The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1925-12-25
said the woman.

"D-n!" said the woman.
She laid the rifle across her pommel
refined the blue stallion sharply away
and went on her interrupted journey.
Two hours later she rode into the
shady, crooked lane that passed for 9
street in Cordova. Composed Of a gen
eral store, a blacksmith shop, a few
ancient cabins, the isolated trading
point called itself a town. McKane OF
the store did four-ply business and
fancied himself exceedingly.
AS the woman came cantering down
the street between the cabins he ceased
whiting on the splinter in his hands
and watched her. She was well worth
watching, too, for she was straight as
an Indian and she rode like one OF
the half dozen men lounging on the
store porch In the drowsy afternoon
not n but gazed at her with covetous
eyes.
A light grew up in McKane's keen
face. a satisfaction, an appreciation. Q
recognition of excellence.
"By George! I" he said softly. "Boys
l don't know which is the most worth
while-the half-breed Bluefre or Kate
Cathrew on his back!"
"Ill take the woman" said a lean
youth In worn leather, his starved
young face attesting to the woman
less wilderness of the Upper Country
from whence he hailed. "Yea, Lord
I'll take the woman"
"You mean you would" said Nc
Kane, smiling, "if you could. Many 8
man has tried 1t, but Kate rides alone
Yes. and rules her kingdom with an
iron hand-that's wrong-its steel
and Toledo steel at that, tempered fine
And merciless."
"You seem to know tn lady pretty
WELL"
"All Nameless River knows her.
said the trader, lowering his voice as
she drew near, "and the Deep Hearts
too, as far as cattle run"
"Take an keep yer woman-if ye
can" put in a bearded mar Of fifty
who sat against a post, his booted feet
stretched along the floor, 'but give me
| tn horse. I've loved him ever sence
first laid eyes on him two years back.
Hes more than a horse-he's got
brains behind them speakin' eyes,, soft
an black when he's peaceful, but
burnin' like Goals when he's mad. I've
seer him mad, an itched to own him
then. Kate's a brute to him-don't un.
derstand him, an don't want to-"
McKane dropped his chair forward
and rose quickly to his feet as the
woman cantered up.
Hello, Kate" he said, as she sat a
moment regarding the group, shows
the world at Sky Line ranch?"
"All there" she said shortly, "or
was when I left"
She swung out Of her saddle and
flung her reins to the ground. She
pulled off her gloves and pushed the
hat back from her forehead, which
showed sweated white above the tan
of her face. She passed into the store
with McKane, the spurs rafting on
her booted heels.
Left alone the big, blue stallion
turned his alert head and looked at the
men IN the porch, drawing a deep
breath and rolling the wheel in his
half-breed bit.
1t was as the bearded man had said
intelligence In a marked degree
looked out of the starry eyes in the
blue face. That individual reached out
a covetous hand, but the horse did not
as Kate Cathrew's servant.
Inside the store the woman took two
letters which McKane gave her from
the dingy pigeon-holes that did duty as
post office, read them, frowned and put
them in the pocket of her leather rid,
ing skirt. Then she selected a few
things from the shelves which she
slowed in a -four sack and was ready
to go. McKane followed her close, his
eyes searching her face with ill-con.
cealed desire. She did not notice the
men on the porch, who regarded her
frankly, but passed out among them as
though they were not there. 1t was
this cool insolence which cleared the
path before her wherever she ap.
peared, as if all observers, feeling the
inferiority her disdain implied. &C.
knowledged 1t.
But as she descended the five or six
steps that led down from the porch
she came face to face with a new.
conner, n who neither gaped MOI
shifted back, but looked her square in
the face.
This was a man of some thirty-four
or five, big, brawny, lean and fit. of a
rather homely countenance lighted by
gray eyes that read his kind like print
He looked like a cattleman save fol-
one thing-the silver star pinned to
the left breast of his flannel shirt, for
this was Sheriff Price Selwood.