The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1924-12-12
BY Jackson Gregory
Copyright by Charlie. scribner's Sons

Copyright by Charles scribner's Sons
not find him soon If he stood quite
motionless. The fight was still to be
made, Quinnion's friends would be
taking hand now, Steve had already
joined issue. There were six of them
against him and with one shot fired
from his heavy Colt there were but
five left. No shot to be wasted.
A little creaking of floor board,
a vague, misty blur almost at his side,
and still Lee saved his fire. Quickly
he lifted the big revolver, held weld
ed to grip of steel, throwing 1t high
above his head and striking down
ward. There was almost no sound !;
just the thudding blow as the thick
barrel struck heavy mat of hair, and
with no cutlery man went down to
lie still. At the same moment the dim
square of the window showed form
slipping through; one man was seek
ing safety from a quarrel not his own.
And as he went, there came again
a soft thudding blow and Carson's dry
voice outside, saying calmly:
Shorty got away, but you don't,
pardner. Give 'em HI. Bud. I'm in
the play again.
"rwo men down." grunted Lee to
himself with grim satisfaction. "And
old Carson back on the job. Only two
to our one now"
The form in the window crumpled
and under Carson's quick hands was
jerked out. Suddenly it was very
still in the little room. Steve did not
fire third time; Quinnion held his
fire. For Lee had made no answer
and they were taking heavy chances
with every shot now, chances of shoot
ing the wrong man. Each of the four
watchful men in the narrow apartment
breathed softly.
Once more Lee lifted his gun above
his head. AS he held it thus, he put
out his left hand gently, inch by inch,
gropingly. Extended full length, it
touched nothing. Slowly he moved it
in a se:ni-circle, the gun in his right
hand always ready to come crashing
down. His fingers touched the wall,
then moving back assured him that
no one was within reach. Lifting a
foot slowly, he took one cautious step
forward, toward the spot where he
had last seen Quinnion. Again his
arm, circling through the darkness,
sought to locate for him one of the
men who must be very near him now.
Suddenly it brushed mans shoulder.
There was sharp, muttered ex-
clamation, and again a flare Of red
flame as this man fired. But he had
misjudged Bud Lees position by few
inches, the bullet cut through Lees
coat, and Lees dubbed revolver fell
unerringly, smashing into the mans
forehead. There was low moan,
revolver clattered to the floor, body
fell heavily.
"A new situation" thought Lee.
Three men down before clock could
tick off as many minutes and not
single man shot. 1t was place for a
man like Charlie Miller with his old
pickhandle.
Bud" called Carson's voice sharp
ly, "are you all right?''
''Yes," answered Lee briefly, and as
he answered moved sharply to one
side so that his voice might not draw
shot from Quinnion or the other
men, There came two spurts of flame,
one from each of the corners of the
room opposite him, the reports of the
two shots reverberating loudly. But this
was mere guesswork- at no
more definite thing than a mans voice,
and Lee having moved swiftly had lit
tie fear. And he knew pretty well
where those two men were now.
So did Carson, who from without
fired in twice through the window.
Then again it grew so silent that a
clock ticking somewhere out In the
barroom was to be heard distinctly,
SO that again the men guarded their
breathing.
Lee thought that he knew where
ouinnion was, in the corner at his
right close to the rear wall. Not
square in the corner, of course, for
having fired he was fox enough to
shift his position little. True, no
sound had told of such a movement
But Quinnion could be trusted TO
make no sound at fine like this.
Lee, equally silent, again set slow
foot out, moving cautiously toward
the spot where his eyes sought Quin-
MON in the dark.
He was calculating swiftly now !:
Ouinnion had fired twice from the
screen of the table just as Steve shot
out the light; he had fired again just
now, 1t was fair bet that at least
one of the other shots had been his.
That meant that he had fired four
times. If Quinnion still carried his
old sfx-shooter he had but two shots
at most left to him, for there had been
no time which he would risk in re-
loading.
Lee swept off his hat and tossed It
out before him to the spot where he
believed Quinnion was and dropped
swiftly to his knee as he did So
There was a snarl, Quinnions evil
snarl, and q shot that sped high above
his head. His hat had struck Quin-
Mon full in the face Then Lee again
..,1.oro,. for.,rard AGAIN St1.1Icl, ont with