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

"Who Is itf"
Hes the superintendent of the
freighting line"
81 guess / know who you mean. He
was down t see your father tonight"
"Oh, she cried in confusion. IT
don't mean Mr.. Starbuck."
Scott was confident. 81 don't,
either. You mean John Selwood. If
you do want to see him, / think / can
find him. But I'll have to be gone a
few minutes. Now, here's the barn"
he pointed to the big structure
close at hand. eff you'd walk down
with me and wait a few minutes In
the office, III have him here"
Still in fear and trembling, Christie
accompanied her guide to the barn
office. Two formidable-looking dogs
rushed to the door as Scott opened
1t. kdmonishing them. he turned with
a quiet grin. A lighted lantern on the
desk revealed the interior to Christie.
"If you can sit here for five minutes"
said Scott, "these dogs will guard
you better than anybody in Sleepy
Cat could do it. Just pet them a lit
tle." Christie made friends cautious
ly with the two dogs, I'VE call n
Chloe" explained Scott, "and this Is
Sweetheart. They're Mr.. Selwood's
favorite wagon dogs-half bull and
half mastif-and if anybody tries to
come into this Office while I'm gone,
they'll eat 'em up. Are you willing
to wait with them?"
Christie smiled rather mournfully.
81 suppose 1 can't help It," she said
uneasily. Please hurry"
Scott lost no time in getting to Sci
wood, whom he found at his desk.
The Indian whispered to him. Sell
wood seized his hat, followed Scott
out the back door and the two, singly,
and walking in different directions
joined Christie.
Chloe and Sweetheart, barking
f~uriously, sprang up to be fondled
when Selwood opened the door. Scott
took the dogs outside, and Selwood
turned to Christie. I've been looking
everywhere for you-and if / hadn't
seen Mr.. Scott, I meyer should have
found you. Are you In business here,
Mr.. Selwood?"
"Why-yes."
"What Is it, may I ask?'
He answered haltingly-glad 1t was
dark. "Well, I'm mixed up in differ
ent kinds of business here-that's
what got me into trouble with your
father" He spoke with a laugh-or
tried to. ST run this Russell and
Wentworth freighting outfit" he con-
tinued. 81 suppose If I called myself
anything. 1t might be a mining man.
What has happenedf"
She was so confused and overcome
now that she could hardly summon
the words she wanted. Nothing has
happened. I feared what might hap
pen-onight. You didn't tell me-"
she ventured, lust what you were
going to do about the store" Then
she added, disconnectedly, "Mr. Star
buck anne over again."
Selwood looked keenly at her.
what did he wantT"
First he said,' she began broken
ly, "he wanted to turn the store
back to father"
"Was that ala"
"No."
"What else?"
eff"
"If-what?"
1.-The same condition he named be-
fore"
IF you'd marry him, eh7"
"Yes."
"Well, what did you sayf"
II said-what I said before. Then
he made a threat. He said that any
body who went near the store without
him would get killed"
"And you wanted to let me known"
She fingered the fringe Of her
scarf, but looked steadily at him.
ITO be careful" she said.
He took her back to the tent and
parted with her, hard as 1t seemed
to do, at the fly. "Why did you want
to warn mef' he asked.
"To repay your kindness" They
spoke In low tones.
SWELL" Selwood said lightly, "f I
get hurt, you'll know 1t al while
I was trying to follow your advice"
He was still laughing as she
slipped hurriedly into the tent.
Shortly after three o'clock that
morning two men with the barest Of
shifts for disguise, and followed by
two dogs, whining and leaping at
their heels, left the stage barn. One
mar carried three common axes, Of
the heavy type used In the tie camps
along the river; the other carried a
sledge of a size and weight that
would have rendered 1t useless In the
hands of an ordinary man. But Par
daloe, Scott, and their companion In
the adventure were not ordinary
men; the first was a giant In ply
sique, the second dangerous In en-
counter, and the third fertile In re-
source.
As the two men neared Fort street,
Selwood, stepping out of the shad-
ow of the building, Joined them. He
wore like the others, a bandanna
tied with little ceremony across his
nose; a fat wagoner's hat shaded
his eyes. You brought the right
dogs?" asked Selwood, looking at
them.
81 did" muttered Pardaloe, as
Chloe and her mate tangled them
selves up between his legs, "n IL airy
n Of 'em gets killed, somebody's
goin' to get dumped right down on
the rock pile along with 'em."