The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1927-02-11

Wuou HoDouy KNEW, not even MS own
clerks, Van Tambel, the silent Dutch
trader, tall as Pomeranian, ungain-
Iy as Hollander-the man who
heard all and said nothing He had
the Mormon trade.
A riot of celebration had been
loosed on the great day to greet the
advance guard of the coming railroad
The pioneers and Adventures within
radius of two hundred miles had
congregated in their picturesqueness
to do the occasion honor.
Patiently, McAlpin waited again for
Moses story of how that morning his
mother had given him six hundred
dollars to pay for and bring back the
team of mules. Moses, on his way,
had met an entertaining man who
had come from the same town in Iowa
as the McCrackens-at this point
McAlpin ground his teeth. The man
had volunteered to go with him to
help bring back the team. He had
| offered, incidentally, to show Moses
where the new round-house was to
/ be built. They had stopped in at an
| interesting place where different
games were being played, and Moses
in earnest and repeated endeavor to
pick the right one of three cards, had
gradually wagered and finally lost the
six hundred.
McAlpin had already heard the
story once; but 1t was his custom, If
he could manage it. to hear a particu-
larly narrowing tale twice. He lis
tened to the second recital with the
same sharp calculations, the same
screwing and twisting Of his features
and his heels, and the same angry
jerking of his head, with which he
had absorbed Moses story the first
time.
"Now I'll tell you," he said DOM
ineeringly and to cut off further dis
cussion, "I'll go with you to where
they took your money and see what
can be DONE"
Calling a hostler front, McAlpin,
with Moses, walked rapidly down the
ragged highway that was to serve as
Sleepy Cats principal street, in the
direction of what was already known
as the River quarter, which had
gained an evil precedence in mountain
story as the resort Of hard men and
scenes of violence.
McAlpin had a very definite idea
of the general direction in which
Moses had parted with his money,
and took him directly down toward
the river, talking and gesticulating as
fast as he walked. Reaching the sus-
pected district, McAlpin slowed and
pointed from a conservative distance
to one disreputable joint after
another, asking his companion
whether this or that place looked like
the one he had been taken into.
Moses, confident at first, found him
self hazy when 1t came to identifying
the precise scene Of his disaster.
With his guide he walked clear to the
camping grounds without success, and
McAlpin, on the way back to the sta
BILE, was growing very impatient when
Moses, of sudden, stopped his COM
panion and pointed to a man lust
going into large and quite preten-
tious frame saloon.
That's the fellow" he exclaimed
eagerly.
"What fellow?" e.
"Just going in there-he dealt the
cards. And that's the placer whis-
pered Moses with excitement.
McAlpin looked at the place point
fr1r
his companion. MAN alive!" he
cried, "what kind Of fool are Won
to pick out the worst place tween ST.
Joe and Sacramento to leave your
money in? Come along to the barn 70
Saint you going to talk to i'm. as
you said you would? asked Moses
timidly, but dreading to face his
mother again.
''Talk in thereT' echoed McAlpin
scornfully. do I want to get
knitted? Not yet. Come along. You're
lucky you didn't get knocked on the
head and thrown into the river.
That's Bunty Bartoe's place"
McAlpin returned to the barn out
of humor. He wasted little time,
when he got back to the office, in ex-
planning things but, leaving Moses to
take the brunt of the storm, became
very busy with some mules just being
brought into the barn by teamsters
putting them up for the night 1t
was nearly supper time, too, and Nc
Alpin, to avoid further discussion in
the Office, lodged out the back way
for something to eat. A hearty meal
restored pretty well his naturally
placid outlook on life, but when he
got back to the barn this was upset
again by the spectacle Of Mrs. Nc
Cracker sitting alone In the twilight
Of the rough office, silent and Woe
BECOME Another long talk resulted In
an opening Of his heart again, and
ended In his telling her to go get her
supper and come back. He would see,
meantime, whether something more
might be done.
IF only my poor brother William
William Pardaloe-was here, Mr..
McAlpin-he'd make these thieves
hunt their holes" sobbed Mrs. Nc
Cracker. I'D not have to ask nobody
for help If l had william"
"Well. If William, whoever he is,
was here. Mrs. McCracken," retorted
McAlpin tartly, ''he could have the
job for all of mel"
Mrs.. McCracken could eat no sup
per, but she spent thirty minutes
back in camp weeping, and then rose
to resolution Of her own. With