The Ely miner., 1938-09-15
CHAPTER XIv-Continued

-I5-
Sarah Lynn pushed Penny away.
81 knew what Gunnar thought. He'd
told me over and over. / don't
want his pity and his duty. I
wanted him to be free. I want him
to be free, always, not even to re-
member me, not even to be sorry
any more" She cried again, then,
long and terribly and the governess
wrung her hands in helpless grief
and fright. After while Sarah
Lynn said in a small, tired voice,
You'd better bathe my eyes, Pen
ny, and powder my nose. They'll
be coming home soon. And you'd
better be reading Duncan's book. !"
Duncan Van Doren was the first
TO return. The dentist had given
him an unpleasant afternoon and he
was pale and tagged looking. He
studied Sarah Lynn's face anxious
ly. Sarah Lynn, aren't you feeling
well? Is anything the matter? Well,
then, did you-did you miss me at
an?"
"Yes, missed you a lot, Dun
can," she told him gravely. "And
I've been thinking lot, too. Dun
can, If keep on improving, if I'm
able to walk again, and not be such
burden, if you still want me"
Sarah Lynn!"
Sand if you'll take me away to
Detroit and keep me there always,
and never let me hear planes going
by in the sky"
Hot color flooded his face; he was
shaking and stammering. "Oh, Sar-
ah Lynn! I'll take such care of
you! I'll make you happy! I'll make
you happy"
I'll try to make you happy, too,
Duncan" she said levelly. "I'n do
my best. I promise"
1t was in the dawn, chilly and
dark, that Miss Pennington in Mrs.
Dana's discarded dressing gown
went padding across the floor to
stand beside Sarah Lynn's bed.
"You're not sleeping"
mo, Penny. It doesn't matter"
"Have you pain? Do you feel the
brace too much?"
''No," she said again after a
pause. 81 don't feel-anything."
The governess went down on her
plump knees and groped for Sarah
Lynn's hand. "Oh, my dearie, why
did you do it? Why? Why did you do
it?''
It was a long moment before she
spoke. at makes Mother happier
than anything else in the world; it
pays Duncan back; it pays them
both back"
"Ah, but you, Sarah Lynn! You'll"
''It doesn't matter, Penny" She
laughed. 1t matters not'-Re-
member Uncle Lynn's pipe-rack?
The rest of the verse is silly: mas
ter of your fate and captain of your
soul. That's sentimental nonsense.
But it doesn't matter how strait the
gate is. Will you give me a drink
of water, please, Penny?"
Miss Pennington brought it and
stood waiting while she drank.
TearS were running down over her
bright, hard cheeks and the tip of
her nose was red.
''Thank you, Penny DEAR" Sarah
Lynn said clearly, handing back the
glass. "And there's one other rea-
son. Gunnar. If ever he hears-and
he will hear, sometime, through Un-
Gle Lynn or Conrad Jordan or Sally
Annie will think everything is all
right. You see, Penny, want him
to be free, free always, the way I
knew him. don't want him to have
one thought that's remorseful or sor-
ry. want him to forget all about
me, but if ever do come into his
mind want hi INTO think: so! She
married the first suitorl She lives
the soft life, safe and dull. 1t is
finished And I'm going to forget
him, too, Penny. I'm going to"
She broke off with a muff1ed cry
and put her hands over her ears.
Miss Pennington stood listening.
There was the throbbing of a motor
far above them.