The Ely miner., 1925-11-06
CHAPTER xl

That gaunt phantom of doubt grad.
ually closed in upon me. resolved to
fight 1t, but its very intangibility baf-
fled my efforts to throw 1t off, When
/ struck, 1t was not there When 1
gripped 1t, my fingers closed on space.
When I challenged jeans whole-heart-
edness she burst into tears and asked
what proof she could give that she had
not given. And 1t was because she
burst into tears that the phantom
stalked me all the closer Had she
laughed and called me silly boy I
would have believed her.
Nothing came of 1t, however, and the
days wore on until one forenoon we
saw Spoof's tall figure looming up
across the snow-waste that lay be-
tween Fourteen and Two.
We made him welcome, but he would
not sit down. "Sorry, but can't stay"
he explained Jake is in bit Of a
mess. Just came over to Two to tell
me about 1t. 1t seems the cogitation
nut on his base burner-you know the
big coal stove Jake puts on so many
airs about--bless me If / know what
a cogitation nut is; rummy old name
don't you think?- but at any rate 1t
has come loose so Jake posted over to
borrow left-hand monkey wrench
with which to tighten 1t. 1t seems he
can't get at it with an ordinary monkey
wrench; must have left-hand one. /
hadn't such a thing about the place,
and of course / told him so.
DANCED unfortunate says Jake
excuse the adjective, ladies-and he
stuck out his chin and massaged it
In way that showed he was worried
more than he admitted.
1T will be all right, won't itT said
], trying to buck him up, and really
knowing nothing about it.
We'll, it may be, and 1t may not
be- said he. IF we're lucky nothing
will come of it,
land in case you're unluckyY !
queried.
Then the bottom will fall out of
the stove and the shack will burn down
maybe before / get back. We can't
leave it without fire in this weather,
you know
$50 seeing that old Jake was in a
bit of mess / volunteered to come
over and borrow the necessary tools
from you. 1t took quite a weight off
his mind, assure you."
Jack and Jean, as usual, were with
us at the time and from a corner where
he was out of the range of Spoofs
vision Jack was semaphoring me an
improvised hush signal.
''Too bad the day is so dull" Jack
said, looking out of our window in
the direction of Jake's homestead.
Cant see.a thing. His shack may be
burned by this time. Perhaps Jake
and Bella Donna are already on their
way here for shelter"
"Oh, surely notI" exclaimed Jean.
"Surely that would not happen! !"
"Quite possible" her brother in
sisted, with the firmness of one who Is
prepared for the worst. when the
cogitation nut works loose you never
know what may happen. And the
worst of it is we haven't left-hand
wrench on the place.
'You haven't!" said Spool, plainly
concerned, 81 say, that's rather rot
ten."
isn't 1t? Your best chance is
Burke. Burke has quite layout of
tools, and, besides, he's an ingenious
beggar No doubt he will be able to
fix you up"
Marjorie had already drawn cup
Of hot tea, and Spool drank it while
he stood.
"Ah, that's better" said he, as she
took the empty cup from his hand.
Wonderful how a cup of tea bucks
fellow up, isn't it? Now l must get
along. Fancy old Jake on his back
under the stove holding that nut in
place with his fingers p
"Or with Bella Donna's curling
tongs," Jack suggested Burke will
fix you all right" and we waved him
away.
1t was one Of those gray winter days,
and he faded out of sight in a few mo-
ments. / noticed that jeans eyes
followed Spool until the mist had en-
quilted him. Then she turned quickly
to Jack and me.
"If there is any danger, don't you
think you should go to Jake's at once?"
she said.