The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-01-08
CHAPTER III-Continued

3
For considerable space Of time the
woman sat regarding him. 81 sent you
TO help in the breaking of morale" she
said coldly, mot to bring me back de-
fiance. Next time I'll send a more
trustworthy man."
She nodded dismissal, and the youth
went quickly, his face burning.
AT the far end of the veranda he al
most ran into Big Basford, whose
huge, gorilla-like shape was made more
sinister and repellant by the percept-
ible limp. Basford was always some
where near, if possible, when men
talked with Kate Cathrew.
His great strength and stature, his
small eyes. black and trimmed with red,
his unkempt head and fiaring black
beard, everything about him suggested
a savagery and power with which few
men cared to trifie
He scanned the boys flushed face
with swift appraising.
II take it." he was grinning, shat
the boss wasn't pleased with your
Take II or leave it." said the other
with foolhardy daring, as 1t any of
your businessP"
With smothered roar Big Basford
leaped for him, surprisingly nimble on
his famed foot. surprisingly light.
He caught him by the throat and
bore him backward across the veran-
da's edge, SO that both bodies fell
heavily on the boards of the floor.
You'll find what's my business
d-n you," gritted Big Basford !;
"you-r''
He got TO his knees and straddling
the lads body came down on his throat
with all his weight In his terrible grip.
AT the sound of the fall Minnie Pine
leaped to a window
''That black devil is killing the Blue
Eyes" she said In patois Spanish to
Josefa. "Give me that knife"
But there was no need of Minnie's
interference.
Kate Cathrew had heard that heavy
thunder of falling bodies on boards and
she was quicker than her half-breed.
for she was up and away from the
desk before Big Basford had risen on
his knees. and as she rose her left
hand swept down the wall, taking from
its two pegs the heavy quirt that al
ways hung there.
With the first jab of the boys head
back on the floor, she was running
down the veranda, her arm raised high.
With the second she was between Big
Basford and the light like threat of
doom.
AS he surged forward once more
above the blackening face In his throt-
Ting fingers. she flung her body back
in stiff arc to get more impetus-and
drove the braided lash forward and
down like fury.
1t circled Big Basford's head from
the back, the bitter end swapping
across his face with indescribable
force.
1t curled him away from his victim.
tumbling back on his heels with his
murderous hands covering his cheeks.
For moment he hung on the
veranda's edge, balanced, then slipped
off, lurching on his lame foot. He held
his hands over his face for tense mo-
ment. Then he looked up through his
fingers, where the blood was beginning
to ooze. straight at the woman.
The red-rimmed eyes were savage
with rage and hurt, but behind both
was flaming passion which seemed TO
swell and burgeon with perverted ad-
miration.
"Fve told you before, Basford." said
Kate Cathrew. that / will deal with
my men myself. l don't need your
overly jealous aid. Get out of my
sight-and stay out till you can heed
what / say. Minnie. take this fool
away-pump some wind into him. Give
him some whisky"
She touched the boy contemptuousIy
with the toe of her buckled sinner.
He was weakly trying to get up and
the Pomo girl unceremoniously finished
the effort, lifting him almost bodily In
her arms and supporting him through
the door into the kitchen The look
she turned over her shoulder at Big
Basford was venomous.
The owner of Sky Line walked down
the veranda to her living-room door.
At its Intel she stopped and stood,
drawing the heavy quirt through her
fingers. looking back at Big Basford.
He had watched her progress and now
the hard. bright. sparkling gaze of her
dark eyes seemed to force him to
movement. so that he picked up his
hat. set II on his head and turned
away towards the corrals at Rainbow's
foot. swinging with rolling gait that
further made one think of jungle folk.
But the lips In the fiaring beard
were twitching.