The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1924-05-09
Here's where l beat the boss

himself, mere Wnere peat tue DOSS
to It,"
The sun had fallen behind the noun
tains, the valley was filed with
shadow, the afterglow, mauve and pur-
pie and copper, was playing far up the
sky when Transley's outfit reached
the Y.D. corrals. George Drazk had
opened the gate and waited beside 1t.
"Y.D. wants you an Under to eat
with him at the house." he said as
Transley halted beside him. 1.-The rest
of US eat in the bunkhouse." There
was something strangely modest in
DraZk's manner.
Had yours handed TO you alreadyY
Under managed to banter In a low
voice as they swung through the gate.
"H-w protested Mr.. Drazk. "a
fellow that amt boss or foreman
don't get look-in. Never even seen
her. Come, you Pete-horse"
1t was evident George had gone back
TO his first love-
The wagons drew up in the yard,
and there was fine jingle of harness
as the teamsters quickly unhitched.
Y.D. himself approached through the
dusk; his large frame and confident
bearing were unmistakable even in
that group of confident, vigorous men.
"Glad to see you, Transley," he said
cordially. "You done well out there.
so, Under! You made a good job Of
it. Come up to the house, reckon
the missus has supper waitin'. Well
find room for you up there, too; it's
different from bein' under canvas"
So saying, and turning the welfare
Of the men and the horses over to his
foreman, the rancher led Transley and
Under along path through grove
of cottonwoods, across a footbridge
where from underneath came the
babble Of water, to "the house."
marked by yellow light which poured
through the windows and lost itself
In the shadow of the trees.
The nucleus of the house was the
log cabin where Y.D. and his wife had
lived in their first married years. With
the passage of time additions had been
built to every side which offered a
point of contact, but the log cabin still
remained the family center, and into
II Transley and Under were immedi-
ately admitted. The poplar floor had
long since worn thin, save at the knots,
and had been covered with edge
grained fir, but otherwise the cabin
stood as 1t had for twenty years, the
whitewashed logs glowing in the light
of two bracket lamps and the refiec-
tons from a wood fire which burned
merrily in the stove. The skins of a
grizzly bear and a timber wolf lay on
the floor, and two moose heads looked
down from opposite ends of the room.
On the walls hung other trophies won
by Y.D.'s rifle, along with handmade
bits of harness, lariats. and other in
sigma Of the ranchman's trade.
The rancher took his guests hats,
and motioned each to seat. moth
err" he said, directing his voice into
an adjoining room, there's the boys"
In a moment Mother" appeared
drying her hands. In her appearance
were courage, resourcefulneSs, energy
fit mate for the man who had made
the YD. known in every big cattle
market of the country. AS Linder's
same glance his mind involuntarily
leapt to the suggestion of what the off
spring of such a pair must be. The
men of the cattle country have a
proper appreciation of heredity i.
"My wife-Mr. Transley, Mr. Lin
DER" said the rancher, with a courtli-
ness which sat strangely on his other
wise rough-and-ready speech. II been
tellin' her the fine job you boys has
made in the hay fields, an 1 reckon
she's got bite of supper waitin' you"
"Y.D. has been full of your praises"
said the woman, as she led them into
another room, where table was set
for FIVE. Under experienced a tang
of happy excitement as he noted the
number. Under allowed himself no
foolishness about women, but, as he
sometimes sagely remarked to George
Drazk, you never can tell what might
happen. He shot a quick glance at
Transley, but the contractors face
gave no sign Even as he looked Lin
der thought what an able face ii was
Transley was not more than twenty
six, but forcefulness, assertion, ability,
stood In every line of his clean-cut
features. He was such a man as to
capture at blow the heart of old
Y.D., perhaps of Y.D.'s daughter.
where's Zen?" demanded the
raneher.
Shell be here presently" his wife
replied. I'VE don't have Mr. Transley
and Mr.. Under every night. you know"
she added, with smile
"Dolling up" thought Under Trust
a woman never TO miss a bet.''
SH,%