The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1927-03-04
Copyright by Charles Scribner's Sons.
WNU Service.

day Christie had TO act as cashier.
Selwood put in an appearance JUST
before noon and saw Christie In the
receipt of custom. Big Haynes, per-
spring. was knocking down the mer-
chandise glibly and Selwood wormed
his way among the buyers back to
FLYERS box. Christie, her cape care
fully folded and lying on a shelf be-
hind her and her bonnet held loosely
by the strings, hanging back on her
neck, stood newly revealed TO Selwood.
1t was not so much that she looked
prettier, but that she presented new
charms-her brown hair was only
like many another woman's brown
hair, but TO Selwood it was something
never before suspected in the world;
her cheeks suffused and her eyes
bright with the excitement of her I'M
accustomed work, were just a repe-
tition Of natures eternal challenge to
mankind
Not for an instant did the gam
bier heSitate-he who so often staked
a frontier fortune on the turn OF a
card knew too we'll how long it may
be before the same card turns again
TO I'LL hungry hand. He took off his
hat as he walked to her-that alone
set him apart from the other men
and caught her eye in spite of her
resolve not to see a man, but only
men, in her enforced servftude.
Father away?" asked Selwood,
meeting her look with the necessary
decision in his own eyes. Christie was
wrapping up a package. She had seen
the man of silence more than once
near her fathers desk and was the
less afraid Of him. He's not very
we'll; 1 made him stay in the tent
this morning"
Selwood seemed TO understand and
accept the entire situation without
need Of further words. Haynes was
redoubling his shouting, and his sue
cess kept Christie busy at the settling
counter. A miner, although it was
summer in Sleepy Cat, bid in a pair
Of fur gloves. To pay he threw down
a twenty-dollar bill. Christie looked
desperately in her cigar-box cash
found. Selwood drew from his peck
ct without speaking, a roll OF bills,
a bigger roll than Christie had ever
seen, and tossed it toward her. The
roll stopped almost under her hand.
She looked up, and in doing so met
al Nfnly h.. oh
out Of that" he said dryIy. And, Us
there still seemed a question in her
eyes he added: Help yourself"
She attempted to laugh. "Oh. would
you give me little change? They've
swept the drawer just about Clean"
she confessed with another nervous
little laugh, and held the twenty-dol-
lar bill appealingly toward him.
He pointed to the roll. Plenty of
small bills there" he suggested, with
only a trace Of interest. Help your
self" And with this invitation he
walked away, while the man in front
Of her waited.
Christie called n CONSERVATION.
He could not, or would not, hear.
The men about her laughed: the
miner asked for his change; SeIwood
had disappeared.
Next morning he was back-and at
eleven o'clock. The auction-room
crowd was gathering when SeIwood
arrived and the buying had begun to
be spirited Christie stood again con-
demned TO the cashiers desk. She
looked up In a moment and saw the
silent man in the big hat standing
almost beside her.
Father laid up yetT' Selwood put
the question as soon as he caught
her eye.
Christie, heightened in color by her
confusion, told him she feared her
father was quite Ill. Then, stopping
her work. she delved into a corner
of the big cigar box, and from under
the loose money drew a roll of bills
carefully tied with a number of
strings and held it toward him. "You
ran away yesterday and left all this
money!
She waited for his comment; he
made none-only regarded her grave
Iy. please take it, quick" she added
hurriedly; I've been frightened to
death for fear 1 should lose itr'
You may need it again this morn
ing" objected Selwood. But Christie
would listen TO no Establishments, and
Selwood, knowing when to quit, took
his roll-leaving her to wonder, when
she could find time TO, what manner
of men these mountain men were who
trusted strangers with their money.
Selwood watched her. One of her
weightiest cares was that of making
in blank book record of each arti-
Gle sold. This took time and required
more knowledge Of goods than she
could muster; Haynes kept dupIi-
cate book under his own hand. but
he jotted things down fast, never
stopping his talk. Selwood before
long had taken charge OF Christie's
book, though this seemed not precise
ly to Haynes liking.
Christie, without thinking much
about him, began to look for Selwood
as an incident of the day, which was
exacting enough even when she had
heIp-and he could always be count
ed on to keep her cash straight. He
was better hammered than the
other men, always reserved, always
freshly shaven, and always neatly
dressed. He, too, asked questions, but
without seeming inquisitive, and by
easy degrees and without serious ef-
fort picked up more Information than