The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1922-07-07

a mile along the beach. Two women !"
Alan choked as he put down the lit
tie porcupine quill box which had
started this line of inquiry. Whatever
questions he had asked Judah or Sher-
riil these last few days had brought
him very quickly back to her. Moved
by some intuitive certainty regarding
Spearman, she had come north; she
had not thought of peril to herself
she had struggled alone across danger
Gus Ice in storm-a girl brought up as
she had been! She had found him
Alan-with life almost extinct-upon
the beach; she and the Indian woman,
Wassaquam had just said-had
brought him along the shore How
had they managed that, he wondered.
His throat closed up, and his eyes
filled as he thought of this
In the week during which he had
been cared for here, Alan had not seen
Constance; but there had been a pc
culiar and exciting alteration in Sher-
rilPs manner toward him, he had felt;
1t was something more than merely lik-
ing for him that Sheriff. had showed,
and Sheriff. had spoken of her to him
as Constance, not, as he had called
her always before, Miss Sheriff." or
my daughter" Alan had had dreams
which had seemed impossible of full
fillment, of dedicating his life and all
that he could make of it to her; now
SherrillS manner had brought to him
something like awe, as of something
quite incredible.
He turned to the Indian.
'Has anything more been heard of
Spearman, Judah?"
'Only this, Alan; he crossed the
straits the next day upon the ferry
there. In Mackinaw City he bought
liquor at bar and took it with him;
he asked there about trains into the
northwest. He has gone. leaving all
he had What else could he do?"
Alan crossed the little cabin and
looked out the window over the snow.
covered slope, where the bright sun
was shining. Snow had covered any
tracks that there had been upon the
beach where those who had been in
the boat with him had been found
dead. He had known that this must
be; he had believed them beyond aid
when he had tried for the shore to
summon help for them and for him.
self. The other boat, which had car
ried survivors of the wreck, blown
farther to the south, had been able to
gain the shore Of North Fox island;
and as these men had not been so long
exposed before they were brought to
shelter, four men lived. Sheriff. had
told him their names; they were the
mate, the assistant engineer, deck
hand and Father Perron, the priest
who had been passenger but who had
stayed with the crew till the last. Ben
jamin Corvet had persisted in the
wreckage of the cars.
AS Alan went back to his chair, the
Indian watched him and seemed not
displeased.
you feel good, now, Alan?" Wassa-
guam asked.
Almost like myself, Judah"
"That is right, then. 1t was thought
you would be like that today. A sled
is coming soon, now"
"We're going to leave here, Judah?''
"Yes, Alan"
Was he going to see her, then? Ex-
element stirred him, and he turned to
Wassaquam to ask that; but suddenly
he hesitated and did not inquire.
Wassaquam brought the mackinaw
and cap which Alan had worn on Num-
Der %; he took from the bed the new
blankets which had been furnished by
Sheriff.. They waited until a farmer
appeared driving a team hitched to a
low. wide-runnered sled. The Indian
settled Alan on the sled, and they
drove off.
They travelled south along the shore.
rounded into Little Traverse bay, and
the houses of Harbor Point appeared
among their pines. The sled proceed
ed across the edge of the bay to the
little city; even before leaving the bay
ice, Alan saw Constance and her ia
Their; they were walking at the water
front near the railway station, and
they came out on the ice as they recog-
nized the occupants of the sled.
Alan felt himself alternately weak
and reused to strength as he saw her.
Their eyes encountered, and hers
looked away; a sudden shyness, which
sent his heart leaping, had come over
her. He wanted to speak to her, to
make some recognition to her of what
she had done, but he did not dare to
trust his voice; and she seemed TO I'M
derstand that. He turned TO Sheriff.
instead. An engine and tender coupled
to single car stood at the railway
station.
Were going to Chicago" he in
quirpd of Sheriff..
mot yet, Alan-to st. Ignace. Fa-
Their Perron-the priest, you know
went to st. Ignace as soon as he recov-
cred from his exposure. He sent word
to me that he wished to see me at my
convenience; told him that we would
go to him as soon as you were able"
"He sent no other word than thatT
''Only that he had very grave COM
munication to make to us"
Alan did not ask more; at mention
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.