The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-04-16


laughed.
II don't see no host" he said. IAN
amt superstitious." and with leap
he swung one long arm around her
neck.
Help me, Lordi" said Nance aloud.
and bowling her young body she pulled
her forehead down his breast and
slipped free.
Next moment she had struck him In
the mouth with all her might and
followed through like any man.
Provine roared and swore and came
for her again, head down and small
eyes blazing.
"Now," he said. "I'll have to hand
you discipline, you id hell-cat"
So the night that was so full of por-
tent dropped down upon the country
of the Deep Heart hills and Destiny
rode the winds.
Sky Line ranch was stirring early,
even before the first gray light had
touched the east.
There was much afoot. Bossick' 8
steers were going down the Pipe that
day-and perhaps Sud Provine and
Nance Allison would go with them,
bound for the Big Bend country In
Texas whence the man had hailed.
~ think she'll sign this morning"
said Arnold easily as he sat down to
Josefa's steaming breakfast by lamp
light, "and keep her mouth shut. too. .
In the shielding clump of pines Bos-
sick waited for Fairs signal some
where inside the cliff.
Not so far down the great slope of
Mystery Rod Stone was climbing up
| with the Cordova men behind him and
Minnie Pine like his shadow at his
side
And deep in the heart of the earth
Brand Fair was slowly forging upward
toward that coup Of justice for which
he had labored so long and patiently.
Not least of the actors In the COM
ing play, set to function on the stage
of Rainbow's pot, was Bud Allison
urging his exhausted horse slowly up
toward Sky Line.
There was a cold breeze blowing
when Arnold and Kate Cathrew rode
along the rock face to the Flange.
They spoke in low tones to Big Bas-
| ford standing like an image and
slipped into the wall. They rode In
silence down the defile, dark as
f,,H 90 nj
out into the ampitheater where the
pale light was breaking.
At first they saw no sign of anything
human in all the shadowy place. Ar
nold's keen eyes swept the pot from
side to side, while Cattle Kate's went
slowly round the wall
That's funny" said the man, PRO
vine"
Look" said Kate, "over toward the
left-against the cliff"
The light in the east struck first at
the western face of the precipice, so
that an object standing back against
the perpendicular surface got its full
| benefit.
Arnold bent forward in his saddle
| and looked long at this object.
Then he touched his horse and rode
forward.
"Good Lordw he said as he pulled
rein a distance from it, Good Lord u
For the object was Nance Allison
or what had been Nance Allison some
few hours back.
| Now 1t was a tragic wreck of a
| woman whose garments hung In fan.
tastic shreds upon her body, whose
white skin shone through in many
| places and whose great eyes cleaned
from her CHASTITY face with awful light.
| One long gold braid of hair hung from
her head In dangling loop. The 9TH
er was loose to its roots and swept
In ragged flag to her hip. Long
wisps Of it shone here and there upon
the trampled grass around.
And over her from head to foot was
| blood-blood In clots and streaks and
| splotches, while from small cash on
her temple red stream slowly
| dripped.
The man was awed for once in his
relentless life.
Heaven" he said, what have you
done? Where's Provine?"
Dead, I hope" said Nance Allison
duly.
Arnold struck his horse and dashed
away, riding here and there as If he
must know the CHASTITY finish quickly.
For while 1t seemed that the man
was gone entirely.
Then suddenly his horse SHE'D from
something moving in the deep grass
by spring and Arnold dismounted.
He had found Provine-Sud Provine
rolling in agony, his face In the mud.
With no gentle hand he grasped his
shoulder and pulled him up.
whats all this?" he rasped.
whats the matter with your
For answer Provine took his hands
from the left side of his face and
| looked up at his master.
Arnold dropped him back with an
oath, which Provine echoed.
Gomez" he cried hoarsely, "gouged
slick an clean! An she tried to
get 'em both-d-n her hussy's soul !"
Arnold rode slowly back to where
that grotesque caricature of woman
still stood by the wall. She seemed
immovable as the rock itself, part and
parcel of the waiting world and the
gray shadows.
You young hellion!" he gritted
through his teeth. you have blinded
my best mani"
"Have So" said Nance, still in that
dull voice, s'yes-I have So" She
nodded her disheveled head
"Oh, what's the use TO fool with
her!" cried Kate Cathrew furiously.
"I'm donel"
With flare of her unbridled temper