The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1925-05-15

way grew more uncomfortable. He
could not bear to meet Joyce's eyes.
And, ironically, in the midst of his
triumph there came to him memories
of other days-happy days-with Es-
tefle, in the first flush of their union
She had betrayed another man TO go
to him. but she had never betrayed
him. They had loved each other.
Even Railway had loved.
For the first time he thought al
most with pang that he would never
see Estelle again.
| He looked about him at the eternal
forest, dropping from the uplands
toward the brink of the lake. He
was already safe. There was a trail
along the lakes edge, but it was Inn
possible for any one to catch up with
him-if there were any one to follow
for two hours yet.
| He drove the motor boat ashore. He
put his equipment on the bank. He
collected wood to cook some food. He
stopped over Joyce and raised her In
his arms to carry her ashore. She
/
eyes, blazing with scorn, stared stead
| lily into his. And with a new access
of passion he crushed her to his breast.
| you little devil" he whispered.
| You little devil, you had me scared.
And love you all the more for it !"
Then, lifting up his eyes, Railway
saw something that sent all his dreams
and hopes crashing to the ground.
Half mile distant, topping little
bare space among the trees, he saw
two riders trotting along the trail
toward him. At that distance 1t was
impossible to distinguish them.
| He set Joyce down, and. looking at
them, burst into furious oaths. His
horses! Yes, he had forgotten them |!
Two riders-and how many more be-
him? How many men had that d-n
Anderson brought with him?
| Hastily he carried the unresisting
| girl back into the boat, threw In the
utensils that he had taken out for the
meal, and started the engine again.
Soon the boat was cutting its way
downstream once more. 1t was going
| faster than any horse could follow.
Railways spirits began to soar again.
He looked at Joyce, lying quiet in
the bottom of the boat. She was no
longer looking at him. She had fallen
asleep. A slight smile lowered about
her lips. 1t frightened him, that
smile; it was as if in her sleep she
communed with some protecting force
that assured her of safety.
| And suddenly his heart was filed
with superstitious fears. This woman
seemed unbreakable. He thought of
Estelle's words. And now he wished
that he had taken her advice and let
the girl go.
About the middle of the afternoon
he ran ashore again, gathered more
firewood, and cooked meal, eating
ravenously. He tried to make Joyce
eat, but she lay still in her bonds, ig-
noring him. When he kissed her, her
| lips were cold as ice.
He cut her bonds. He drew her
into his arms. The touch of her un.
resisting body against his own re-
stored his courage.
"Joyce" he cried. Joyce! I've
got you now! You're mine"
She was not looking at him. She
was looking past his head and smil-
ing. Involuntarily Railway turned
mis- head to see.
A mile away, on the shore of the
| lake, he saw the two horsemen riding
steadily toward him.
Furious oaths burst from his lips.
| At that moment he seemed to read his
DOOM 1t was incredible that thes
could have ridden so fast He must
GO on and on now, on till he had
pitted the last ounce of his machine
| fuel against horse fesh-and WOE.
Once more he carried Joyce back in.u
| the boat. Once more he hurled his
craft downstream.
An hour passed. The sun was By
ginning to decline. And now out o.
the far distance a faint murmut
broke upon his ears. Railway kneW
what it was; he had often heard Il
before. 1t was the roar Of Reindeer
falls. Beyond those there was No
trail-nothing but impenetrable forest
| through which no horse could pass.
| Beyond the rapids he was safe. And
| he had often navigated them. He
knew the narrow channel between the
| rocks.
Once more his hopes revived
Looking back, he could see nothing but
the forest, reaching down to the lake
shore. The roar of the rapids grew
louder. They appeared in the dis
lance, line of foam crinkled with the
black outcropping of the rocks
However, the engine began to miss
| fire, and Railway perceived that the
gasoline was almost exhausted. He
| filed the reservoir from the drum.
The engine ratified and stopped. The
boat began to drift sidewise with the
increasing current.
PATHWAY examined his engine. He
could not discover what was the mat
ter with 1t. 1t seemed in perfect order
lit would not run, that was all. He
raved. He looked about him in des-
| pair. He looked back; there was no
sign of the horsemen.
Suddenly, as If Illumination had
come to him, he tilted the drum,
poured little stream of the contents
into his hand, and raised it to his
nostrils. Then. with a frenzied oath,
he raised the drum and hurled it into
the lake.
Kramer, 10 prevent Railways es,
Gaping with the gold, had emptied the
drum of its contents and refilled ii