The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1925-02-06


pendiary to use in any way you see
fit. And take all the time you want.
because there'll be nothing doing till
spring. But don't let 'em get wise to
your job. So you'll leave your uni
form behind you, Sergeant, and con-
duct your inquiries as inconspicuously
as possible. And In case like this.
one mans better tLan two. That's
why I'm sending you alone.
Finally, you'll bear in mind that
Pelly's arrest comes first. Soon as
you locate him. bring him out of the
range"
AT dawn Lee was upon the road.
There had been rumors-recurrent
rumors Of gold find in Stony range
that summer, but the nearer Lee got
to the range the less explicit the
news became.
He passed a number Of men on their
way south, morose and sullen, but
ready enough to pour out their
grievance that summers prospect
ing had failed to show even a trace
of color anywhere
/ Lee had listened to their stories and
then gone on, leaving the impression
that he was prospector on be-
lated journey to the range.
And now at last the range lay in
front of him, uplifting its wild peaks
into the glory of the autumn sunset.
Lee felt his heart uplifted too. This
was life at its most zestful-the world
spaces, and the hunting of the king of
all created beings-Man.
So, leading his horse, Lee passed
down the long slope toward the set
Element of Little Falls. Soon he was
abreast of the first shacks. set in the
clearings among the stumps Then
came rows of uniformly ugly wooden
cottages, small mission church with
a tin roof, bank, and a small hotel
announcing itself by a dilapidated
! shingle.
Lee fastened his horse to the hitch
ing post in front and entered. On
the right of the interior passage was
the dining-room, on the left the parlor,
with the furniture piled up in cor
ners and the floor strewn with duffle-
bags and blankets.
A passage ran past a flight Of
rickety stairs, and from a room at the
end of this came the clamor Of voices.
Here Lee found the bar, packed
tight, and running wide open. Be
hind the mahogany stood fat and
cynical-looking landlord.
"How about a room and stabling
for the night?" asked Lee.
The landlord slid a schooner OF beer
from one end of the bar to the middle,
and turned to Lee, his fat body
quivering. apparently with mirth.
though his face did not relax any
thing Of its solemn, cynical aspect.
"Stablfng? You said 1t. Room?
You en- have six foot by four of the
parlor floor, stranger" he answered.
pretty full, eh?"
Fuller n HIS full of fire-logs."
Logging crews signing up?"
"Loggin', nothin'. Towns full of
these here fool guys that's been pros
lpectin' Stony range all summer. Got
cold feet all to onct and all quit to-
gether. Feeling pretty sore over it,
guess. va amt aiming to start fer the
range yerself this time of year"
81 guess there'll be time to wash
few pans of dirt" answered Lee
''Then maybe I'll board my horse here
and trap bit this winter"
He led his horse into the stable.
gave it some corn and racked out
bale of hay, and carried his blankets
back to the hotel parlor, where he
staked out sleeping claim upon the
floor.
A small negro boy, carrying a large
bell, came out Of the kitchen and be-
gan to ring it, swaying to and fro with
cheerful grin, as If he were tied to
the clapper.
At the sound Of the cracked tones
the men began to straggle out of the
bar into the dining-room, where they
took their. seats on long benches
either side of long table covered
with stained, tattered oilcloth, on
which were placed cheap knives.
forks, spoons and plates.
Next appeared thick-set young
lsquaw who began to hand out Dor
lions of greasy dinner, consisting of
suspicious meat, beans, and potatoes
that had apparently been frozen to
death in bed.
Lee, who had taken seat oppo-
site the door, surveyed the other
guests with that quiet watchfulness
which was part of his nature as
well as of his training. For the most