The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1932-07-01

an anxious look in his eyes that had
not been there before. Lines be-
side the mouth, too. +. +. Justice
againl This was the man who would
not listen to the truth Lucy
next and at sight of her he felt
that triumph must burst his heart, it
swelled so high. Pale, she was.
and tired looking Her eyes were
Swallowed and seemed full of sorrow.
Triumph rose so high that it
seemed to hurt. ;.
swell, now" he said abruptly. "Your
bust >esS?'
Sir John answered him.
ITO throw ourselves on your mercy,
Jim," he said frankly.
"Gresham's are finished, then"
The old man shook his head.
"Not yet. But we cannot hold out
much longer. Your resources are big
ger than ours. And you do not
mind what you do. We cannot
fight such an opponent. Jim,
have said all that can, in an en-
deavor to make you understand my
deep grief for what you have suffered.
Can't we come to some sort of
terms? Is this sort of thing worth it
in the long run? I know how bitterly
you feel. But is life long enough
for this?"
He pleaded very sincerely, but Lees
face did not soften.
"My terms" he said through his
teeth, "are quite easily stated. You
can keep up the fight or you can-get
out of business. | should adj
wise you to get out of business" That
was cruelty added.
Then you are thoroughly deter
mined to ruin u.s." said Sir John.
Determined with a determination
that it took three years of prison to
build" answered Lee.
There was a silence. Then Ames
took up the pleading for Gresham's.
He used every argument that he could
think of, and he spoke eloquently and
we'll. But it still left Lee unmoved.
He only stated his terms again, and
yet again.
Lucy stood silently by her fathers
chair; her eyes, wide and tragic in her
pale face, were turned upon Jim all
the time. But if she had any hope of
seeing relenting there she was disap-
pointed. Sir John rose presently and
stood leaning on his stick.
"Then you must kill us if you will,
jim" he said. "We cannot stand out
much longer"
Lee rose, too. Here was the very
height of his triumph. Now was his
whole debt paid. Here was his enemy
asking for mercy and here was him.
self denying that mercy. Here was
his triumph indeed!
Dead silence reigned while he stood
looking at those three faces again. /.
This was the browning moment of his
life. This was the moment for which
he had planned and worked during the
three most awful years of his life.
Out of the torture of his body and
soul had this moment sprung.
He had prayed for it; longed for it;
and here it was. Now he would
taste the full flavor of the fruits of his
revenge. :.
He drew breath; passionate, tri-
umphant words clamoring on his lips.
But suddenly Lucy spoke:
"Goodby. then, jim"
Three words, scarcely audible: but
they silenced the clamor on his own
lips before he could get it spoken.
All that he had been so ready to say,
died in tangle of unspoken triumph.
And the very triumph itself came tum-
bling suddenly to his feet. He stood
dazed by the suddenness of it. It was
like the fall of mighty edifice, which
he had built stone by stone with his
own shame and agony.
He stood looking round almost
blankly now. Feeling as if some
thing cold had caught at his heart.
Where was the elation, the glo-
rious, savage joy of this supreme mo-
ment of his? Where was the triumph
that had risen so swellingly in his
heart only moment ago. Z?
They were gone. His victory seemed
suddenly to have dwindled to nothing
more splendid than this broken, rather
frail-looking, old man. And to
this small, pale, tragic-eyed girl, who
had said goodby.
He stood for moment, fighting to
bring back the rousing sense of tri-
umph. But he failed; and the fruits
of revenge were as ashes in his
mouth.
Against those three words of Lucy's,
nothing counted.
"GoOdby then, Jim. ;" Some
magic in those words that he had not
reckOned with. Some deStruc-
tive power in her pale face and sor-
rowful eyes, that he had not counted
on. Well, he had played his
game out to it's final throw, and it
NEAR just nothing.
Quite suddenly, he dropped back
into his chair, uttering queer little
smothered cry, stretched his arms out
on the desk before him, and bowed
his head on them. :.
He was drawing great, deep breaths,
that shook his shoulders, which was
as near, perhaps, as man such as
he was, could ever come to the blessed
relief of tears. Lucy started toward
him crying his name, but gesture of
his hand waved her off, even before
his voice came to her. saying brokenly:
Leave me alone. Leave me
alone. :" She stood hesitating but
Sir John caught her arm and pulled
ner away, saying very softly: