The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1924-11-14

is lump EN- In one or your brilliant
generalities. That's the man of you =
Lee went into the cabin without
looking back. Judith, watching HIM
saw that he ran his hand across his
forehead. She shifted at him again
But when Lee had the coffee ready
she had washed her face at the spring
had tucked her tumbled hair back un'
der her hat, and, looking remarkably
cool, came into the cabin.
"You can make coffee" Judith
nodded her approval as she slipped al
the black beverage, cooled little by
condensed milk. Lee was busted with
a tin containing potted meat. "Now
have you got over your shock so that
| can talk with you?"
He smiled at her across the. little
oilcloth-covered table, and answered
lightly and with his old assurance
that he guessed he had steadied his
nerve. Hadn't he told her a cup OF
coffee would do wonders?
would 1t go to your head" begar
the girl abruptly, "if / were to tell
you that size you up as the best
man I've got on my pay rolf"
I'D try to keep both feet on the
ground" he said gravely, though he
wondered what was coming
"Pll explain" she continued, her
tone impersonally businesslike "Next
to you, count on Doc Trip; next to
/ Trip, on Carson They are good
men; they are trustworthy; they un.
derstand ranch conditions and they
know what loyalty to the home-range
means. But Trip is just a vet.
erinarian; simply that and nothing
more. His horizon isn't very wide
Neither Is Carson's."
"And miner" he grinned at her
Read me my horoscope, Miss San.
ford"
You have taken the trouble to be
something more than just a horse
foreman" she told him quietly. 81
don't know what your advantages
have been; if you haven't gone
through high school, then at least you
have been ambitious enough to get
books, to read. to educate yourself
You have developed further than Car.
son; you have broadened more than
Tripp."
Thanks" he offered dryly.
"Oh, I'm not seeking to intrude into
your private affairs, Mr.. Bud Lee p
she cried warmly at his tone 81 heve
no desire to do so, having no interest
in them. First of all, 1 want one
thing clear: You said when / first
came that you'd stay few days, long
enough for me to get man In your
place. We have both been rather too
busy to think of your leaving or my
seeking a substitute. Now what? Dc
you want to go? Or do you want to
stick?'
What did he want? He had antici.
pated an interference from the girl in
his management of the duty allotted
him and no such interference had
come. She left him unhampered, even
as she did Trip and Carson. He had
his interest in his horses. 1t was
pleasant here. This cabin was a sort
of home to him. Besides, he had the
idea that Quinnion and Shorty might
again be heard from-that if Trevors
was backing their play, there would
be other threats offered the Blue Lake
outfit from which he had no desire to
rum There was such thing as 10y,
atty TO the home-range. and in the
half-year he had worked here it had
become a part of him.
"Pll stick" he said quietly.
"Tm glad of that" replied Judith
"Oh, you'll have your work cut out
for you, Bud Lee, and, that you may
be better fitted to do it, want you to
know just what l am up against.
Its gamble, with us bucking the
long odds. Dad left me a third in
terest, clear, valued, counting stock
at a good deal more than four hun.
dred thousand dollars. He left me nc
cash. Dad never had any cash. Just
so soon as he got his hands on it he
put it to work. knew he had planned
| taking over another one-third interest
and l went on with his plans.
mortgaged my share for two hundred
! thousand dollars, which / got at 5 pei
cent. That means 1 have to dig uI
each year, just interest, ten thousand
| dollars. That's pretty big lump, you
| know"
"Yes," he admitted slowly. 'That's
big; mighty big"
"With the money 1 raised" Judith
continued, 81 bought out the third
owner, Timothy Gray. He let his
holding go for three hundred and fifty
thousand. 1t was bargain for me
If / can make a go of it. still owe
on the principal, one hundred and
fifty thousand. Total of my indebted
ness, three hundred and fifty thousand
dollars. And that's bigger, Bud Lee
"Yes. That's bigger figures than
can quite get the hang of"