The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1925-03-27
CHAPTER X-Continued

Lee saw that from the point where
he was clinging, there appeared to be
a fairly easy descent to the bottom.
in the gorge that were unscalable.
But he could go no further now.
Anxiety for Joyce was rising in him.
He was half afraid she might do
something RASH
In some way Railway seemed to be
associated with Pelly; perhaps he was
protecting him. Suppose, then, that
the girl had gone back to the Free
Traders headquarters on SistOn lake?
Or fed into the storm in her frenzy?
Suppose they had been followed?
Lee remembered his fancy that he had
seen an Indian watching them. The
Free Traders would surely have been
watching the trail at either end of the
lake, knowing that sooner or later they
must emerge out Of the forests.
Then he remembered the shadow In
the log house, and this specter in
which he had disbelieved, now began
to assume in his mind formidable
aspect.
Suddenly, as Lee chung there, he
heard a rumbling sound above his
head, and a moment later something
hurled past it and smashed upon the
ground of the chasm. Looking down,
Lee saw the fragments of an enor-
mediately beneath him.
He had had a narrow escape. And
reluctantly he turned to re-enter the
tunnel But before he had thrust his
head and shoulders in, there came an
other rumble. And this time 1t was
only the little projecting ledge above
his head that saved his life.
The boulder struck the edge of 1t,
shot out into the air, and, just missing
him, smashed to pieces below.
Lee looked up, but the overhanging
cliffs shut out the view of everything
except the overhanging bushes and the
sky.
Whether or not human agency was
responsible for the fall of the two
boulders, 1t was certain that the tun-
ners mouth did not appear to be a
particularly healthy spot at that mo-
ment.
And Lee forced his head and Shout
ders through. and CROPPED for the rock
ladder within, bruising his thighs and
shins against the edges of the open
ings. Extending his hands, he felt the
smooth surface of the water-worn, in
terror wall. He grasped the ladder,
chung to 1t, pulled himself up, and
found his footing.
And then of sudden Lee had the
unmistakable instinct that he was not
alone. There was another living thing
within the tunneli
Though 1t was absolutely dark, ex-
cept for the faintest reflection from
the interior of the gorge, which filtered
up from below, and though Lee could
not hear the faintest sound, he felt its
presence by some inner sense that
was not hearing, he felt the rhythmical
pulsations of it's life.
And 1t was a human being. Lee felt
the fog of human hatred flung. out to-
ward him. Instinctively he knew the
VI dn cuCOuHltT COn-
ditions more nerve-racking than any
he had ever experienced. He knew
for sure now that the fall of the two
boulders had been no accident.
He had been watched, he had been
seen to enter, and that watcher meant
to fight him to the death. And of
course 1t was Pelly!
He did not relish the prospect of a
struggle with the crazed old man, one
which could hardly end In any other
way than by the death of one of
them It would be a sharp, reIent-
less struggle, in which Lees disadvan-
tage lay in the fact that he could not
be the first to fire.
Lee called: as that you, Pelly? ]
want to talk to YOU"
No answer came. He strained his
eyes upward through the darkness.
Colors and wheels of light flashed
across his vision and went out
'Pelly, listen to me!' Lee tried
again. You know what I've come
for. You've got no chance Surren-
der. and you'll get fair treatment"
Still no answer: and yet Lee could