The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1924-10-24

landing clear as the big brute fell. He
| did not understand He had ridden
the animal hard but certainly not
hard enough for this. And then he
saw and his eyes blazed with anger.
He had heard no shot, nothing beyond
the metallic pounding of the shOd
hoofs on flinty road, but there from
an ugly hole in the neck the saddle
horse was pouring out its blood.
"SmOkeless powder and a Maxim
silencerr' muttered Lee, his eyes talk
ing note of the ten thousand possible
hiding-places OH the cliffs.
| In. his ears there was little whine
as a second bullet sang it's way by
his head. Again he sought to locate
| the marksman, again saw nothing but
crag and precipice and brushy clump.
He took time for that thing which
came so hard to him, sent bullet
! from his own revolver into his horses
brain, and then slipped out of the
| clearing into the shelter of the pines.
1.-TWO miles left to the border line,"
he estimated it. "Afoot"
|
slowly for little. But as his muscles
responded and warmed to the effort,
he broke into trotting run.
For the second time that day he
heard the whine of a bullet. He
thought that the shot came from the
cliffs just at the head of Squaw
Creek canyon. But he could not be
sure. He'd make the climb tomorrow
and see about it. Now he'd keep
right on moving. Little used to
travelling save on horses back he
was shot through with odd pains
when at last he came to the border
line fence and the waiting horse.
Tommy Burkitt held it for him while
Lee mounted.
Somebody up on the cliffs, head
of the canyon" painted Lee at Tommy's
amazed expression when Lee came
running into sight. ''Killed my horse.
Go after him, Tommy. Tell the other
boys" And on he went, pounding out
the last fifteen miles, the canvas bag
beating against his side.
Judith, in the courtyard, watched
him ride in. She looked swiftly at
him from the watch on her wrist Her
eyes frightened. 1t lacked seven
minutes to six. As Bud dropped the
canvas bag into her hands she flashed
at him the most wonderful, radiant
smile that the long hOrseman had ever
seen. She gripped his lean, brown
hand in hers.
bud, you're brick !" she cried.
Mrs. Langworthy had just come out
with Hampton, Trevors and the major
Judith turned from Lee to Trevors,
but managed to keep half an eye on
Mrs. Langworthy.
"You see, it's pay day with us, Mr..
Trevors," she said quietly. "And when
pay day comes we pay our men at
six o'clock In spite of HI and high
waterv'
Bud Lee, leading his horse away,
turned for word. "a man killed
horse for me today" he said very
gently, and his eyes rested steadily
upon Trevors. "If 1 ever get him, or
the man who put him UP to it, I'm
going to get him right"
On the Blue Lake ranch there was
more than one man ready to SCOT at
the idea of robbery like this one,
frank enough to voice the suspicion:
''It's just stall for time!" So much
had last weeks rumor done for them,
preparing them to expect something
Al
monthly pay day. But when they had
seen Charlie Miller's bruised head and
heard his story; when they had sat
on their horses and looked down at
the animal which had been shot under
Bud Lee, they were silent. And, be-
| in behind Carson from a fruitless
quest, their pay was ready for them
as formerly, in gold and silver.
| Trevors, with little to say to any
one, took his departure in the fore
noon, extracting from Hampton the
promise to ride over and see tie lum-
Der camp some day soon.
Judith, held at the Office by lot
of irst-of-the-month details, did not
get away until close to eleven o'clock
that morning Then she rode swiftly
down the river, purpose of her own
in mind.
Just below the Lower End settle
ment she came upon Doc Trip. He
was in one of the quarantine hog-cor-
rails, his sleeves rolled up, puzzled
look of worry puckering his boyish
face.
whats up, Doc?" asked Judith.
Don't know, Judy. That's what
gets my mad up. Just performed an
autopsy on one of your Po'and-C China
gifts"
Found it dead?" asked Judith.
KILLED It," grunted Trip. "Sick.
Half dozen more are off their feed
and don't look right. A mans always
/ tho cholera Ando ctuh-