was made nearly three weeks
ago"
oh" she said roundly, in astonish-
ment. But we didn't really know
each other then We'd only met in the
most unconventional sort of way. and
you didn'. know who was"
do yoL really think that II is pure
" by chance that / am here tonight?
Do you really think that didn't know
that | was going to meet the girl of
the broken necklace. when / met my
hostess this EVENING""
did you know? But howr Her
eyes were wide and innocent
1.-THE very day | met you in Bond
street, | saw a picture of you in the
paper, with your father and-Ames
:" he told her slowly. Il told
Perry | must come to this birthday
party of yours. or = well. or that
he'd get the SACK
She was not looking at him now. but
she seemed to feel his look upon her
face, even though she could not meet
IL He must love her. thenl To have
made himself such a promise, just be-
cause of that ne meeting with her.
:. The romance of it filed her heart
with such happiness that she scarce
ly knew how to endure it.
Did you imagine that that first
meeting of ours was TO be our last?"
he demanded. after a moment.
Il didn't definitely think /. :" she
Stammered. II mean.
You mean that you had forgotten
all about me until you saw me again
this EVENING"" he challenged her.
"No! I'd thought of you :.
often. You must know 1 hadI"
she cried
"Yes. l did know you had"
"Then why ask? Just to be discon-
certing?''
'Why not just to hear you say it,"
he countered And she let it go at
that.
He said no more for some time. and
when he did speak again it was of
more ordinary things. He was not
so perturbingly personal until sup
per was over and they were once more
entering the ball room.
'NOw, | suppose. you will say that
you have to go and dancer he said.
She didn't want to, but she had to
say it.
YES; l must"
"Come and spend the fourth dance
from now with me?" AS he said it.
it was only half question. The other
half was sheer command.
yes. I'll like to. Where shall
me meet?''
lon the veranda. Will that do?"
"Yes thank you. :" She
turned away as St. Abb came toward
her, with obvious intention in his eve.
But Lee caught her arm and made
her face him again.
you are going to dance because it
is your duty as hostess. but lou would
rather be with me?" he said quickly.
in low voice. She looked up hastily.
away, all round. then I'D again.
His dark eyes seemed to look very deep
into her own. His hand on her arm
set her heart beating wildly.
"You you know would!, she
whispered, feeling wringing the admis-
sion from her
"Ali right, then; I'll let you dance"
He released her, and she went Off
with st. Abb.
How she managed to live through
the next three dances she scarcely
knew, although ST. Abb made it easier
than it might have been by talking the
whole time of his chief. And e talked
in terms of such glowing admiration
that she found her heart beating with
a new feeling; feeling of possessive
pride; as if she were listening to
praise Of something that was already
definitely hers AT the finish of the
third dance, she was just starting up-
stairs TO fetch a cloak. when a hand
over hers. as it touched the stair rail.
made her stop and turn. over the
rail. from her two or three stems of
advantage, she looked down into Lees
face.
The next dance is my dance,- be
reminded her.
YES, / am going to get a cloak:
you said the veranda, you know. Did
you think I'd forget?" she asked softly.
Il pretty well knew you wouldn't
But I like TO make sure of things. -
he answered. go and fetch your
cloak"
She moved one step up. but his
hand held hers tight down to the BAN
lister. and again she had to stop.
He suddenly realized. then. that she
was beautiful He had been so en-
crossed with the progress of his
schemes that all the exquisite young
Usefulness l,f har had NOT roor-,l q