The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1924-12-05
here or there to have drink or watch


here or there to have drink or watch
game.
The two newcomers, watching each
man or group of men. rode on slowly
until they came to the building on
whose false front was gigantic spur
in yellow paint. Here they dismount-
ed, tied their horses. and went In.
Carson. with a quick eye toward pre-
paredness for what might lie on the
cards, looked for Lees gun. 1t wasn't
in his pocket; it wasn't in his waist
band, ready to hand. 1t wasn't any
where that Carson could see. At the
door he whispered warningly:
Better be ready, Bud. Amt lost
your gun, have your
Lee shook his head and stepped Into
the room. At the long bar were three
or four men drinking. Quinnion was
not among them. There were other
men at the round tables, playing draw.
solo, stud horse. One glance showed
that Quinnion was not In the room.
But there were other rooms at the rear
for those desiring privacy. Lee, nod
ding this way and that to friends who
accosted him, made his way straight
to the bar
Hello, Sandy" he said quietly.
Sandy Weaver, the bartender. looked
at him curiously. A short, heavy,
blond man was Sandy Weaver. who
ran fair house and gave his atten-
ton strictly to his own business. Save
when asked by a friend to do him a
/ favor, such favor as to keep an eye
on another man.
/ Hello. Bud" returned Sandy, put
ting out red hand. All expression
Of interest had fled from his placid
face. "Come in right away, Ell? Hello
Carson. Have somethin'; on me, you
/ know"
Lee shook his head
mot tonight, Sandy" he said.
Thanks just the same"
ME" grinned Carson. 'I'll go you,
Sandy. Same thing know"
Sandy showed out whisky-bottle and
| glass. Then he turned grave eyes to
Lee.
| Zone of these fellers can tend bar
while we talk if you want, Bud" he
offered.
"You say Quinnion has been talk
ing?" asked Lee.
"Yes. Considerable All afternoon
an evening, l guess. didn't hear
him untilI called you up
| Then" continued the man from
Blue Lake ranch. Il don't see any call
for you and me to whisper, Sandy.
What did he say?'
| Said you was a liar, Bud. An a
skeerd-of-your-life DIN bluff"
A faint. shadowy smile touched
Lees eyes.
Just joshing. Sandy. But that
wasn't all, was it?"
no" said Sandy, wiping his bar
carefully. There was the other word,
Bud. An'-say, Billy. tell him what
Quinnion had to say down to the Jail
bird"
Lee turned his eyes to Billy Young.
Young, cattleman from the Up and
Down range, shifted his belt and
looked uncomfortable.
"D-n If 1 dor he blurted out. at
| amt none of my funeral An IL you
ask me, / don't like the sound of that
kind of talk in my mouth. Maybe
can find my way to church of Sun
day for staggerin' with red-eye, but
amt ever drug nice girls name into
a barrOom."
$50 said Lee very quietly, that's
it, Is it?"
"Yes," said Sandy Weaver slowly,
''that's it, Bud. Us boys knowed OIL
Luke Sanford an liked him. Some
| of us even knowed his girl All of
US know the sort she is. When Quin-
MON started his talk-oh, It's a song
an dance about you an her all alone
in some d-n cabin. trying to crawl
out'n the looks of things by accusin'
| Quinnion OF tryin' to shoot you up -
well, folks JUS laughed at him. More
recent, somebody must have took him
serious an smashed him in the mouth.
He looks like it. But" and Sandy
shrugged his thick shoulders elabor
ately, "if It's up to anybody it's up to
YOU"
For a moment Bud Lee, standing
very straight, his hat far back, his
| eyes hard and cold, looked from one
TO another of the men about him. In
every face he saw the same thing |;
their contempt for man like Quin-
MON, their wordless agreement with
| Sandy that it was up to Bud Lee"
Lees face told them nothing.
aWhere is he?" he asked presently.
"Mos' likely down TO the Jailbird."
said Billy Young. That's where he
hangs out lately"
| Lee turned and went out, Carson
at his heels, all eyes following him.
In his heart was blazing, soaring
rage. And that rage. was not for Quin.
Mon alone He thought Of Judith as
he had seen her that very night. a
graceful, gray-eyed slip Of girl, the
sweetest little maid in all of the world
known TO him-and of how he, brutal
| in the surge of love for her, had swept
her into his arms, crushed her to him.
| forced upon her laughing lips the kiss
Of his own.
'My Cd" he said within himself.
81 was mad. 1t would be q good thing
liz / got Quinnion tonight-and he got
me. Two of kind" he told himself
sneeringly.
AS he made his way down the H.
| lighted street, his hat drawn over his
| eyes now, Bud Lee for moment lost