The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1939-09-28
Q TALBOT MuNDY-WNU SERVICE

v
have to look for him. He has gone
on horseback I ordered him not
to spare the horse. 1t might take
him half an hour-an hour"
81 can't wait for an answer!
wish l had gone in search of him,
myself. / haven't any pride left.
His career will be ruined, won't it?'
"But darling, he deserves to be
ruined if he accepts brides. And if
he is innocent he can prove it"
do you believe that? l can easily
doubt it," Lynn answered. 81 have
never once been able to prove my
innocence, against Aunty's accusa-
tons. Not one single oncel Not
one time-ever. To this minute, she
believes everything she has ever
said against me-" Then, suddenly:
What is Rundhia doing?"
81 don't know"
docs he like to be despised?"
Lynn dear, if you should despise
him, I don't know what might hap
pen. Rundhia loves you"
"Does he? You think so? Tell him
l despise himl And I will, until he
proves to me that he has done his
absolute, utmost best to undo the
cowardly wrong he has done to Cap
tain Norwood.
Lynn"
"Maharanee dear, won't you
please tell him? l mean it. He
might believe you"
The Maharanee sighed. She left
Lynn and walked out of the room
to find Rundhia.
Lynn was seated in the armchair
by the window, staring at an illus
trated magazine, when the Maha-
rance came beck.
Darling, Rundhia has promised"
what did he promise to do? What
can he do?"
81 mean that Captain Norwood
can be cleared of the charge of brib-
cry" the Maharanee answered.
However, Rundhia made a condi-
ton
''Maharanee dear! Tell me. Don't
prepare me for it. I can take it
without our pretending it's some
thing else
Every WE'LL" said the Maharanee.
''Let us be quite frank with each
other. Rundhia loves you"
$50 says Rundhia."
Sand I love you"
81 can believe that" Lynn an
swered. why else should you be
so kind? l haven't influence or mon
ey"
"You have personality" the Ma
haranee answered. "You have i'm
agination and spirit. You can re-
deem Rundhia. So that when the
day comes that he shall be Maha-
rajah of Kadur, he will be a great
man. Rundhia will do anything for
you-anything. Your influence will
persuade him to do good things, of
that I am sure. Even now, having
known you only one day, for your
sake he is willing to save Captain
Norwood. But he makes conditions. /"
Cant he tell them to me?"
''He has gone in search of that
creature Gulbaz. Rundhia has TAX
en- it for granted that you will &C.
cept the conditions, since he has ac-
cepted, as a command your wish
that he should help Captain Nor
wood"
Lynn almost lost her temper. She
retorted: 81 was treacherous. So
was Rundhia. l don't believe Cap
tain Norwood has been! I won't
believe it until they prove it."
The Maharanee returned to her
subject: "Rundhia insists that you
mustn't tell Captain Norwood whose
influence it was that saved him. He
demands-and I think that is fair,
isn't it?-Rundhia can't afford to be
compromised-he demands that if
Captain Norwood should character
istically force his way into your
presence, you will not answer Nor
woods questions.
But l have asked Captain Nor
wood to come and see me-"
The Maharanee's sympathy looked
genuine. Lynn didn't doubt it:
Lynn dear, Rundhia thinks that
Captain Norwood probably believes
you told about the diamonds be-
cause you knew that Captain Nor
wood was embarrassed by your hav-
ing seen them, and you wished to
punish him for remarks he had
made, in the garden, last night. Run
dhia thinks that perhaps Captain
Norwood won't answer your letter.
Lynn was silent for long time,
thinking. The Maharanee watched
her, reading, on Lynn's face, the
course of the struggle between
pride, humiliation, anger-and some
other, western emotion that not even
Lynn could have put into words. II
was too simple. Too elementary
1t escaped analysis. At last Lynn
spoke:
II promise. l won't tell Captain
Norwood that Rundhia is helping
him. But will Rundhia do it?"
For you he will do anything, -
the Maharanee answered.