The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1927-02-25


put up their horses, and walked to-
gether up the hill. Selwood got the
money, counted 1t, handed II to Scott,
told him where TO find the owner
and deliver it. "Tell her TO get her
boy out of town before somebody else
gets it away from him." was his only
Injunction.
"Tf there's any human scum In the
whole blamed United States that
amt landed in Sleepy Cat" grum-
bIed Carpy, at must be because they
amt heard of 1t yet"
Doctor Carpy was an educated
man, who knew quite well how to
speak good English. But. like many
another frontiersman of his kind. he
had caught the slovenly English of
the men with whom he was thrown
In contact.
"Now look at that coat" he con-
ttnued, calmly aggrieved. ST bought
Ii new at an auction yesterday! Last
night rode down to see a sick team
ster at the bunkhouse-one o. your
men, Selwood. While I was fixing
him up 1t began to rain. When
started for home I put on the coat.
By that time 1t was raining alfred
hard. I lifted my whip to touch up
the horses, and the whole sleeve part
ed at the shoulder joint! When I
reached around to see what the mat
ter was, the other sleeve fell clean
off. When L stepped out of the buggy,
the coat come In two right across the
backl Look at 1t 80
With some violent punctuation of
his complaint, the doctor, who In
Sleepy Cat never by any chance re-
ceived more than the first syllable of
his professional title and rarely his
surname. was telling John Selwood
of how he had been cheated.
where did you buy the coat?"
asked Selwood, though less moved
as listener than the doctor was as
an orator.
Down at that new place-opposite
the warehouse-in the old blockhouse.
A man named Fyler Is running a
dry-goods store there. And Big
Haynes is running a mock auction.
on one side of the store Come on
down. You lick Haynes and I'll lick
FyIer!"
The two men were talking in the
one-story building adjoining and COM
municating with the hotel, that bore
the small wood sign-known as the
''shingle"-of the sole doctor In
Sleepy Cat or within a hundred miles
of Sleepy Cat-an open-handed, pro-
fame, and not always cool-headed
surgeon, but one whose failings were
in rough measure redeemed by q GEN
erous heart and the benefits of a skill
free, without question, to all corners.
Selwood. travel-stained and dressed
in the rough gear Of the trail, had
evidently just come in from a trip
over the division and sat listening
to his friend with the air of a man
who has more serious matters on
his mind.
How is Dave coming onT" he
asked, without responding to Carpy's
fippant invitation to help "cIean up"
the new trader.
The doctor, one elbow on the table
scratched his head. Hang Dave"
he said, perplexed, she amt coming
on. I can't get any life into him. It's
close to year now since he got hurt.
But you've got to remember, John,
he's an old man, and put in three
years in the Army Of the Potomac.
Now, look at you. The first time
Dave came to see me, a year ago, to
get some medicine for you he said
you were in the last stages of con-
sumption. 1t wasn't so; but you were
headed that way all right. Look at
you now-spry as an antelope"
you took good care Of me-"
Carpy discIaimed Good care
nothing. 1t was this dry mountain
air-not too high and thin, neither
that took care of you; and you're
young. Now, Dave is just teeterin'
along-wound all healed up, but Just
kind Of slow paralysis. Nothing 1
can put in him seems to pull him I'D.
1t sure was hard to get what he got
here in Sleepy Cat, after three years
in the army. This town is certainly
tough-and getting tougher"
1T was tough before you and I
saw it, Doctor; and it will be tough
after we're laid up on the HILL" re-
piled Selwood indifferentIy. eff you
can pull Dave through you'll save
one good man for tiff he is a gam
bier"
Where you goingT"
Down to the tent Carry UNDER
stood what he meant-that he was
going to see his wounded partner.
Tracy had been moved from the gam
bling-hall to qufeter quarters on the
edge Of the tent colony of the town.
As the two men parted and Selwood
walked down the hotel steps. a tall.
odd-looking man accosted him.
stranger" he said with suspicious
air, I'm lookin' for John Seltzer."
Selwood answered promptly if not
definitely. "What do you want with
John Seltzer?''
I'm Russell and Wentworth mule
boss, stranger, from Medicine Bend.
This man Settler is our superinten-
dent here
You're William Pardaloe-"
lust plain Bill, stranger-Bll Par
daloe-what do they call your
1T depends somewhat, Bill, on who
does the calling; my friends call me
John Selwooi"
Then that's what I want to call
you, stranger don't give a hang
who you are or what your name is