The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1927-06-17
CHAPTER XVII
The Death in the Cards.


was their first ride together, and
Christie was to be driver.
They drove out on the divide for a
few more minutes to themselves, and
then down and around by the river
10 the camp of the padre. They found
him before a little campfire
You married my father and mother,
Padre" said Selwood, when he had
told his own and Christie's story.
''We want you to marry u.s."
While they talked, Selwood fed the
little fire with the driftwood the In
~dians had gathered. The padre told
of that other marriage-of the night,
the storm, the flooded river, and the
pine-torches of the Indians.
After leaving the camp, Christie
and SeIwood drove back to the hotel,
hoping everybody had gone 10 bed,
but in this they were doomed TO dis
appointment In the brightly lighted
Office brave company of frontier adj
venturers, closely tuned TO Selwood's
movements, were tirelessly sitting in
a suffocating atmosphere around a
seriously overheated stove.
Christie was allowed to go up
stairs unmolested; indeed, she was
ignored with chivalrous ceremony.
Selwood, on the other hand, was
dragged into the office and held
victim till he could negotiate peace
with his retainers, and effected his
escape, in the end, only by inviting
them all TO a wedding at sunrise
down at the river in the camp of
the padre.
In the dawn of glorious morning
they were married-perhaps on such
a spot as that to which Selwood's
father had brought his bride-to-be, in
the storm, so many years before.
After the wedding breakfast, at
tended by all the guests, with the
padre as a special guest of honor,
Christie persuaded her new husband
TO go up with her to General Roper's
room. The old man, weakened by
wounds and sOftened by years, broke
and asked his grandson to forgive
what had passed.
1t was one of those moments for
banishins resentments and forgetting
the cruelties of pride and obstinacy.
Christie wiped the tears from the old
mans eyes, and he repaid her by
throwing a bomb into her unsuspect-
ing camp when he sincerely cOngrat-
ulated them both and named as the
only favor he would ask that the first
boy be named John Roper Selwood
and sent to West Point.
For a day or two, no trip and no
escape from work was possible for
Selwcod He was up to his neck in
work at the barns and the warehouse,
Strengthening out the tangle into
which the confiagration and the riot
ing at Sleepy Cat had thrown the
stage and wagon schedules During
the day scattered lots of supplies
began to filter in from Medicine Bend,
and by nightfall the hotel cook was
able to promise Doctor 'Carpy a re-
spectacle wedding supper as his COM
pliment to the bride and groom, and
TO a company from which no loyal
friend was excluded.
AT nine o'clock in the evening be-
hind the closely curtained windows of
the dining-room, wedding guests made
merry. Christie, flushed with happi-
ness, had stolen from the table for
a moment to run up to the generals
room with a piece of wedding cake.
when one of the two mattresses. conn
ing up behind Selwood's chair, whis-
pered in his ear
The bridegrooms face cIouded.
"Who is it," he demanded In an i'm
patient undertone. as it one Of my
men?'
Il don't know, Mr.. Selwood I don't
think so. l never saw him before"
Tell him." directed Selwood, vexed.
ito come around in the morning; I've
worked about fourteen hours today"
The waitress appeared perplexed.
81 told him you wouldn't want to be
interrupted" she said in an earnest
whisper. "But it seemed like he was
In terrible trouble. He told me to
ask you for Gods sake to come out
TO see hint for just minute"
Selwood muttered protest "Where
is hep he asked in an aside.
AT the kitchen door,"
The girl thought that Selwood's
keen eyes would have burned her up
during the instant before he spoke
again. Tell him." he continued in
low voice, ito go around to the
front door and sit down on the porch
with his face TO the street-under-
stand? To go around to the front
door and sit down on the porch with
his face TO the street." he repeated,
''and his back to the door,"
The waitress passed out into the
kitchen. When she returned she whis-
pered again. Hes gone to the front
door, Mr.. Selwood."
The talk had all been going on
around the table, but Pardaloe's
snaky eyes had not lost sight of the
lcw-spoken colloquy. whats a-mat-
ter, ,John?" he demanded suspiciously.
.'Some stranger outside wants to
see me-" answered Selwood, rising.
"Pn be right back"
Pardaloe was on his feet before Sell
wood had taken step from the table.
He put up his bear-paw of hand.
Hold on, John!' he said definitely.
pushing back his chair. "You don't go
out alone to see no stranger tonight.
specially not in your recent shape
hold your horses"
The table rose as one man. There
was mopentary upset, and some