The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1920-08-06

from the Wneel-ruC on the outside OF
the road would have sent them hur
Ting over the grade into the deep
timbered canyons below. BY reason Of
the fact that Bryce's gaze never
wavered from the road Immediately
in front Of the car, she had a chance
to appraise him critically while pre-
tending to look past him to the
tumbled. snow-covered ranges to theil
right.
She saw big, supple, powerful
man of twenty-five or six, with the
| bearing and general demeanor of one
many years his elder. His nose was
high, Of medium thickness and just q
trifle long-the nose Of a thinker
His ears were large, with full lobes-
the ears of generous man. The
mouth. full-lipped but firm, the heavy
jaw and square chin, the great hands
(most amazingly free from freckles)
denoted the man who would not avoid
fight worth while.
Upon their arrival at the rest-house
Bryce during inner was very atten.
tive and mildly amusing, although
Shirley's keen wits assured her that
this was merely clever pose and
sustained with difficulty. She was
confirmed in this assumption when,
after dinner, she complained of being
weary and babe him goodnight. She
had scarcely left him when he called /:
"George!"
The hale-breed slid out of the dark
ness and sat down beside him. A
moment later, through the open
window of her room just above the
porch where Bryce and George Sea
Otter sat, Shirley heard the former
say:
George, when did you first notice
that my fathers sight was beginning
to fail?"
About two years ago. Bryce. He
began to walk with, his hands held
out in front of him, and sometimes
he lifted his feet too high"
Can he see at all now, Georges?
"Oh, yes, a little bit-enough to
make his way to the Office and back"
poor old governor! George. until
you told me this afternoon. hadn't
heard word about it. If / had, /
never would have taken that two-year
jaunt around the world. And you say
this man Colonel Pennington and my
father have been having trouble.
Yes" Here George Sea Otter
gracefully uQDurdened himself of a
fervent curse directed at Shirley's
avuncular relative; whereupon that
young lady promptly left the window
and heard no more. -.. .. .....
They were on the road again by
eight o'clock next morning, and just
as Cardigan's mill was blowing the
six o'clock whistle, Bryce stopped the
car at the head of the street leading
down to the waterfront. 'Ill let you
drive now, George" he Informed the
silent Sea Otter He turned to Shir-
ley Sumner. 'Pm going to leave you
now" he said. Thank you for rid
ing over from Red Bluff with me. My
father never leaves the Office until the
whistle blows, and so Pm going to
hurry down to that little building you
see at the end of the street and sur
prise him."
He stepped out on the running
board, stood there a moment, and ex-
tended his hand. Shirley had COM
menced a due and formal expression
Of her gratitude for having been de-
livered safely in Sequoia, when George
Sea Otter spoke:
"Here comes John Cardigan" he
said.
"Drive Miss Sumner around to Colo
mel Penningtor's house." Bryce order
ed, and even while he held Shirley's
hand, he turned to catch the first
glimpse of his father. Shirley follow
ed his glance and saw a tall, power
fully built old man coming down the
street with his hands thrust little
in front of him, as If for protection
from some invisible assailant.
"Oh, my poor old father!" she
heard Bryce Cardigan murmur. my
dear old paL And I've let him grope
In the dark for two years."
He released her hand and 1eaped
from the car. "Dad~ he called. 1T