The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1925-05-15
CHAPTER XIX-Continued

What d'you want?"
They shifted uneasily in front of
him. "Well, there's ben some grum-
blin' about that gold, JIM" Shorty
vouchsafed. 'The boys kinder seem
to think you amt plannin' to play fair
with 'em. They've put Kramer on
guard TO watch the motor-boat in case
you might be amin to git away with
her"
"What's that?" snarled Railway.
He sprang to his feet. From the
door of the hut be could discern
shadowy figure near the parapet. For
an instant he was about TO rush at II
in his rage But then his cunning
came to his aid. He turned back into
the hut.
"What's their game-and yours"
Shorty hesitated. swell, va see,
Jim, me and Pierre's allus stood by
va, and we kinder thought we'd let va
know the boys has been talkin' things
over among themselves"
Railway smiled sourly. He knew
the pair of them would not have hest
tated TO side with the mutineers II
they had thought there was any chance
of outwitting him. Pierre and Shorty
knew Railways vigilance, his infinite
resource.
"Spill it!''
swell, Jim, I guess they're gettin'
ready TO rush you, now you've put out
your light. They're aiming TO tie you
up and git away with the gold in the
motor boat"
"Just TO tie me? They wouldn't
hurt mer' Railway snickered, and the
pair shuf1led their feet uncomfortably.
He laughed. And his plans to meet
this situation leaped into his mind.
He must let the men attack. and then.
when he had finished with them. he'd
make short work of Pierre and Shorty,
and Estelle too. His confidence was
coming back.
They sent me and Pierre to see If
you'd gone to sleep here"
"Wen, l aint," Railway returned.
laughing again. He knew his non
chalance at once discounted and
bound them to him through fear. "Pve
gone TO the hut across the neck to say
good night to the girl. and maybe, If
she presses me, 1 won't be hurrying
away Get that?" he asked, as they
guffawed self consciously.
You'll go back and tell 'em I'm
gone, Pierre You got your gun,
Shortly All right. You and nell
have a quiet little session in the
swamp, waitin' for 'em TO come along
the trail one by one-eh, Shortly"
He clapped each one on the shoulder.
"There's gold enough in that sack to
make us three millionaires, and there'll
be a d-n sight less sharing" he said.
"And listen, boys. I've cached 1T, so,
If I'm croaked, nobody'll get it. See?"
Z The men were fools anyway, but
trebly so when their cupidity was
aroused PATHWAY imagined the greed
leaping into their eyes, and laughed.
He was reckless now. The hooch devil
rode him at last. And in his minds
eye he saw the picture.
And, what a holocaust for Joyce!
No one could prove anything, either,
even if they caught him. And the
bodies of Lee and Pelly would never
be found. There was Estelle, OF course,
but whatever happened, she would
never give him away.
Curiously, Estelle, who had doomed
so prominently as his chief difficulty,
now assumed an insignificant part in
the problem. He didn't even consider
what disposition he was going to make
of her.
you get back, Pierre, and say you
met me going over to the neck he
said. "And hold 'em twenty minutes"
Pierre departed. Railway and
Shorty went softly out of the hut
among the pines. Railway felt sure
enough of his companion to walk in
front of him.
They heard the voices of the men
about the fire rise into loud declama-
tion as Pierre returned; then the
sounds were cut off as they turned
along the track through the mOrass.
Presently the stables came into sight
above the reeds, and the hut beyond,
with a light in It.
81 guess this place will do" he said
to Shorty.
They squatted among the reeds,
their pistols in their hands. 1t had
been showing internationally through
the night, and it was an eerie watch,
even for the unimaginative, in the
bitter cold and blackness. The night
wind rustled the dead stalks of the
reeds; the muskeg, more treacherous
for the surface ice that concealed,
but could never bind it, stirred and
heaved imperceptibly, like a vast sea.
Across the neck of land the flames .of
the camp fire fickered against the
rocks.
Suddenly, after what seemed like
an eternity of time, Shorty whispered
hoarsely in Railways ear. pulled at
the sleeve of his mackinaw, and
pointed.
From where they lur1ed they could
see figures moving against the back
ground of fire In the direction of the
neck
Gripping their pistols they crouched
motionless, tense with excitement.
But of sudden other figures ap-
peared moving toward the mutineers.
They heard sharp Hands upi"
followed by an oath, cries, the dis
charge Of firearms.
!. And Railway, trembling like an
aspen leaf, stared into Shorty's face.
tits him. He-he's come back"
he babbled In superstitious terror.
CHAPTER Xxx