The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-04-16
WNU Service.
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COPYRIGHT By THE MCCALL Ccr1RArTY%

destined for action.
But within the narrow margin of a
mile Fair was passing toward the
north as he went southland thus Bud
missed him with the news Of Nance's
disappearance. Had they met, the
happenings of that night might have
had different ending, for Fair would
have stormed the citadel of Sky Line
like fury, forgetting all things In his
fear for the woman he loved-the ends
Of justice which he sought TO serve,
Bossick's steers and everything else.
And in the shadow of Rainbow cliff
Rod Stone and Minnie Pine waited
patiently for the ranch to settle down
that they might slip away.
At the camp on the skirts of Mys-
terry, Fair found Bossick ready.
"Selwood's conscious" he told him
quickly, "and his first thought was of
his race for life. He said they didn't
get me after ALL and I saw them
driving Bossick's steers into the face
of Rainbow cliff a mile from Sky Line
That's the secret he discovered and for
which they tried to kill him.
There's some sort of opening In the
rock face which connects with the
subterranean passage that leads to
Blue Stone canyon, the desert range
beyond, and finally to Marston on the
railroad. That, gentlemen, is the Sc
cret of your disappearing cattle. Sell
wood said they always vanished at the
same time Kate Cathrew drove her
stock down to Cordova and out to the
station-do you see?
The drive coming down to the rfv-
er, obliterated all tracks Of those go
Ing up. Now that we know / think
we've got the Sky Line rustlers dead
to rights. There are twenty-one Of US.
"We1l divide you; you. Bossick, go
ing with your party up to Rainbow
cliff. and I striking up through the
mysterious passage. This trip will
take long hard grill, for it Is far
up Blue Stone to the south, and none
of us know the length of the under
ground way.
However, 1t must lead to some
pocket not far from the cliff itself and
on the inside. A gunshot will locate
US when we are ready for each other.
Lord knows what Wen find, or what
the outcome will be. Let's 60"
And so 1t was that some time later
Brand Fair with his posse passed close
along the upper edge Of Nance AL
lison's ruined field and thought tender
ly of the blue-eyed girl with her
logged courage and her simple faith,
little dreaming that she was not safe
in her bed In the cabin.
The hours Of the night wore on.
Crossing diagonally down, Rod
Stone, safe away from Sky Line at
last, made for Cordova with Minnie
Pine behind him.
Bossick, having the shortest journey
of all, sat In clump of pines with
his men around him, and waited in
strained silence for distant shot.
1t was well after midnight when two
things took place at almost the same
moment-Brand Fair rode in behind
the clump of willows that were al
ways blowing out from the canyons
wall with his men in single file behind
him-and Rod Stone got off his horse
at Cordova. He handed his rein to
the Pomo girl and went swiftly up
the steps, opening the door upon the
lighted room where a group of men
were playing. They were mostly from
the Upper country, though one or two
were Cordovans. Among them were
the bearded man who had sat on Nc
Kane's porch that day in spring and
watched Cattle Kate come riding In
on Bluefre, and the young cowboy
with whom he had spoken concerning
them.
Stone, Sky Line man, received cold
glances from the faces raised at his
entrance. All Nameless knew and dis
approved of Sky Line. But the boy
was made of courageous stuff and he
tackled the issue promptly.
Men," he said sharply, I'm from
Sky Line, as you all know, and you
may class me now as traitor to my
outfit. Perhaps / am. That's neither
here nor there. don't give a On
whether I am or not. I'd have stood
true in all cases but one. That one
has happened. There's good girl
Bible girl, like used to know back
in the Middle West-shut up in Sc
cret spot with Sud Provine-and I've
got to have help to save her and that
quick. She's fighter, think, and is
strong-but-you all know Provine
don't know what I'm stirring up and
/ don't care. VIII you Gomez"
Every chair at the dirty canvas-cov-
cred table but one shot back and out
ward as the players rose.
where's this here spot-an' who's
tn girl" said the cowboy. LEAD us
to EN-"
"In Rainbow cliff-and the Allison
girl from the homestead on the river"
9Th hi you say! Amt that poor
kid had enough troubled"