The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1927-03-18

right Iii De gong. 1Ou AclhCinucf
to do just as I've told you? And
please don't say anything whatever
to your father about the matter till
it's all over"
They walked together to the tent,
then he turned his steps, refiectively,
up-street in the direction Of FLYERS
store building; this he sauntered cir
~cumspectly about, inspecting each
side with deliberate care and walk
ing away from 1t thoughtfully. 1t
looked like a hard III to crack. He
walked thence to the hotel, went up
stairs, followed the narrow, low cor
ridor TO his room, unlocked the door,
and went in. He lighted a lamp, ad-
justed the wick and the shade, and
sat down on the side Of his shabby
bed. On the wall opposite him hung
a framed woodcut of a missionary
padre. In the silence Selwood looked
long and thoughtfully at the old
print. A cloud had long hung owe
the story of his own life, a cloud
that Selwood had always felt might
possibly be lifted by this old an
II he were yet alive. The uncertainty
Of this was one reason that helped
to paralyze Selwoods resolve to find
him.
Tonight the gambler acted with his
natural determination. He rose, took
the picture from the wall, turned
down the wick of the lamp, blew 1t
out, and with the woodcut under his
arm, returned to the hall.
Carrying the picture to his Office,
he wrote and painted on a sheet of
paper a sign and, returning to the
hall, hung the picture on the wall
beside his desk-about the most con-
spicuous place in the room. Under
meath the picture he tackled the writ
ten sign:
For reliable information as to the
whereabouts of this old padre | will
pay n hundred ounce of gold dust.
JOHN SELWooD.
Bill Pardaloe watched him put the
portrait up. He read the sign halt
ingly at least twice before he turned
to ask a question. where is he?"
eff he's alive" answered Selwood,
"he's wandering somewhere around
the mountain country among the In
dams"
Pardaloe studied again the features
Of the long-haired old man in the
print. won't any other padre do?"
he snorted, picturing to his magma
ton the good times latent in one
hundred ounces of gold dust.
mo other padre" said SeIwood IN
feelingly, will do"
what do you want with him?' de-
manded Pardaloe.
The answer Was prompt and deci-
sive. That's my business. Get hold
of Bob Scott, Bill, and bring him
in here"
For ten years John Selwood had
wanted to meet-yet lived in a GER
tain dread OF meeting-this padre;
he had finally resolved to face him
and, If It must come, to know the
worst.
Other frontiersmen, drawn by Par
daloe's talk, crowded up 70 look at
the picture. Selwood rid himself of
the first rush Of questioners and re-
tired to his room, with Pardaloe, who
had r~eappeared, bringing Scott.
There's been a mean deal put over
| this trader, Fyler," Selwood began,
addressing both men. He told them
the facts in the case, about which
rbar bod olroodv hard tba +o-, +,1I-
And after robbing him of his stock
of goods" continued Selwood, "they
called him out of his tent, knocked
him on the head, and took all his
money, to make things easy for
themselves. FLYERS girl is an innocent
sufferer. Now this is what 1 called
you both In for. I'm going to clean
those fellows out of FLYERS store to-
night. I'll need some help. Do you
two want to join me? ThereIl be a
fight. Take it or leave 1t, just as
you Iike-no harm done either way"
Bob Scott neve responded, to Sell
wood at least, with anything more
than an affirmative grin; he wasted
no words.
Pardaloe, however, had to have his
talk. Look here, john" he growIed,
Il know who's in that store"
$50 do l." assented Selwood, un-
alphabetically.
IT'S Atkins and Bartoe and Big
Haynes"
what then?'
"Yes, that's all right-What thenf
but those fellows are loaded.
They'll shoot How you going to do
it? Coin to coax 'em out with
candy?"
Selwood, speaking low and quietly.
laid out his plan. 1t promised the
warmest kind of a time. Pardaloe's
backward, skeptical expression
changed into an anticipative glow.
He offered neither further comment
nor criticism, but rose on his bony
shanks. Lets go, John"
Scott ventured an amiable inquiry
he was, after all, the more prudent
Of the two adventures that Selwood
had called to his aid. 'What kind OF
firearms have them fellows got In
theref"
Atkins Is a little dangerous" said
Selwood, for he felt he must be rea-
sonably honest. ITS no use denying,
Atkins is handy with a Colts. Bar
toe carries a bottle. He may not
wake up until it's half over. He and
Big Haynes use shotguns. They're
as likely to hit each other as to hit
US. What do you say?'