The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1927-12-02

at arms length. It's muzzle wavered,
now pointing at the ground, now at
the sky. Behind the tree Lizzie sat
in heap, moaning quietly to herself,
and now and then appealing to the
saints to avert visioned calamity.
As Dale approached, unseen, the
| climax came. The revolver steadied,
pointed ferociously at an inoffensive
| grass-blade some ten yards from Miss
Van Gorder and went of. Lizzie
promptly gave vent to a shrill Irish
scream. Miss Van Gorder dropped
the revolver like a hot potato and
opened her mouth TO tel Lizzie not
to be such a fool. Then she saw
Dale-her mouth went into a round
o Of horror and her hand clutched
weakly at her heart.
'Good heavens, chiId!' she gasped.
Didn't Billy tell you what I was do
ing? might have shot you like a
rabbit" and, overcome with emotion,
she sat down on the ground and
started TO fan herself mechanically
Win cartridge.
Dale couldn't help laughing-and
the longer she locked at her aunt the
more she laughed-until that dignified
lady Joined in the mirth herself.
Aunt Cornelia-Aunt Cornelia 7"
said Dale when she could get her
breath. THAT I've lived to see the
day-and they call US the wild genera
ton! Why on earth were you having
pistol practice, darling-has Billy
turned into japanese spy, or what?'
Miss Van Gorder rose from the
ground with as much stateliness as
she could muster, under the circum-
stances.
mo. my dear-but there's no fool
like an old fool-that's ALL" she stat
ed. '.Pve wanted TO fire that internal
revolver off ever since I bought it
two years ago-and now I have and
I'm satisfied. STILL" she went on
thoughtfully, picking up the weapon,
sit seems a very good revolver-and
shooting people must be much easier
that I supposed. All you have to do
is to point the-the front of it-like
this and"
"Oh, Miss Dale, dear Miss Dale !"
came in woebegone accents from the
other side of the tree. Fer the love
Of heaven, Miss Dale, say no more but
take it away from her-shen have
herself all riddled through with bull
lets like a kitchen sieve-and me
too-if she's let to have it again."
Lizzie, I'm ashamed of your said
Lizzie's mistress, briskly. Come out
from behind that tree and stop wall
ing like an automobile siren. This
weapon is perfectly safe in competent
hands and" She seemed on the
verge Of another demonstration of its
powers.
Miss Dale, for the dear love o.
God, will you make her put it away?"
Dale added her protestations to
Lizzie's. please, darling, if you
want to practice, Billy can n up some
sort of target range-but / don't
want my favorite aunt assassinated
by a ricccheted bullet before my
eyes!"
''Well-perhaps it would be best to
try again another time" admitted
Miss Van Gorder. But there was a
wistful look in her eyes as she gave
the revolver to Dale and the three
started back TO the house.
81 should never have allowed Lizzie
to know what 1 was doing" she con-
fided in a whisper, on the way. "a
woman is perfectly capable Of man.
aging frearms-but Lizzie is really
too nervous to live, sometimes"
Il know just how you feel, darling"
Dale agreed, suppressed mirth shak-
ing her as the little procession reached
the terrace. Butch" she could
keep it no longer, "oh-you did lock
funny, darling-sitting under that
tree, with Lizzie on the other side
of it making banshee noises and"
Miss Van Gorder laughed, too,
little shamefacedly.
81 must have" she said. Butch.
you needn't shake your head, Lizzie
Allen-I am going to practice with
it-there's no reason shouldn't-and
you never can tell when things like
that might be useful" she ended
rather vaguely. She did not wish to
alarm Dale with her suspicious yet.
There, Dale-yes, put it in the
drawer of the table-that will reas-
sure Lizzie. Lizzie, you might make
US some lemonade. / think-Miss Dale
must be thirsty after her long, hot
ride"
Yes, Miss Cornelia," said Lizzie,
recovering her normal calm as the re-
volver was shut away in the drawer
of the large table in the living room.
But she could not resist one part
ing shot. And thank God its
lemonade I'll be making-and not
bandages for bullet wounds! ~ she
muttered, darkly, as she went toward
the service quarters.
Miss Van Gorder glared after her
departing back. "Lizzie is really i'm
possible, sometimes ~ she said with
stately ire Then her voice softened.
Though, of course, 1 couldn't do
without her, she added
Dale stretched out on the settee
opposite her aunt's chair. Il know
you couldn't, darling. Thanks for
thinking of the lemonade" She
passed her hand over her forehead in
gesture of fatigue. 81 am hot-and
tired"
Miss Van Gorder looked at her,
keenly. The young face seemed curl
ously worn and haggard in the clear
afternoon light
-Ycu-you don't really feel very