The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1915-01-01

Qcf the klnQneSS OIL Tipping you wa
| into the drink, SOS she could lavish
her tender affections on a regular guy,
someone able to appreciate her-mean-
| ing me, of course. And first thing l
know. she ups and points gun at my
head and tips me overheard, and then
makes a pretty bonfire out OF my
sailboat. And all the excuse you can
produce is that she's crazy in the
head! Well, who said she wasn't?
| Amy woman who would consent to
elope with you is a fit subject for a
commission de lunatico inquirendo. all
| right"
| 'If you inflicted any such monologue
as that on Judith" retorted Mr.. Law.
Il don't blame her for trying to STAY
you, and I'm sorry l interfered."
There's gratitude for you'll" Mr.
Barcus remarked bitterly. Il risk my
life for you. and you won't even let
me talk about it,"
ut isn't your talking / mind-its
the everlasting noise you make" Mr.
Law explained. Besides-listen!"
For a moment the two maintained
attentive silence.
A silken whisper troubled the
lence, little fiutter of sound from lar
across the waters. Gradually it gath
cred volume, became recognizable as
the lisp of cautious oars.
I'm going away from here" Nj
Barcus announced guardedly, and gath
| l. m RI
to rising
Half a second" Alan Law insisted,
rising In turn and grasping the other
by the arm. They've got to land
haven't they?-and leave the boat
while they look for us. Well, then,
what's to prevent our hiding in the
dunes and" 4-a.
In the next breath, Look out!" he
shrieked
| With no warning whatever, and
within fifty feet of them, a CHASTITY
fare broke out in full blaze on the
surface Of the water, revealing the
shape of dory which had drawn in
unseen under cover of the profound
darkness, and at the same time dis
covering to its occupants the two
startled figures on the beach.
Before they could stir the weird
light glimmered on a polished weapon
in the bow of the boat, a spiteful
tongue of reddish fame spat out, a
bullet sang between Messrs. Law md
Barcus, and with sad thud of disap-
pointment buried itself in the sands of
the wave-eatsn bluff behind them.
Like twin automatons stirred to ac-
ton by the report, the two turned and
pelted off down the beach, to escape
that deadly area of illumination.
Other shots sped after them, but
none was so well aimed, and presently,
finding a break in the bluff, they
swung off into the grateful shelter of
the night wrapped dunes.
Meantime the dory had grounded on
the beach, and its several occupants
four or five of them, all men, appar-
ently-iumping out, set Of in pursuit
of the fugitiyes, following the tracks
in the sand.
The blackness of the night, how
ever, conspired with the savage laby.
rinth Of the dunes to save Alan and
his companion.
Within another five minutes-while
still the pursuit fioundered and bias
phemed at random round quarter
mile to the south-Mr. Law and Mr.
Barcus were noiselessly squirming on
their bellies, like two snakes in the
beach-grass, up the back Of a ten-foot
bluff. And presently from it's brow
they looked down on the spot where
the dory lay, only its bow out Of water
its stern afoat, under armed guard
Very slowly and stealthily Alan got
to his feet and swung back over his
shoulder heavy club of driftwood.
/ A match spluttered beside the dory
and famed in the still air, relieving
with it's reddish glow a bronzed and
evil visage.
The guard pulled fast and had the
tobacco well aglow when the sky took
advantage of his trustfulness and fell
upon him like an avalanche.
simultaneously Alan and Barcus de
scended the face of the bluff in two
miniature landslides, dug themselves
out, and by the time the dazed anG
disarmed guard had sufficiently recov
cred to cry out for help the dory was
hundred yards off the beach and
making excellent time in the direction
of that lonely green light
They wrought with the oars like
men possessed, yet with machine
like precision that drove the boat fast
and furiously-without attempt to still
the splashing of their blades. Con
I cealment of their purpose from those
| who remained aboard the schooner
, was out of the question. The shouts
the shots, the play Of flashlamp.
{ along the beach-as though Bedlan
| had loosed half a dozen lunatic will
O. the wisps upon the holy peace O
night-,nust have betrayed the fac
that they had turned the tables Ions
before the dory left the inshore shoals