The Ely miner., 1938-09-15

harsh and urgent youth made them
seem soft and safe and middle-aged.
But there was a more subtle
change in him, they were to decide,
discussing it later among them
selves; the young cocksureness was
gone, the proud arrogance was
gone, the fine bones of his face were
more insistent through the flesh,
chiseled and chastened into strange
humility.
He made no amenities of greet
ing. 81 have come for Sarah Lynn"
he said simply. Twelve days I
have been coming to her; I can no
longer wait" He made slight ges-
ture toward the governess who had
delayed him. 81 will take her with
me. Or-if the doctors do not al
lowI stay beside her until she
can CO." The small sentences came
out roughly, hammered into crude
shape on an anvil of strong feeling.
81 should not have gone; she turned
from me, she sent me away, but 1t
was the pain, the drug. Now /
know. flew away, but" he groped
for words-"but I did not leave her;
always she was with me, land, sea,
air, in my work, eating, sleeping.
To forget was my wish. 1t is fin
ished,' / said, but it was not fin
ished. So, now, I come again. If
she says, Never fly then / do not
fly. take her or I stay beside her."
He stopped talking and turned to-
ward the door. ''Now go to her."
Conrad Jordan was on his feet.
"Stop, Gunnar! Wait! You don't un-
derstand-"
The tall youth nodded. 81 under
stand. She will shrink from me
still?" His face worked. "At first,
maybe. No matter. go to her."
The older f1ier said desperately,
"Gunnar, I must tell you"
He gave muffied cry. "She
ives?"
eyes, but she"-he laid hand
on Gunnar's arm but he shook it
off, striding toward the door.
1t was Mary Dana Webster who
blocked his way.
"Gunnar-wait! I've got to tell
you-you've got to take it. Sarah
Lynn is well again. She's been
walking for weeks, now, and she
won't even be lame. But" she
cut through his shout of joy-"Gun-
mar, listen to me! She's going to
marry Duncan Van Doren next
week"
Gin Jung, the cat-footed Chinese
second-boy, came padding up the
stairs to tell Mrs. Dana that lady
was calling, and she went down to
find Ardine standing in the hall.
The serene sunniness of her face
clouded over a trifie. Ardine had
never come to see Sarah Lynn in
all her long imprisonment, although
expensive flowers had arrived at
the hospital with the card of Mr..
and Mrs. Keaton Dana.
Ardine did not even return the
thinly gracious greeting. 81 thought
you'd like to know" she said. "Gun-
mar Thorwald is back" She was out
of breath with hurrying, and her
hot-looking hands with their GRIM
son nails were trembling.
"Here?"
"Here. l saw him, just now, go
ing into Lynn Dana's house."
Mrs. Dana drew herself up with
the ancient gesture of a lady put
ting an upstart in her place. She
was milk-white. "Thank you. II
appreciate your thoughtfulness, not,
of course, that it could make any
difference now, but"
Ardine lifted one full shoulder in
languid shrug. Cali right. I just
thought you'd like to know" She let
herself out of the front door.
Mrs. Dana stood still in her hand
some hall, clenched hands pressed
to her jaw-bones for long moments.
She went to her own room and
rubbed her pale cheeks with rough
towel and pinched them and went
back to Sarah Lynn and Duncan,
who were playing chess.