The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1925-05-22
CHAPTER XXI
Saved by Estelle

loosen them an inch.
He writhed until the cords drew
blood from his wrists, and the thought
Of Joyce. lost to him at the last
through Estelle's trick, inspired him
TO still more frenzied efforts. but
equally in vain.
Suddenly a figure darted through
the doorway. In his condition of
semi-cOnsciousness he was dimly aware
that Estelle was crouching at his
side. trying to unknot the ropes. 1t
vas impossible to see anything
through the thick smoke that filled
the interior of the hut, and Estelle's
fingers, cropping for the knots, were
not strong enough TO loosen them.
Still she fought in a frenzy, mad
dened by Railways desertion of her,
his blow, and Shorty's murder, hardly
knowing why she was bent upon saw
ing Lee when her whole life had gone
down in ruin. Two walls of the hut
We're now in flames, and the whole
roof was s~mouldering. Estelle screamed
wildly into the empty air.
Lee tried to push her away. Go
never mind me 7" he tried to humble
through his gag. And he wondered
why she. who had lured him there,
was now trying to ave him.
She bit at the ropes with her teeth,
and even while she did so those
creams continued to pour from her
lips. At last, with a final, despairing
cry. she collapsed at Lees side.
Another figure staggered over the
sill. 1t was Leboeuf. He came on,
a moving pillar of mud. The old In
dian, attracted by the fire, and hear
ing Estelle's cries. had at last sue
ceeded in fighting his way out of the
muskeg. Seeing the two forms dimly
through the smoke, he bent down, felt
the cords about Lees limbs and body
and. with his Rnife. quickly slashed
them asunder.
He pulled the gag from Lees mouth
and carried hin outside. Estelle
staggered out after him. In a few
moments the fresh air revived them.
But hardly were they outside the
hut when the roof collapsed with a
great crash, sending up a spout of
sparks and brands. A huge banner
of fire waved where the hut had been.
The glowing brands, descending, set
fire to the dead reeds. Lines of fire
ran swiftly out into the swamp.
The sound Of w~hinneying and
plunging came from the stables, which
were now discernible against the
Frightening sky.
Monsieur cried Leboeuf, pointing.
Estelle chung to Lee. "Waiti Wait I"
she cried. But even in Lees misery
the instinct TO save the animals came
first. Leboeuf and he set off toward
the building, staggering through the
swamp, while the fiery fingers of the
~confiagration reached out toward
them.
"Nol This way" cried Estelle,
running toward them.
She guided them along the little
trail. In a few moments Lee and
Leboeuf had unhaltered the animals,
and led them TO safety. the Indian
carrying the saddles and brides over
his arm.
At the neck of the promontory Es-
telle grasped at Lee again. HE is
goneiv she cried. "He has taken her
to Lake Misquash in his motor boat.
Oh, don't you care, that you stand
there like that?"
Lee looked at her, despair heavy in
his eyes. $50 much" he answered,
"that / shall follow him to the Arctic
ice If necessary. That is why there
is no instant hurry, Estelle."
Estelle could not understand his
calmness. "He made mi deceive you,'
she cried. "He swore to mi that he
would take me away with him, leav-
ing her in the hut with you. He said
he would place a knife near you, so
that you could see it when 1t grew
light. and would be able to free your
self and her. He only wanted a few
minutes respite. II believed him,
the perjured liar. He tricked me, and
now he's gone ~foreveri"
She broke down in stormy sobs. Lee
said nothing. At that moment, when
everything seemed lost, and it was
impossible to save Joyce from the
worst, he could only build up endless
schemes for future r~etribution. He
would pursue Railway, if necessary,
not only TO the Arctic ice, but to the
ends of the earth. Butt was too
late! :
That stunning realization kept him
as still and silent as If nothing mat
tered at all.
All the while these thoughts passed
through his mind he was walking with
the others across the ~promontory. 1t
was growing light now, but they could
see no signs of movement in the huts
opposite them. Lee q~uickened his
footsteps, oppressed by a vague fear.
Outside the huts he stopped, uttered
a cry.
Father McGrath lay in a huddled
heap. There was a bloody wound in
his head. Lee threw himself upon his
knees beside the old priest, sur that
he was dead. He took n wrist.
Father McGrath was very far from
being dead. He sat up with e~lectri-
flying ~suddenness, and dealt Lee a
buffet that knocked him backward.
And the flow of language that streamed
from his lips was, If not actually OBJ
jurgative, decidedly picturesque.
Then of a sudden he seemed to
realize where he was. He stared at
Lee in dismay. looked wildly around
him.
"Whaur are they? All, the"
Leboeuf. coming up at this juno
fnre with the two horses. uttered a