The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1925-02-13

One or them was coming toward him
with stealthy footsteps. Lee guessed
| that 1t was Shorty, the more courage
Gus of the two.
The figure came slowly on. Lee
aimed the automatic, his finger stead
| led on the trigger He would fire as
soon as it made the first hostile move
ment, as soon as it raised its weapon
to cover him.
And then, in amazement, he let the
muZzle of his automatic drop. For the
| figure was not coming toward him, 1t
was going toward the girls tent.
And 1t was the girl herselfl
| Had she then some secret under
standing with the two ruffians, and
had the episode of the evening at the
hotel been performance staged for
some particular purpose?
| That might almost have appeared
credible, but for the conversation that
Lee had overheard beside the stove.
In the light of that, Lee had to dis
miss the credibility of his surnlise.
The only possible explanation at
which he could arrive was that the
girl had gone to the confederates with
| his own story, had taxed them, and,
tale was false. Probably they had
convinced her that they were friends,
and that he had designs upon her.
Mystified and Inundated, Lee went
to sleep at last with his ears attuned
for any unexpected sound or move
ment and the automatic within his
immediate grasp. Long practice with
prisoners whom he had brought
single-handed out Of the wilds had
given him the faculty of sleeping in
as complete watchfulness as n wild
animal; no enemy could surprise him
while he dozed.
But there was no need for these
precautions for nothing disturbed him.
and it was the sun, blinking on the
edge of the horizon, that awakened
him the next morning.
The girl was already cooking her
breakfast outside her tent when he
emerged, and she returned his saluta-
ton with stiff little bow, keeping
her face averted.
Lee attended to his horse and then
prepared his breakfast. He had fin
ished before Pierre and Shorty came
on the scene. They looked as IL they
had been drinking heavily the night
before, but they made no movement
toward either him or the girl until the
horses were loaded and ready to start,
the girl briefly declining Lees assist
ance and handling her own gear like
! an expert.
Then Shorty came up to Lee.
"See here, pardner, what's the great
idea?" he asked, in tone that was
meant to be conciliatory. MY part
ner and me was wonderin' if we
couldn't fix up this little misunder-
standin,. / guess you're barkin' up
the wrong tree, amt your"
"Meaning?"
Meaning as how my pardner and
me don't mean no harm to this young
lady. We're on prospectin' trip, and
nacherally we don't want no outsiders
buttin' in on our property"
"How about this lady?"
Now, pardner, you got things sized
up wrong, / tell you. Eff she's goin'
our way, why, nacherally, we amt
going to purtend not to see each other.
Now I dunno where you're bound for,
and l don't care, but / give you the
best tip you ever had, eff you don't
like trouble, which l understand you
! to say you don't. There amt no gold
in Stony range, and the best thing you
kin do Is to beat it back to Little
Falls. That's all about it."
IF there's no gold in Stony range,
why are you prospecting here?"
"Say," shouted Shorty, II guess my
pardner and me knows our business
without no outsider buttin' in. Eve
put the cards face up on the table.
Now how about IT."
Nothing DOING"