The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1925-02-20
CHAPTER v
The Severed Strands

And the returning scene of con-
sciousness was at first only the dim
knowledge of pain, in terms of which
he visualized existence.
That pain seemed to have existed
from all eternity, filling all space and
time. 1t usurped all the functions of
the body. He was the nucleus of 1T,
sprawling like an inert being at the
heart of creation, and out Of him pain
radiated through the universe.
And then came sight-chaos of
brown and green, fantastic mountains
clothed with sparse, unbranching trees,
earth's primitive creation, huge con-
tinents that he bestrode, Brobding-
nag of his species, solitary in the
world.
Lee became aware that his eyes
were open. And very slowly he grew
aware of his own identity. He began
looking about him.
Then he made the discovery that the
mountains he had seen were boulders,
the vegetation moss and grasses He
was lying upon the ground, with a
great rock on either side of him, half
way down the gorge at the bottom of
which the torrent coursed. Low scrub
alder and other growth formed sort
Of fan-work over him, completely
concealing him. Above this fan
work was a glimpse of the gray sky.
He began to remember things. He
had been riding, had been thrown
from his mount. The Inspector had
sent him to bring somebody in-Snell,
Kelly-Pelly! He must have encount-
cred Pelly and have been shot. Pelly
had been a fool not to finish the job.
He must get after him again. And
what had happened to his horse?
Now from where he lay he had a
glimpse of the fawn TANKS, the shin
ing steel circlets beneath the hoofs.
His horse was lying lower down the
slope, at the very edge of the rocks
shot his horse as well. Or perhaps it
was only the horse, and Lee had been
stunned by the fall.
The red rim of the sun was just
dipping into the horizon and Lee re
membered that when he had last seen
it, it was midway in the western sky.
But he had seen it from cliff top.
With that the girl flashed into the
picture. Lee saw her and her horse
topping down the ravine. He remem-
bered his own fall, the landslide, the
dynamite Memory grew complete. the
last links snapped into place.
He realized that he had been flung
from the heights above, and that by a
miracle of luck his descent into the
rock-strewn torrent had been arrested
by the scrub growth which held him.
Otherwise those rocks would have
ground and battered him almost out
of semblance to man, or tossed him
into the whirling torrent.
AS it was, it was a miracle that he
had survived the fall. Probably he
was badly injured. He must count
on broken limbs.
He tried to rise, and instantly the
body screamed its protest. With i'm
mense difficulty he succeeded in get
ting upon his hands and knees. He
f1exed each of his limbs In turn He
felt his body and ribs, he patted him
self all over.
1t was incredible, but though every
muscle in his body seemed twisted. and
he was aching and bruised from head
to foot, no bones appeared to be
broken.
Peering along the edge of the ravine,
Lee saw the girls horse lying little
distance away.
The effort TO get upon his feet
seemed to consume an incredible
period of time. BY the exercise of all
his will Lee managed to keep his
balance until the rocking earth had
grown comparatively stable. Then,
forcing his rebellious limbs and
muscles into coordination, he stag
gered toward the girls horse.
1t was alive, but its back and limbs
were broken, so that it was completely
paralyzed. 1t looked at Lee as be APP
preached out of it's bright, pathetic