The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1917-02-02

I He was still more surprised when
the following day, he and Marie rode
| down Sioux creek to where it flowed
| into Wolf river. The moment the
view down the coulee opened before
them, they perceived several tents
pitched in the bottom, at the foot of the
butte. They found twenty or twenty.
five rough-looking men encamped along
the spring rill in light dog-tents. A
| few were cowboys, but the greater
number had the appearance and outfits
of prospecting miners. They stared at
| Marie with the respectful admiration
of typical Westerners for an honest
woman, and readily answered Hardy's
| civil questions.
Notice Of the prospective opening OF
the mineral lands of the reservation
| had been published in few very OBJ
scure weekly papers. One of the men
gave Hardy blurred sheet of a little
country journal, and pointed out the
government notice. 1t was printed in
| the midst Of several uninteresting legal
| notices. The old fellow winked know.
ingly, and remarked that, as long as
he was in on the game, he didn't care
| how quiet it was played.
What could that man have meant
| about being in on quiet gamer" Ma
| RE asked Hardy, as they rode down
| the coulee to take the road back to
| the agency.
II believe I understand, and 1 dc
not altogether like it," replied Hardy
''The fellow probably is right in think.
| ing that undue influence is being ex.
erted to give as little publicity as pos.
sible to the opening of the mineral
Nlnds to entry"
"Do you really think so? OF course
| it is not right Yet where is the
harm? These men have been enter
| prising enough to seize the oppOrtu.
nifty, and they deserve the chances OF
good fortune"
"The transaction has rather toe
much the appearance of a prearranged
scheme" replied Hardy. His thought
full face darkened with the shadow of
anxiety. eff l could be sure that it
| would bring only good fortune to you !!
The profound tenderness and con-
| Germ in his voice seemed to startle
| Marie. She leaned forward, and put
| her pony into a gallOp.
The day before, Immediately upon
receipt of the official statement from
| Washington, Hardy had sent messen.
ger to notify Ti-owa-kOnZa. Two days
| later the head chief came with all his
large family, including Oinna. Marie
| insisted that the girl should come to
stay with her until the return of Red.
bear, and Immediately fitted out the
girl with good dresses from her own
wardrobe. When Hardy spoke of her
| generosity, she smiled and shrugged
| at is little enough to do for any.
one, captain. l was tired of those old
gowns. Anyway, as a quarterbreed,
owe it to my own self-respect to keep
halfbreed girl from going around like
a full-blood woman"
"Her brother will be greatly
pleased"
| II had no thought of him. He is
rather a worthless fellow. 1t is strange
to me how proud Oinna is of him. She
| says nothing, but one can see that
she is in fever of joyous excitement
over the prospect of his return"
Hardy frowned, parted his lips to
speak, and thought better of it.
"You were going to say-?" OBJ.
served Marie.
Something that must be left unsaid
| if you will pardon me-" he replied, and
| he shifted the conversation to the
question of accommodations for the
commissioners.
The arrival of the commissioners
early in the afternoon of the following
day would have taken the agency by
surprise if Hardy had not posted a
lookout on the signal mountain. The
prearranged smOke-sign gave warning
| of the approach of the party while
it was yet many miles away over
the plains. Even at that, Hardy
and Marie and Dupont were not
quite ready to greet the visitors
when they came into view down the
valley. The explanation Of their quick
trip from the railroad at once became
| evident. Commissioners, Indian dele
gates and all were slowed In two
large touring cars.
Eandervyn was driving the foremost
car. He brought it up the slope of the
agency terrace with a rush, and spun
it around in curve that ended before
| the porch of the Dupont house. The
second car rolled straight on across
| the terrace to the tepee of Ti-owa-
konza
Hardy, who was about to start
across to the Office, paused in the
porch to welcome the commissioners
Dupont hurried out of the rear door,
way of his store. Marie, after slight
bow in acknowledgment of Wander.
vyn's respectful salute, quietly drew
back into her parlor.
In the front seat beside Vandervyn
| was a big, red-faced man, whose
bleared eyes Immediately began to
scrutinize Hardy, and as quickly
turned away when they met his clear
| gaze. The five men in the tonneau all
| had the look of certain kind of poll.
| tician, and all met Hardy's cordial
greeting with cold formality that
would have chilled even a place-hunter
Put upon his dignity by this unex.
pected rebuff, the captain drew back
into the porch. Dupont received g