The Ely miner., 1920-09-03
CHAPTER VII-continued.

The helpless hulk of the woods-boss
descended upon the Colonel's expan-
sive chest and sent him crashing earth
ward. Then Bryce, war-mad, turned
to face the ring of Laguna Grande en-
ployees about him.
"Nextr" he roared. "Singly. in
pairs, or the whole damned packw 3
"NIr. Cardigan!"
He turned. Colonel Pennington's
breath had been knocked out of his
body by the impact Of his semi-con-
scIous woods-boss, and he lay inert,
gasping like hooked fish. Beside
him Shirley Sumner was kneeling. her
hands clasplng her uncle's, but with
her violet eyes blazing fiercely on
Bryce Cardigan.
"'How dare your she cried. "You
coward! To hurt my uncle!'
He ,gazed at her for a moment,
fercely. defantly. his chest rising and
falling from his recent exertions, his,
knotted fists cory with the blood of
bis enemy. Then the light of battle
died. and he hung his head. 'Tm
sorry" he murmured, mot for his
sake, but yours. l didn't know you,
were here. forgot-myself."
'Tll never, speak to you again so,
long as I live" she burst out passion
ately.
He advanced step and stood gaz-
ing down upon her. Her angry glance.
met his unflinchingly; and presently
for him the light went out of the
world.
"Very WELL" he murmured Good
bye" And with bowed head he turned
and made off through the green timber
toward his own logging-camp five
miles distant.
With the descent upon his breast of
the limp body of his big woods-bully,
Colonel Pennington had been struck
to earth as cffectually as if fair-sized
tree had fallen on him, the last whff
Of breath had been driven from his
lungs and for the space of minute,
during which Jules Rondeau lay heav-
lly across his midriff, the Colonel was
quite unable to get it back. Pale,
gasping. and Jared from soul to sus-
penders. he was merely aware that
something unexpected and disconcert-
Ing had occurred. ~
While the Colonel fought for his
breath. his woodsmen remained in the
offing, paralyzed into inactivity by
reason Of the swiftness and thorough
ness of Bryce Cardigan's work; then
Shirley motioned to them to remove
the wreckage, and they hastened to
obey
Freed from the weight on the
geometric center of his being, Colonel
Pennington stretched his legs, rolled
his head from side to side, and snorted
violently several times like a buck
After the sixth snort he felt so much
better that clear understanding of
the exact nature of the catastrophe
came to him; he struggled and sat ND,
looking around him q little wildly.
"Where-did = Cardigan - go?' he
gasped.
One of his men pointed to the timber
into which the enemy had just dis
appeared.
surround him-take him." Penning-
ton ordered. "rll give-a months
pay--to each of-the six men that
bring-that scoundrel TO me- Get him
--quicklyl Understandf'
Not q man moved. Pennington
shook with fury. sGet him." he croak.
ed. There are enough of you to do
the Job. Close in on him-everybody.
I'll give months pay to-every-
body" ~ Ge &
A man Of that indiscriminate mix
turc of Spaniard and Indian known in
California as cholo swept the circle of
r,en with ON alert and knowing glance.
His name WAS Flavio Artelan, but his
straight black hair. dark russell com
pieslon. beaay eyes, and hawk nose
eavo him such n resemblance to n
fow; that he was known among his fel-
jnv.> l,S The Black aIinorca. regardless
a. che fact that this sobriquet was
scarcely fair to verv ASreiient brees,