The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1935-11-14
CHAPTER V-Continued

Hubby stood. leaning indolently
against the jamb of the door, smiling
at them all. "He don't have to hurry.
I might decide to stay" she said softly.
81 like handsome men," said Hubby,
drawing. "And even If he don't like
me, he's handsome as they GOMEZ"
Zeke's eyes were black with anger.
She laughed at his rage, and she said
in soft tones: "You can see he don't
like me, Will. I'll have to make him
like me before CO."
Zeke cried, in choking exasperation !:
you've got one man outsider"
Zeke appealed to Will with glance ;
and Will spoke YEARLY. go ahead,
Zeke," he said, submitting. ''This here's
Huldy's home, If she's mind to stay"
Hubby took off her hat and laid 1t
aside; she touched her hair with her
hands. Jenny stood up and moved
toward the door; but Hubby said soft
ly: "Don't you go! There's room
enough for the both Of us. 1 don't
want your Willr'
Will protested heavily: "Huldy, If
you stay here, you'll have to mend
your waysw
Hubby was suddenly vicious, dan
gerous. Don't talk to mel" she re-
torted. "After fetching her in here the
minute l was gone. I aim to stay
and If you try to boss me around, I'll
howl her name up and down the Valley
till people hold their noses when they
see her! You better mend your own
ways, VIII Ferrinr"
Zeke touched Wills arm. LET me
throw her out, WILL" he protested.
Don't you go and take her in"
81 have to, Zeke," Will confessed.
Zeke stared at the other man, hot,
scornful, furious. "All right" he said
then CONTEMPORARY. eff yo're that
kind, I'm quitting You'll have to get
On without mel"
But Hubby moved slowly to Zeke's
side. "Don't you quit" she said, and
touched his hand. you'll be glad you
stayed"
Zeke seemed choking; he said at
last, grudgingly: 'Tll finish out the
week, I reckon"
And Hubby smiled contentedly; but
Jenny could bear no more. Moving
slowly, she went out through the shed
and the barn and down the orchard
path to the brook; she came through
the deep woods home. AS she opened
the kitchen door, Marin Pierce looked
up inquiringly.
And then, in quick alarm at what
she saw, she rose to her feet; but
there was no need of a question. Jen-
ny spoke.
"Huldy's back" she said through
trembling lips. "She's come home!"
Marin Pierce exclaimed, in quick re-
assurance: Don't you grieve, Jenny !
She'll never stay!"
Jenny shook her head, almost smil-
ing, pitifully. "She didn't aim to. She
just come to fetch her Clothes" she
said. 'But she saw Zeke Dace. And
now she's going to stayr'
From Huldy's return until Jim Sala-
dine came at last to Hostile Valley,
two years interviewed; and during this
period, though her heart was his for
ever, Jenny saw Will not at all. In
the country as in the city, it is pos
sible to go for years without glimpsing
your next-door neighbor. Jenny and
her grandmother lived off the Travelled
road; and even If that had not been
the case, Will, when he had occasion
to go into the outside world, took the
road up the ridge from his house, and
in the opposite direction. Jenny her
self might venture into the woods
down the Valley, toward the brook ;
but Will, since he had now but one
good leg, never came to the stream to
fish, and Jenny never crossed the
brook. So their paths did not inter-
sect.
Sometimes Marin Pierce wished Jen-
ny might find happiness elsewhere
but Jenny was not unhappy, and the
older woman came by and by to under
stand. Certain ii was the girl wore no
mask of grief; she was nowadays a
woman, glowing with deep radiance.
Life and maturity became her well.
And 1t sometimes seemed to the
older woman that Jenny's love for
Will must communicate itself to him
in silent ways; and at first she blamed
him for that he did not throw Hubby
headlong out of his home and his life,
so that he might turn to Jenny; and
she spoke this thought to Jenny. But
the girl shook her head.
mot WILL" she said. Hes not the
kind to. Long as she lives, he'll stand
by her."
Marin Pierce Indignantly insisted