The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-03-19
CHAPTER XIV-Continued

Il y
Selwood delightedly, II knew that long
ago. There's one or two who do pass
muster-her foreman and that black
devil from Texas, Sud Provine. The
rest are city stuff"
'They are, without exception. crimi-
nails who have been defended by one
of the ablest lawyers in New York
and acquitted They owe him lot
and he has something more on each
one of them, so that they are his
henchmen in every instance. This
man is Lawrence Arnold"
Kate Cathrew's partnerl He owns
half of Sky Liner
Exactly. When he gets hold of a
man he wants to use, he seems to send
him here. / have recognized three of
these riders already, though none of
them knew me-"
Excuse me, mister" said Selwood,
but how do you happen to know so
much?
'That question is your right, and l
will answer 1t. Kate Cathrew was a
New York woman-I knew her there
some six years ago. She was clever
then-and INSCRIPTIONS, always play
ing for her own advancement. 1t was
along that line that she did the deed
for which / have hunted her down
and found her at last. What deed
that was am not ready to say, nor
to whom 1t was done. 1t must suffice
for the present to tell you that 1t
ruined one life and babe fair to ruin
another until l stepped in to take a
hand. These two lives were very
near my own-and for their sake /
have become wanderer, homeless
tramp, searching the lone places of the
West to find this woman and make her
pay--to bring her to justice. /
watched Lawrence Arnold for three
years before / started and / knew
he was in touch with her, that between
them some way they were making
money, but could never get track of
her through him. He was too sharp
for me. l have visited every cattle
ranch owned by woman In the whole
United States, 1t seems to me- !
found seven in Texas, two In Mon
tana, and more In Idaho. / have rid
den this little chap thousands of miles,
shipped him with me by rail thou
sands more. | knew it was cattle stuff
from some of Arnold's deals, but where
they came from has been mystery
until two months ago. Now you know
what l am and why I'm on Cattle
Kate's trail like a nemesis. l think,
If we work together, we'll land her
soon-and land her hard and fast
where she belongs"
amen to that" said Selwood fer.
vently.
The summer drowsed along on
Nameless, sweet with sun and the
little winds that stirred the pine tops
green with verdure and starred with
wild flowers. The lonesome world OF
the jumbled hills was fair as Para
disc, wistful with silence, mysterious
with its suggestion of eternal waiting.
To Nance Allison, sitting listlessly on
her doorstep, it seemed strangely
empty. There was nothing to do, now
that the heavy labor of the haying was
over. She watched her three big
stacks with somber eyes, expecting
each morning to find them destroyed
but nothing happened to them.
Bud carried his fathers rifle now
and day after day he went morosely
into the hills after venison.
SCOT to hang enough meat for win
ter" he told Nance when she looked
at him with troubled eyes.
Got to remember that Command
ment which says, Thou shalt moi
KILL" she answered.
Brand said to carry the gun"
Brand said 'defend'-not murder.
Hold hard, Bud. We've kept clean Sc
far"
"Yes-and what've we got? grave
and this"
He shrugged his sagging shoulder.
Quick tears came in Nance's eye.
and she laid hand upon 1t with In
finite tenderness
Il know" she said, "but somehow
still have faith. Well come out free
some day."
"Perhaps-free like our pappy."
God forbidl" said the girl Will
trembling lips.