The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1940-12-05
CHAPTER XIII-Continued


il
Allegra's silence bothered me. Her
profile was clear and sharp as the
head on a coin in the uneven pulls
ing of lights beyond the taxi window.
She said, looking straight ahead:
81 lied to Agatha today. I don't
usually do that. 1 told her, when
Grove dropped out, that l couldn't
get anyone to take me to the opera
tonight. 1 never tried. only said
that was disappointed and she did
what l hoped she'd do"
Once or twice in a lifetime, for
tune offers you the thing you want
most and, remembering the way she
has treated you, you don't believe it.
I did not now. I thought I was
reading wild meaning into her
words. She turned toward me with
an odd little smile and hurried on:
i've been lonely and frightened
and needed you, I guess. l need
ed to be alone with you and Tell
All. 1 thought we could be-friends.
And instead, you behave as though
you were-well, a millionaire that a
low-down gal was trying to compro-
mise"
IF I have" I told her, "I beg
your pardon, my dear. I think,
though, that you've got the parts
mixed up. You're the millionaire.
Wait a minute" I saw she was
trying to break in and I hurried on:
''It gals you to have-misled your
aunt. All right. What about me?
She's lifted me out of hallman's
uniform; she's given me job and
her confidence. I have little integ-
rity, maybe, but I'm not complete
so-and-so. 1t mightn't do you bit
Of harm to consider the problems
of someone else now and then"
The girl did not answer. She had
turned her head and was looking
out of the window I did not won
der that so few persons in this world
were ever nobly renunciatory.
There was no pleasure in it. I said:
"And now that that is all cleared
up to our mutual dissatisfaction,
how about changing the subject?"
Its not necessary" she answered
and turning as though she had de-
cided something, looked squarely at
me. Were almost home"
"And maybe that's just as well,
too" I answered. ''Thank you, Miss
Paget-for a great many things"
Her laugh was like a breaking
stick. Then she caught hold of her
self.
IF you don't stop patting me on
the head" she warned, "Pll take a
poke at you. Will you answer one
question for me-honestly? Just
one?"
could see the marquee of the Mo-
relic, just ahead, and a group of
men who fingered on the curb be-
meath the street light.
will your" Allegro asked again,
and l wondered why her voice was
so tense.
81 promise" 1 told her and be-
latedly wondered if / were pledg-
ing myself to disloyalty to Coch-
rane. Unless" / added, cit con-
Germs someone else" For a few min
utes / had forgotten the murder and
Lyons almost certain part in it.
1t came back to me now and made
me a little sick. The cab slowed
down. Allegro asked in a low, clear
voice:
You're in love with me, aren't
your"
The taxi had stopped and Walters
was opening the door. might have
kept silent, but her hand chung to
mine as / helped her out. I heard
myself say:
You'll never know how much"
She hurried on into the foyer while
/ paid the fare. AS I turned to fol-
low, someone said:
''The society bellhop, himself"
Larry Duke was of the group that
gathered around me. I knew the
faces of others and the malease
within me quickened into nausea.
Why were reporters hanging, like
vultures, about the Morello again?
ANY statement" Duke asked
hastily, ION the most recent-un-
pleasantness, COUNT"
The foretaste of disaster was Bit
ter in my mouth. Its SAVIOR made it
easier to hold my temper.
'I'l leave the ISSUE" told Duke,
'to the good sense of the American
people"
I started away but someone else
caught me by the sleeve.
Listen, fella," he begged.
They've just found this Everett
Ferriter's body at the bottom of the
area. What's it all about?"
When I could speak, I said as
steadily as I might:
"You tell me. Suicide?"
Suicide, hell" Duke said with
relish. 'They caught your girl
friends brother in the Ferriter fiat,
right after Everett went out the
window. And they're busting off the
hot seat for him, right now"
CHAPTER XIV