The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1923-01-12
CHAPTER xxx-continued.

But IT came about that there was
other business for Bruce than the re-
covery of his blankets that he had
supposed would be tied to the saddle
The snow was thick between, and he
was within twenty feet Of the animals
body before he glimpsed 1t clearly
again. And he felt the first wave of
wonder, the first promptings Of the
thought that the horse he had shot
down was not his, but one that he had
never seen before.
But there was no time for the
thought to go fully home. Some one
cried out-a strange, half-snarl Of hat
red and triumph that was almost lack
ing In all human quality-and a mans
body leaped toward him from the
thicket before which the horse had
fallen. 1t was Simon, and Bruce had
mistaken his horse for the one he had
ridden.
Even In that instant crisis he did
not forget that he had as yet neg
lected to expel the empty cartridge
from the barrel of his rifle and to
throw In the other from the maya
zine. He tried to get the gun to his
shoulder, working the lever at the
same time. But Simon's leap was too
fast for him. His strong hand seized
the barrel of the gun and snatched it
from his hands. Then the assailant
threw it back, over his shoulder, and
1t fell softly in the snow.
The TWO men stood face to face
at last. All things else were forgot
ten. The world they had known be-
fore-a world Of sorrow and pleas
ures, Of mountains and woods and
homes-faded out and left no reali-
ties except each others presence.
All about them were the snow fur
ries that their eyes could not pene-
trate, and it was as II they were two
lone contestants on an otherwise I'M
Inhabited sphere who had come to
the whole picture curious tone of
unreality and dimness.
Bruce Strengthened, and his face
was of iron. well, Simon" he said
you've come"
The mans eyes burned red through
the snow. "Of course 1 would. Did
you think you could escape. mew
at didn't much matter whether l
escaped you or not" Bruce answered
rather quietly. Neither one of us
is going to escape the storm and the
cold. 1 suppose you know that"
II know that one Of us is. Be
cause one of us is going out-a more
direct way-frst. Which one that is
doesn't much matter" His great
hands clasped. Bruce, when l
snatched your gun right now 1 could
have done more. I could have sprung
a few feet farther and had you around
the waist-taken by surprise The
fight would have been already over.
j think l could have done more than |
that, even-with my own rifle as you
came up. It's laying there, just beside
the horse"
But Bruce didn't turn his eyes to
look at it. He was waiting for the
attack.
II could have snatched your life just |
uo wen, Jul WohtCu W wait, HollnOu
went on. 81 wanted to say few
words first, and wanted to master you |
not by surprise-but by superior |
strength alone"
1t came into Bruce's mind he could |
tell Simon Of the wound near his shoul- |
der how because of it no fight between |
them would be fair test of superb |
GRITTY, yet the words didn't come to |
his lips. He could not ask mercy of |
this man, either directly or Indirectly, |
any more than the pines asked mercy |
Of the SHOWS that covered them.
You were right when you said |
there is no escaping from this storm"
Simon went on. 'But it doesn't much
matter. It's the end of long war,