The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1925-01-02
CHAPTER xIII-continued

Curse you," Hampton said In
smothered anger, his tone making
clear the meaning of the indistinct
mutter. But he climbed into the sad
die.
Come on, Tommy" Lee. too, was
up, his hand on Hampton's reins.
"We're going up TO the old cabin.
You're going to ride herd on Hamp-
ton while / do something else. I'll
tell you everything when we get there.
So they rode into the night, head
ed toward the narrow passes of the
Upper End, Hampton and Lee side by
side, Tommy Burkitt staring after
them as he followed. No longer were
Bud Lees thoughts with his capt. fe,
nor with the herds Carson's men were
driving back TO the higher pastures.
They were entirely for Judith, and
they were filed with fear. She had
been gone for three full days; she
was somewhere in the clutch of Trev-
ors or of one of his cutthroats. He
thought of her, of Quinnion'S red
trimmed, evil eyes, and as he had not
prayed in all the years of his life
Bud Lee prayed that night.
He left Hampton securely bound
and under Tommy Burkitt's watchful
eyes in the old cabin, and rode
straight back TO the ranch-house.
Marcia was not yet in bed and he
made his first call upon her. Marcia
was delighted. then vaguely perturbed
as he made known his errand without
giving any reason. He wanted TO see
the note from Judith. Marcia brought
IT, wondering. He carried 1t with
him to Judith's Office and compared
it carefully with scraps of her hand
writing which he found there. The
result of his study was what he had
expected: the writing of the note TO
Marcia was sufficiently like Judith's
TO pass muster to an uncritical eye,
looking, in fact, what it purported to
be, very hasty scrawl But Lee de-
sided that Judith had not written it.
He slipped 1t into his pocket.
Trip was waiting for him, impa-
tient and worried, when he came back
from the Upper End. From Trip
he learned that one of the men, a
fellow the boys called Yellow-jacket,
had unexpectedly asked for his time
Saturday afternoon and had left the
ranch, saying that he was sick.
Hes the chap who brought the
fake note from you." said Lee. IT'S
open and shut, Doc Another one Of
Trevor's men that we ought to have
fired long ago. The one thing / can't
get, is why he didn't do finished job
of it and hang around until Miss San
ford left, then get away with the
note. 1t would have left no evidence
behind him."
"She must have locked her door
and windows when she went out"
was Trips solution. "And probably
he didn't hang around wasting time
and taking chances"
Trips boyish face had lost It's
youthful look. His eyes, meeting
Lees steadily, had in them an express
sion like Lees.
IF it's Quinnion-" Trip began.
Then he stopped abruptly.
Lee and Trip were together in the
Office not above fifteen minutes. Then
Trip left to return to the Lower End.
TO get the rest of the men out, to help
in the big drive of cattle and horses
which must be returned to the shut-in
valleys of the Upper End.
Lee went to the bunk-house, slipped
revolver and cartridges into his pock-
cts, took rifle and rode again to
the old cabin.
Its Trevors' big, last playT' he
told himself gravely, over and oyer.
He'll be backing 1t up strong, play
ing his hand for all that there's in it,
and he'll have taken time and care
TO fill In his hand so that we're buck
ing royal flush. And there's only
one way to beat royal flush. and
that's with a gun. But l can't quite
see the whole play, Trevors; / can't
quite see It,"
There were enough men to do the
nights work without him and Tommy
Burkitt, and Lee gave no thought now
to Carson swearing in the darkness
of some shadow-f1lled gorge. He did
not know what the morrow's work
would be for him, but he made his
preparations none the less. eager for
the coming dawn. He fried many
slices of bacon while Hampton glared
Mt him ard Tommy watched him In
terestedly; he made light, compact
lunch, such as best "sticks to a mans
ribs" wrapped 1t in heavy paper and
slipped the package into the bosom
of his shirt. He completed his equip
ment with fresh bag of tobacco and
many matches. He loaded his rifle,
added a plentiful supply OF ammuni-
tion to his outfit from the box on the
shelf.
I'm coming to you, Judith girl" be
whispered over and over to himself.
Somehow"
Dawn trembled over the mountains
tops, grew pale rose and warm pink
ans glorious red In the eastern sky,
and Bud Lee, throwing down his
eoiied rope which had been put into
service a dozen times during the
night. said shortly:
"Here we camp, boys. I'll leave
you my fried bacon. Tommy, and take
the raw with me. You're not even
70 light 6 fire. And you're to stick
here until come for YOU"
They had travelled deeper and deep
or into the Businesses of the noun
fains, mounting higher and higher I'M
I'll now. In G nest of crags and cliffs.
On a flank Of Devils mountain. they
could look far to the westward and