The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1933-08-18

at will be, but can't talk here. +.
And we can't go out together. I've
got to see you alone"
John was not very good at inter-
preting women. He was Just a trifie
wary now, and evidently she under
stood
Its all right. I'm shooting square.
I'll tell you this much: I'm RESPONSE
Bile for getting you out of Shoestring !"
81 don't quite understand" he said.
cautiously.
Il wrote letter to Miss Richards.
on dictation. Does that mean any
thing?"
Her eyes, as he studied them, seemed
to be honest enough.
YES" he admitted.
"And If hadn't written that letter
| might have gone for a ride or
whatever they do up here in the
woods! If that isn't enough, I'll say
this: somebody in Kampfest has been
scared stiff since you came here
Things that had been going on before
have stopped since you came into the
picture. :. Now are you inter
ested?"
"Very much %
The music stopped. They both ap-
plauded vigorously. When the encore
started she put her cheek close to his.
"Tll leave after the next dance. I'm
here with other girls from the Office.
| live in the third house after you turn
right at the post Office You walk
past half hour after l leave and I'll
be waiting in the storm-house. When
| see you. and If the streets empty,
I'll open the door for you"
After a moment he said: "Fair
enough!'
He didn't like this matter of clan
destine meetings, of skulking to a
rendezvous with a girl of this type.
But she knew something that solved
one problem, evidently What he had
to learn must be learned.
He waited through tagging minutes,
needless of the music and laughter
and talk about him, sitting against
the wall, heart humping.
He went out and strOlled down the
street, swung rapidly along the side
walk with its high piles of snow on
either side, scanning the house fronts.
The third was painted white; it set
back thirty feet from the street. AS
he came abreast of 1t the door of the
storm-house, which. during the winter,
protected the tiny front porch from
weather, opened inward. He saw her
standing there and she beckoned.
Come in," she said. looking down
the street, and closed the door, shut
ting them into the little cubicle. "AH
right, now"-speaking in a normal
tone. "Old lady Vogle-this is her
house-is deaf as a post. She sleeps
like log, too. If anybody comes up
the walk here. you go straight through
the kitchen and out the back doorl"
"Who would Gomez" he asked, sus-
picious now.
paul Gorbel might come" she said.
"Oh!
"Yes! And If he found you here
with me he'd he might kill me !"
dramatically. He'd be afraid of
you, but he'd never let me get away,
knowing that know all do and after
he'd seen us together. That's Why
more easily-"T can't take you up to
my room. If he trapped us there"
I'm the habit of coming to your
room. is he?"
YES" she said. I'm not going to
try to put anything over on you. Mr..
Belknap. couldn't, even if / wanted
to, and l don't want to-"
That's generous, I'm sure. But ). :"
81 know this is wild sounding sort
of thing, but | want you to believe
that everything say is Gods truth
Its long story. Mr.. Belknap. It's
the kind of story with moral, far
as I'm concerned. guess" She
laughed, a trifle bitterly.
I'm coming clean. I've got to, to
show you how know these things.
and to make you understand why | tell
'em to you. A girls got to shoot
square as long as the other party does.
I've done my part up here. I've been
given dirty deal from the begin
ning!" And now her voice was coarse,
unpleasant, filled with anger.
"Don't misjudge me, Mr.. Belknap!
Please don't do that! was only a
kid when Paul Gorbel commenced
coming into the Chicago Office. was
a typist there and he well.
he propositioned me while he was
in and out of Chicago. seeing your ia
Their about building the new plant
here. was to come up here as his
secretary. AS soon as we could make
good with the town, so there wouldn't
be any gossip, he said, we'd be mar
ried. Well, we made good with the
town. He's smart; I've been awful
careful. We've got by, but ] haven't
heard any wedding bells! First it was
the excuse of heading off gossip, be-
cause he's awful particular about his
standing. Then it was something else
again.
"You see, everything had been be-
tween Paul and your father. None Of
the others in the Chicago Office had
anything to do with 1t. This plant
isn't supervised and audited like the
Belknap company plants are. l never
knew why.
"But a year ago Paul came back all
in huff. Your father wasn't just sat
isfied with the way things were going.
He'd commenced to ask questions
about the plant and the bank that
were hard for Paul to answer. He
came up himself, just as snow came
and there was a lot of tall scratching
I'm here to tell the worldl But he
never found out anything.
"Now Paul commenced to figure that