The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1896-08-22


did the second blast catch you,
Baker," he inquired Of the plate oppo-
site young Bradshaw. IL thought one
OF those chunks had your left leg sure.
You want to find your hole little soon
er or Wen have to hustle for bandages."
Every day after that Burleigh set
those plates and fed those ghosts with
serious attention. Bradshaw, though
a thoughtless and unwilling boy, saw
! by this time that this business mean.
something more than he had at first
counted II, which was joke. Once he
had rallied at Burleigh for apologlzing
to Yardley for the burned condition OF
the bacon and Burleigh had turned IN
him with look In his face which he did
not relish and had asked him what he
meant by saying Yardley was only IL
three-legged camp stool.
"Yardley," said Burlelgh, was and
is the penal officer Of this camp; tho
man who maintained peace, the JUSTICE
the chief of police and everything
which Induced decency. If he isn't
entitled to good bacon, who Isl"
1t was the next morning that Brad
shaw was awakened by the sound Of
profanity. Although he was asleep he
knew it was profanity, for Burleighs
kind Of lurid discourse could not be
mistaken even when 1t came to you
In dreams. Young Bradshaw woke
with start and found Burleigh stand
ing over him with n knife, the hand
that held it being poised to strike. Just
then the October sunlight same out
over Badly and into the slit above
Bradshaw's bunk and Burleigh drew
back.
4 thought you were that thief Hor-
ton" he remarked. II shall kill him I'M
less Yardley acts quicker than me.
Yardley is the only man who can keep
that villains life In his body If jim
Yardley comes to me and tells me in the
name Of the people of California that
l must desist. why, Jim Yardley repre-
sents the law and that's all there is to
it," And mumbllng, Burleigh Withdrew
his giant form from the cabin.
Young Bradshaw went to the door
and looked out. The cloud above told
Its story. The early snow was coming.
There was no use attempting to get
out Of the mine property. In three
hours every pass would be choked and
no man having ventured out could hope
to do more than die. 1t was an insane
giant-a man crazed from loneliness
behind, and certain death in the snow
before. Over by the place where the
old bedrock was washed bare he could
hear Burleigh shouting for Horton to
come out and fight before Yardley had
n chance to arrest them and spoil the
thing.
When you feel that one way or the
other death is at hand you either col
lapse or become n hero. There is no
middle ground. The decision has to be
formed quickly. Young Bradshaw saw
one chance in n million Of escaping
ultimate destruction at the hands Of the
maniac. 1t was certain that his hatred
for Horton could and would easily
be switched in the six months vet be-
fore them to a hatred of Bradshaw. If
In fact the lunatic would even continue
to recognize him as Bradshaw ut all
There was the danger. Suppose in the
absence of Horton or anything repre-
senting him Burleigh should conclude
that the slight yonug colleglan was the
real, the true Horton of his vengeful
dreams.
Young Bradshaw went over to the
edge of the wash, and, looking down
into the cave, called loudly:
"Burleigh, you Internal fool You
black-hearted houndl Come up here
d-n your
out from behind an enormous howl
der leaped the insane miner, that horrl-
BILE knife in his hand and the fire of
fury in his eye
"Who's that said that?" he shrieked.
'Who is it, for by the Lord he wants
to pray nowr'
Straight as a pillar lowered the spare
form Of the boy at the edge Of the
wash.
who, you cursed blowhard? Who.
you red-faced cur2 Who? Why. Tim
Yardleyl Who do you suppose II is bur
Jim IardleyY What do you mean nv
roaring around here disturbing ever
man In the mine at his work? Come
here and give me that knife and then
come along to the court-cabin where
you belong, you white-livered jailbird.r
Jim Yardley, you're the only man on
earth that dares talk that way to N.
You know ii, too, and you rub 1t IN.
Say, jim" with n sudden change IN
the whimper of a beaten dog. ..you'u
let me out pretty soon. won't YOUR
"I'll let you out when the SHOWS On
away IL you behave yourself. See i,'s
beginning to fall now"
Eyes, and I'm good for six months
of It,"
When young Bradshaw's father and
the Vice President of the mine with a
party reached the shoulder Of Badly in
the early April of the next spring they
battled through drifts TO find a slight
youth with white hair waiting. waiting.
waiting. over in the court-cabiu. with
its great iron bars and its massive
door. stalking up and down before the
one window, was giant with living
fire in his eyes. who continually yelled:
"Iardley. Yardley, Oh, Jim, please.
amt time pretty near upr'
In afterward telling Of the horror OF
that winter young Bradshaw used. 10
say that in future when he wanted 10