The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1922-12-29

Of that document--the missing Folger-
Ross agreement on which had hung
victory or defeat-sent violent Inn
pulse through all his nervous system.
For the first time In his memory his
refexes got away from him.
It had meant too much; and his fin
ger pressed back involuntarily against
the trigger. He had not taken his US
ual deliberate aim, although he had
seen Bruce's figure clearly between
the sights the instant before he fired.
Simon was a rifeman. bred In the
bone, and he had no reason to think
that the hasty aim meant complete
miss. He did realize. however, the
difficulties Of night shooting--a real
ization that all men who have fingered
after dusk in the duck blind expert
ence sooner or later-and he looked
up over his sights to see the result of
his shot. His self-cOntrol had COM
pletely returned to him; and he was
perfectly cold about the whole matter.
From the first second he knew he
had not completely missed. He raised
his rifle to shoot again.
But Bruce's body was no longer re-
vealed. Linda stood in the way. 1t
looked as II she had deliberately
thrown her own body as a shield be
tween.
Simon spoke then-a single, terrible
oath of hatred and jealousy. But In
second more he saw his triumph.
Bruce swayed, reeled and fell in Lin
da's arms, and he saw her half-drag
him into the house.
He stood shivering, but not from
the cold that the storm had brought
"Come on" he ordered Young Bill
81 think we've downed him for good,
but we've got to get that paper"
But Simon did not see all things
clearly. He had little real knowledge
of the little drama that had followed
his shot from ambush.
Human nature Is full of odd quirks
and twists, and among other things,
symptoms are misleading. There is
an accepted way for men to act when
they are struck with a rifle bullet.
They are expected to reel, to throw
their arms wide, and usually to cry
out. The only trouble with these ac-
lions, as men who have been in bat
tlefelds know very well, Is that they
do not usually happen in real life.
Bruce, with Linda's eyes upon him,
took one rather long, troubled breath.
And he did look somewhat puzzled
Then he looked down at his shoulder
"Fm hit, Linda" he said in quiet
way. 81 think just scratch"
The tremendous shock Of any kind
of wound from thirty-forty caliber
bullet had not seemingly affected him
outwardly at all. Some hours were
to pass before he completely under
stood. The truth was that the shock
of that rifle bullet, ordinarily striking
a blow Of half-ton, had cost him for
the moment an ability to make any
logical Interpretation Of events. The
girl moved swiftly, yet without giving
an impression of leaping, and stood
very close and In front OF him. In
one lightning movement she had made
Of her own body shield for his, in
case the assassin In the covert should
shoot again.
Her arms went about and seized
his shoulders. "Stagger," she whis-
pered quickly. Pretend to fall. It's
the one chance to save you"
He dispelled the mists in his own
brain and obeyed her. He swayed, and
her arms went about him. Then he
fell forward.
Her strong arms encircled his waist
and with all her magnificent young
strength she dragged him to the door.
1t was noticeable, howeyer-to all
eyes except Bruce's-that she kept
her own body as much as she could
between him and the ambush. In an
instant they were In the darkened
room. Bruce stood up, once more
wholly master of himself.
You're not hurt bad?" she asked
quickly.
"No. Just deep scratch In the
arm muscle near the shoulder. Bullet
just must have grazed me. But It's
bleeding pretty bad"
''Then there's no time to be lost"
Her hands In her eagerness went
again to his shoulder. Don't you
see-he'll be here In minute. Well
steal out the back door and try to
ride down to the courts before they
can overtake us"
In one instant he had grasped the
idea; and he laughed softly In the
gloom. 81 know. I'll snatch two
blankets and the food. You get the
horse"
She sprang out the kitchen door
and he hurried into the bedrooms.
He snatched two Of the warmest.
blankets from the beds and hurled
them over his shoulder. He hooked
the camp ak on his belt. then FASTENED
into the little kitchen. He took up
the little sack containing few pounds
Of jerked yenison. spilled out few
pieces for Elmira, and carried it,
with a few pounds of four-out 20
meet Linda. The horse still stood
saddled, and with deft hands they
tied on their supplies and fastened
the blankets In a long roll In front of
the saddle.
Get on" she whispered. "rll get
up behind you"
She spoke In the utter darkness;