The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1923-09-07

hand-that open country out there
So we claim Al Hammond. an may
we be true to him. An, friends,
think it fittin' that we drink to his
sister an to our hopes. Heahs to the
lady we hope to make our Majesty
Heah's to the man who'll come ridin'
out of the West, fine, big-hearted
man with a fast boss an strong
rope, an may he win an hold her
come, friends, drink"
A heavy pound of horses hoofs and
a yell outside arrested Stillwells
voice and halted his hand in midair.
The patio became as silent as an
unoccupied room.
Through the open doors and win
dows of Madeline's chamber burst the
sounds of horses stamping to halt
then harsh speech of men, and low
cry of woman in pain.
Rapid steps crossed the porch, en-
tered Madeline's room. Nels appeared
in the doorway. Madeline was sur
prised TO see that he had not been
at tic SIlc WAS us
turbed at sight of his face.
Stewart, you're wanted outdoors
called Nels, bluntly. Monty, you
slope out here with me- You, Nick
an Stillwell-I reckon the rest of you
he'd better shut the doris an stay in
side"
Nels disappeared. Quick as a cat
Monty glided out. Madeline heard
his soft, swift steps pass from her
room into her Office He had left his
guns there. Madeline trembled. She
saw Stewart get up quietly and with
out any change of expression on his
dark, sad face leave the patio. Nick
Steele followed him. Stillwell dropped
his wine-glass. AS it broke, shivering
the silence, his huge smile vanished
His face set into the old cragginess
and the red slowly thickened into
black Stillwell went out and closed
the door behind him.
Then there was ablank silence The
rudely disrupted. Madeline glanced
down the lines of brown faces to see
the pleasure fade into the old familiar
hardness.
whats wrong?" asked Alfred, rath-
er stupidity. The change of mood had
been too rapid for him. Suddenly
he awakened, thoroughly aroused at
the interruption. I'm going TO see
who's butted in here to spoil our din
ner," he said, and strobe out.
He returned before any one at the
table had spoken or moved, and now
the dull red of anger notified his fore
head.
"It's the sheriff of FL Cajon" he
exclaimed, contemptuously. "Pat
HAVE witk some of his touch dep
uties come to arrest Gene Stewart.
They've got that poor little Mexican
girl out there tied on a horse. Con-
found that sheriff."
Madeline calmly rose from the table,
eluding Florence's retreating hand,
and started for the door. The cow
boys jumped up. Alfred barred her
progress.
alfred, am going out" she said.
mo, 1 guess not" he replied.
THAT'S no place for you. Maybe
there'll be a fight. You can do moth
ing. You must not co.
perhaps 1 can prevent trouble"
she replied.
AS she left the patio she was aware
that Alfred, with Florence at his SIDE
and the cowboys behind, were start
ing to follow her. When she got out
of her room upon the porch she heard
several men in loud, angry discussion.
Then, at sight of Bonita helplessly
and cruelly bound upon horse, pale
and disheveled and suffering, Made
line experienced the thrill that sight
or mention Of this girl always gave
her. 1t yielded to hot pang in her
breast-that live pain which so
shamed her. But almost instantly, as
a second glance showed an agony in
Bonita's face, her bruised arms where
the rope bit deep into the flesh, her
little brown hands stained with blood,
Madeline was overcome by pity for
the unfortunate girl and a woman's
righteous passion at such barbarous
treatment of one of her own sex.
The man holding the bride of the
horse on which Bonita had been bound
was at once recognized by Madeline
as the big-bodied, bullet-headed guer-
rilla who had found the basket of wine
in the spring at camp. Redder of
face, blacker of beard, coarser of as
pect, evidently under the influence Of
liquor, he was as fierce-looking as a