The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-02-26

Nu6h' ietuTueu the boy DlIterly, II
was only half man"
"Budp cried Nance quickly, you're
the most sure-enough herman / know.
You've got the patience and the cour-
age OF ten common men. If 1t hadn't
been for your steady backing I'd never
be ON Nameless now. I'd have quit
long back"
Like the dickens you would I" said
Bud, but grin replaced the shadow
or bitterness on his face
Supper that night was particularly
pleasant.
Ihere were new potatoes and green
peas from the garden down by the
river, and plate of the never-failing
cookies, of which Sonny could not get
enough.
Hes hollow to his toes" said Mrs
Allison. II can't never seem to get him
full"
1.-THE little shaver's starved" said
Bud.
Not starved, but he amt had regu-
lar food-not right to grow on. / can
So q uilSIcnCc dlT6duy.
Nance reached over an investigating
hand to feel the small vhoulder. It
bore proudly a brand new shirt made
from one Of Buds old ones. To be
sure, there was a striking dissimil-
tude Of colors. since part of the fabric
had been under a pocket and had not
faded, but Sonny wore 1t with the air
of kings and princes.
Yes, sir" she said judicially,' he
is gaining. sure as the worldi'
1t seemed to Nance that night that
all was well with the world, very well.
There seemed a wider margin of hope
than usual, as If success, SO long denied
them, was lowering like gigantic bird
above the homestead, as If their long
labor was about to have its reward.
She fell asleep thinking of the whis-
pering field, of the trip to Bement, and
of Brand Fairs quiet, dark eyes, the
look of the chin-strap on his brown
cheek.
She laid loving hand on Sonny's
little head on the pillow of the Inn
provfsed crib beyond her own big bed
and the world went swiftly from her
consciousness. She slept quickly and
deeply, as do all those who work hard
in the sun and wind-the blessed boon
of labor
It seemed to her that she had hardly
lost consciousness when Old John an
nounced from his rafter perch the COM
ing of another day and she saw the
faint light of dawn on the sky out
side.
She dressed as usual, looked loving
ly at the small face of the little sleeper
in the crib, and went out, soft-footed,
to start the kitchen fire. That done,
she took the pail and went out to the
well. She rested the bucket on the
curb q moment, lifted the well-board,
and stood looking at the faint aureole
of light that was beginning to crown
Rainbow cliff. The cliff itself was
black, blue-black as deepest indigo, its
foot lost in the shadows that deepened
down Mystery ridge. She could hear
the murmuring of Nameless, soft and
mysterious in the dawn, feel the little
wind that was beginning to stir to
greet the coming day. Then, as was
her habit, she turned her eyes out
across the waving green field of her
precious corn.
1t must be earlier than she thought.
she reflected, for there was not the
simmer of light which usually met
her gaze.
She looked again at the eastern sky.
Why, yes-it was light as usual
there.
Once more she looked at the field
then she leaned forward, peering hard.
her hands still lying on the buckets
rim. Her brows drew down together
as she strained her sharp sight to To-
Gus on what she SAVIOR what she
thought she saw. For long time she
stood so. Then, as realization struck
home to her consciousness, the hands
on the bucket gripped down until the
knuckles shone white under the tanned
skin. Her lips fell open loosely. The
breath stopped for moment In her
lungs and she felt as If she were
An odd dizziness attacked
her brain, SO that the dim world of |
shadow and light wavered grotesquely. |
Her knees seemed buckling beneath |
her and for the first time In her life |
she felt as If she might faint.
Her Nanny had tainted once-when
they brought John Allison home,
But she gathered herself with SUI
preme effort, closed her lips. wet them
with her tongue, Strengthened her
shoulders and, taking her hands from
their grip on the pail. walked out to-
ward the field.
AT the gate she stopped and gazed
duly at the ruin before her.
Where yesterday had been a vigor-
Gus, lusty, dark green growth, fair to |
her sight as the edges of Paradise, /
there was now the bald, piteous un-
sightliness of destruction.
OF all the great field there was
scarcely dozen stalks left standing.
1t was sodden mass of trampled
pulp, cut and slashed and beaten into
the loose earth by hundreds Of mill
Ing hoofs.
Far across at the upper end she
could dimly see, in the growing light,
a huge gap In the fence-two, three
posts were entirely gone. 1t had taken
many head of cattle, driven In and
harried, to work that havoc. 1t was
complete.
For long, long time Nance Allison
stood and looked at it. Then with q
Sigh that seemed the embodiment of
all WEAKNESS, she turned away and