The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1922-12-22

If Linda, plug the horse and bring her
here behind the saddle"
Linda turned softly, then started
back. She did not even give Sec
ond's thought to the folly of trying to
break through. She watched the, SEN
tinel over her shoulder and saw him
turn about. Far distant though he
was, she could tell by the movement
he made that he had discovered her.
She was almost four hundred yards
away by then, and she dashed her
horse into gallop. The man cried
to her to halt, sound that came dim
and strange through the burn, and
then bullet sent up cloud of ashes
few feet to one SIDE. But the range
was too far even for the Turner's, and
she only urged her horse to faster
pace
She flew down the narrow trail,
turned into the main trail, and gal
loped wildly toward home. But the
sentry did not follow her. He valued
his precious life too much for that.
(
self as a target to Bruce's rifle as he
neared the house. He headed back to
report to Simon.
Young Bill-for such had been the
identity of the sentry-found his chief
in the large field not far distant from
where Bruce had been confined. The
man was supervising the harvest of the
fall growth of alfalfa. The two men
walked slowly away from the workers,
toward the fringe of woods.
1T looks as if We'll have to adopt
rough measures, after ALL" Young Bill
began.
Simon turned with flushing face.
do you mean you let him get past
you-and missed him? Young Bill, II
you've done that"
won't you wait till I've told you
how it happened? 1t wasn't Bruce; 1t
was Linda. For some reason l can't
dope out, she went up in the big burn
back of me and saw me-when / was
too far off to shoot her horse. Then
she. rode back like witch. They'll
1T means one of two things" Simon
said after a pause. "One Of them is
to starve 'em out. It won't take long.
Their supplies won't last forever. The
other is to call the clan and attack
tonight"
And that means loss of life"
"Not necessarily. / don't know how
many guns they've got. If any of you
were worth your salt, you'd find out
those things. / wish Dave was here"
And Simon spoke the truth for once
in his life, he did miss Dave. And it
was not that there had been any love
lost between them. But the truth was
although Simon never would have
admitted 1.-THE weaker mans cunning
had been Of the greatest aid to his
chief. Simon needed 1T sorely now.
"And we can't wait till tomorrow
night-because we've got the moon
then" Young Bill added. "Just a new
moon, but it will prevent a surprise
attack. j suppose you still have hopes
Of Dave coming back?"
81 don't see why not I'll venture
to say now he's off on some good piece
Of business-doing something none of
the rest of you have thought of. He'll
come riding back one of these days
with something actually accomplished.
1 see no reason for thinking that he's
dead. Bruce hasn't had any chance
at him that l know of. But If l thought
1N0 = l. fAsx
We'd tear down that nest tonight"
Simon spoke in his usual voice
with the same emphasis, the same I'M
dertones of passion. The truth was
that he had slowly become aware that
Young Bill was not giving him his full
attention, but rather was gazing Off
unfamiliar speculation in his eyes
toward the forests beyond.
Simon's impulse was to follow the
gaze; yet he would not yield to 1t.
"Well?" he demanded. Pm not talk
ing to amuse myself
The younger man seemed to start.
His eyes were half-clOsed; and there
was strange look Of intentness about
his facial lines when he turned back
to Simon. You haven't missed any
stock?" he asked abruptly.
Simon's eyes widened. mo. Why?"
'Look there-over the forest"
Young Bill pointed. Simon shielded
his eyes from the sunset glare and
~