The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1905-05-12

/ ROlu W US very ClOSC COL1PnAJ AOA oSAAAO
| time to come. Understand"
If you'll only let ne go, swear-take
my dying oath, l will-that I'll never
tell soul. I'll go straight away and
| keep my mouth shut. I'll forget all
about il. swear | will! Let me go
for Gods sake, let me go my way and
you go yours!" He poured it all out in
an awful frenzy of agonized, desperate
fear, but the other shook his great head.
No." he said, and beat the ground
with his cudgel at each repetition OF the
word no" Il tell yer, no-no-no!
Yer might keep yer word or yer might
not You'll be within reach o me till
we've put two counties 'twixt us an this.
Out o my sight you're not goin ter stir.
An you'd best not try any vamoosin'
games. I'm quick on my feet an I'm
quick with my 'ands-as you know" he
added, grimly. Now, come along"
| Night had fallen and yellow moon
shone through the tree tops when they
halted, foot-sore and weary, at the gate
of a field.
Looks like barn O. some sort yon-
der" observed Black Jock. Might do
worse than that for nights lodgin'.'
Why not sleep in the open?" quay
cred Gin and Misery, whose courage the
falling of the night had not served 10
increase.
Because" retorted the other, turning
upon him, Il want door can sleep
across. See?"
Jock pulled open the door and mo-
toned his companion to enter.
Strike light" he said.
The other did so. A pile of twigs and
branches was heaped against one end
of the interior; the rest of the floor was
hidden by a thick layer of straw.
Couldn't do BETTER" observed the
murderer. ''Douse the glim an turn in
| over there" He pointed to the farthest
corner.
Jock shut the door carefully and dark
ness thick and impenetrable settled upon
them.
What was that? Wide awake and
trembling in every limb, he strained his
| eyes and ears. A rat? He could have
sworn he had heard the straw rustic,
| as though something had moved stealth
| lily.
More torturing sleeplessness and
gnawing suspense, and waiting for he
knew not what. Once again he nodded
once again the mysterious rustling tore
his heavy eyelids open.
Even as he once more fumbled for the
matches, he noticed something that
petrified him as he sat.
He could see the streak of moonlight
under the door again.
Then Jock had mOVed-was not asleep.
Another match flared. The murderer
lay still in precisely the same attitude,
breathing loudly and regularly.
Could it be his fancy? Perhaps he had
shifted slightly in his sleep. Yet surely
he was nearer than at first.
Black darkness again, the same mad
dening moments of staring and listen
ing. The sweat ran down through his
unkempt beard and he clenched his teeth
to keep from laughing aloud.
There, again-there was no doubt OF
the rustling this time. Frantically he
struck third match, and as it tiared up
something touched his foot. He
Shrieked, and in an instant the murder
er's hand was at his throat and the muir
derer's knee on his chest. The match
flew from his fingers and he struck and
bit and struggled with the desperation
of frantic terror.
Twice the terrible stick was raised for
the blow, and twice it struck harmlessly
against the side of the hut He twined
the fingers of his left hand in the tan
gled black beard and struck and
scratched and tore with the other.
Involuntarily his assailant turned his
head. In an instant "Gin-and- Misery"
with an inspiration born of despair, had
wrenched the cudgel away and struck
with all his might at the dark shock of
hair silhouetted against the flames. The
grip on his throat relaxed; the huge
frame dropped and sank across his own
body.
For moment he lay gasping for
breath; the air was thick with rolling
smoke and flying sparks. With a SUI
preme effort he dragged himself from
under his PROSTATE companion, crawled
to the door, pushed it open and stag
gered out into the still, cool night.
Free!