The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1925-05-01

Pathway chose TO leave the gold
in safety. 1t was the greater of his
two passions. Gathering Joyce in his
arms, he essayed the ascent of the
cliff.
How he got to the tunnels entrance
he hardly knew afterward. 1t was a
feat which only the spur Of triumph
enabled him TO accomplish. He had
to hold on with both hands while grip
arms.
AT length, however, he did succeed
In reaching the tunnels mouth, drag
ging himself through, and pulling
Joyce through after him. The ascent
of the rock ladder was trifling in COM
parison.
He looked at Joyce. She was still
in condition of profound unconscious
ness. Breathing an unvoiced prayer
to whatever gods controlled his soul,
that she would not awake, Railway
laid her down between the monolith
and the rocking stone, and went back
for the gold. B..
This job Of hoisting the heavy bag
up the side of the cliff, required less
dexterity, but every ounce of strength
that he possessed. Inch by inch.
straining and scrambling up the rocky
wall, Railway pushed 1t before him
until, bruised by the impact of the
treasure, he got it safely within the
tunnel, and thence to the rocking
stone above.
He stopped to breathe. He wiped
the sweat from his face. 1t was not
very far from dawn. He must have
spent hours on that hideous task.
Then, carrying the bag and the girl
alternately, he pushed on toward the
house. He wakened his aides with a
below. They came staggering out,
drunk and half asleep.
start up the engine, Kramer" he
shouted. "Well have to be on our
way by daylight. Gimme a drink ~
He gulped down half bottle of his
own liquor. The reaction after his in
credible labors, the possession of the
gold, the supreme triumph of that
night exalted him. But he was anxious
to get away as soon as possible.
At Siston lake, which was only
few hours journey by motor boat, he
would be in his own retreat. He
could wait till then to enjoy success.
He gloated as he looked down at the
unconscious girl.
Something had gone wrong with the
engine, and Railway fused and
fumed while Kramer, the mechanic,
was repairing it. The packs were got
Railway placed the bag of gold dust
in the middle of the boat, and car
ried Joyce to 1t. He laid her down,
and they pushed off.
Joyce had fallen into a profound
sleep of exhaustion. She began to
stir, stretched out her arms.
Lee, DEAR" she murmured.
She opened her eyes and looked into
Railways vulpine face. She screamed.
She struggled. She remembered
She fought like mad woman, and
Railway was forced to call for a
rope. He tied her ankles together and
fastened her arms to her sides. He
passed the rope around one OF the
cleats. In spite of her bonds she
struggled so that it was all Railway
could do to keep her from fitting the
boat over. She screamed continually
and tried to throw herself over the
side.
At last she stopped, however, and
lay still from exhaustion. She never
renewed her struggles. She lay in
the bottom of the boat with her eyes
closed, drawing in convulsive breaths.
Despite his triumph and his anticipa-
lions, Railway was afraid of her. He
wondered what was going on inside
her mind.
1t was about noon when they
reached the promontory.
Railway, preceded by Pierre and
Shorty with the gold-he would not
leave it in the motor boat-carried the
girl across the neck of land to an iso-
lated hut about three hundred yards
away, following secret passage
among the reeds. He laid her down
upon the camp bed. Joyce lay rigid,
looking at him with dilated pupils, and
still drawing in those shudoering
breaths. Railway went out with a
sigh Of relief; he was still more afraid
of her in that condition.
Another person he feared was Es-
telle, and it was with relief he learned
that she was not at the promontory.
Estelle had odd ways of wandering
alone about the country. Railway
was glad of this temporary respite.