The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1932-04-15
CHAPTER V-Continued
ID

next day, Lucy, lifting alone in her
room and very much occupied with
her thoughts. was surprised TO be
rung up by Jocelyn and asked to tea.
4 most particularly want TO see you,
Lucy" she said. Most particularly.
About something that is absolutely
vital It's something you ought TO
know and you'll be fool if you don't
come"
Lucy found her heart knocking. She
had had so much to bear lately that
this hint of something still more. gave
her a desperate little feeling of fear.
very well, I'll come" she said in
a subdued voice, and Jocelyn at the
other end put down the receiver. say
ing TO herself triumphantly: "I've ter
rified her, anyway" as if it were
really noteworthy achievement. It
was. ar least. a little bit true. Lucy
was afraid Eve since she had
found out that Jim was LinfOrths. her
mind had been in a chaos of questions.
What ought she TO do about it? She
couldn't give him away to her father,
her whole soul shrank from that. And
vet Oughtn't she somehow TO put
Gresham's on guard? If she could
warn Oliver in some way, without let
ting him know Jim's part of il
Then there was Jim's confession that
he had been in love. That was an
other question that brought its own
train of utter perplexities Perhaps
it was the question that occupied her
mind most insistently. When had he
loved this unknown girl? Who had
she beeni What had she been like?
And-had he really got over it. or did
it make him suffer still? There was
hope for any man who could love.
Was it through this one tender spot
in his nature that his salvation was
TO be won? But even though he might
be ready TO take salvation that way,
there was herself He was mar
ried 10 her, no matter how meaning
less a ceremony their marriage had
been.
And now. she thought, as she was
getting ready to go to JOcelyn's, now
JOcelyn had suggested that there was
yet some other angle of her disastrous
marriage affairs that was becoming
threatening. Still, Jocelyn was such
a scaremOnger. 1t might AL mean
nothing at all
Jocelyn was looking thin and peaky.
and there was a curious restlessness
in her manner as she greeted Lucy.
AT first she talked very quickly about
everything under the sun. and with
the sort OF superficial smartness she
affected. Lucy began to wonder
whether there really was a vital"
matter. and was half inclined TO hurry
through tea and go. leaving the whole
question at hat But suddenly
Jocelyn looked across the little tea
table and said:
You aren't happy with Jim, are
your
Lucy had been prepared for a good
deal. but she hadn't thought of this.
"What an extraordinary question :"
she managed 20 say, with well-assumed
Iightness.
1T wasn't a question really" said
JOcelyn sharply. 1T was a statement
of fact. What was his reason for mar
rying you?"
But if Jocelyn hoped by the shock
attack method TO jar Lucy into IN
wary admissions, she found that. so
far. ar least, she hadn't succeeded.
The best reason I know of, is that
he happened TO want to-" Lucy gave
this reason perfectly smoothly, but
her heart was beating fast and the
tell-tale color was dyeing her cheeks.
Jocelyn looked at her steadily.
Il know your marriage is farce
1 know il. and I'll tell you how know
it; because Jim loves me :" Joce-
Ign got as far as that and stopped to
watch for the effect of her words upon
Lucy. Lucy drew a breath and for a
moment remained quite still; then she
said:
'In that case. Jocelyn, farce is
scarcely the word to describe my mar
rage. To Jim, at least, il must be
good deal more like a tragedy" She
said il composedly, but for the life of
her. couldn't put the lightness into il
mat she had tried for. Jocelyn
laughed
Jim simply lived here before
he met you" went on Jocelyn- He
spent all his time with me. 1t was an
open secret that he was E. well,
my property. And then, the moment
he met you :" She broke of.
Lucy couldn't find anything 10 say
~ bad