The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1937-03-04
THURSDAY-Continued


10
"And then Drina Demoyne died.
The newspaper accounts of her ca
reer said that she had been married
but once-to an actor, Allan Banks.
This was before the war. They
said that once the two separated
for few years, but were never
divorced. Subsequently, they came
together again and lived together
until Miss Demoyne died. She left
him all her property. I have in
my possession Banks affidavit that
he never was divorced from Drina
Demoyne. Ace had mistakenly
thought he committed bigamy in
marrying my daughter but Drina
Demoyne had actually committed
bigamy in marrying him. That
changed the whole complexion OF
affairs. Caro- was no longer illegit-
innate that is, provided Ace
Blake had married no other wom-
an. She was the heir to his es-
tate.
"Then Caro-, who has flattering
way of confding everything to me,
told me that Molly Eames did not
want to marry Ace Blaikie, that
she did not love him, that she actu-
ally loved another man, Walter
Treadway.
81 received the affidavit from
Drina Demoyne's husband on Fri
day morning. Friday afternoon, as
you remember, Mrs. Avery, Ace
Blake, Bruce Hexson and
stopped here for a cool drink. That
was about two o'clock in the after
noon. My granddaughter and Mol
ly Eames were here. They left just
before we did. When / got home,
Caro- had not arrived. A few min
utes later however, she came In.
She had been riding around and
around the Head in Molly's car.
Molly told her that Ace Blake
was insisting that she elope with
him that night after the masque-
rade. He was apparently putting
the screws on her. I felt that the
time had come to act-that / must
act instantly-but l wanted advice.
I called Bruce Hexson on the tele-
phone and asked him if ! could
come to the Camp to talk over an
important business matter that had
just come up. I drove over there
at once and told him the whole
story"
"How did it affect him?" Patrick
interrupted.
"He was horriied-profoundly
shocked, may say. For he too
had known Eleanor Dacre, al
though naturally this was the first
time he realized that she was my
stepdaughter. He spoke touchingly
of her great beauty and goodness.
He advised me to 60 at once to
Ace Blake and have the thing out.
We went at once to DR.. Blaikie's
house. Hexson had dropped him
there on the way back. In Mr..
Hexson's presence l repeated the
story. Ace Blake was utterly dis
comfited. l felt all the time that
the only thing he was thinking
of was that this might interfere
with his elopement. Well, in the end
he said that he would reveal his
marriage and would acknowledge
Caro- as his daughter. I asked him
if he would draw up will making
full provision for her. He answered
that he was an engaged man and
begged time to think the matter
over. I replied that I would give
him a little time. Ultimately, he
asked me if l would meet him in
Mrs. Avery's Spinney at a quarter
of eleven that night and we'd have
a little talk. Then left"
''And you say Bruce Hexson was
present during this talk?"
eyes"
"Did Mr.. Hexson leave with
your"
''No, he stayed"
"Where did you go from there?"
az went directly home"
"Tell me about your conversation
with Ace Blaikie."
"It was comparatively brief but
1t was-from my point of view
satisfactory. Blake said that he
had decided to make announcement
in the newspapers that Caro- was
his daughter, within three days. He
said that he would leave her the
Blake house and suitable in
come"
"Did you make any reference to
his proposed elopement with Mol.
ly Eames?"
''No, for Caro- HAD told me only
that evening that she was sure
Molly was making up her mind to
marry Walter Treadway."
Have you told me everything
now, Doctor Marden?" Patrick
asked after long pause.
Everything, I believe"