The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1927-03-25

tS otN PoAo ~
she meant the mining mantle man
that runs the Russell and Wentworth.
wagons. She don't know he runs the
place up the HILL" grinned Barbanet.l
II guess from the way Mr.. Gentleman
John walked off just now, he wouldn't
like her to know he's a gambler"
1--we got a better guess than that /:
when he wants her to know 1t he'll
tell her himself"
wonder how he'd like me to tell
herr"
"He wouldn't like It,"
"Wonder how much 1t would be
worth to him for me not to tell herr"
Big Haynes was prompt In his
reply, and disinterested. mot a cent
to him-not If I guess him right. But
before you cross his trail, Harry,
send for the buzzards; they're quick
workers and they'll make a clean job
Of you"
Selwood walked down street quite
unconscious of the corner talk behind
him. But he felt cheated out of his
visit and, feeling that he had a per-
fectly good excuse, made occasion to
walk around by FLYERS an hour later.
This time he found Christie alone
and behind the counter in the front
of the store.
Her face lighted when she saw him
coming up the steps. She had evident
ly been at work among the goods and
was still busy. Her face, already
flushed, seemed to deepen In color
under his gaze, and the slight disor-
der of her dress matched the pretty
disarray of her hair. Things were in
such awful shape this morning" she
said, with her fingers running around
like mice among the hairpins and
with her eyes fixed in dire apology
on Selwood's eyes. 81 know I'm a
sight" she exclaimed. But you'll
never know what this poor store
looked like"
IF 1t looked anything like you" he
ventured, 81 shouldn't have touched
it."
Could Christie have blushed more
deeply she probably would; but, un-
able to do so, she did something
worse, as far as Selwood's composure
was concerned. She laughed. And 1t
was the happiest care-free laugh in
the world-no fret, no worry, neither
regret nc apprehension-just the
young, happy laugh of a young, hap
Ply moment. Selwood felt himself
rudely shaken with every vibration
of her throat, but he chung to the
lifeline. "How's your fathers"
"Oh"-Christie heaved a big sigh
of relfef-"ever so much better. Oh,
I know I shall never be able to say
all I want to to thank you-how am
I ever going to do itT
She looked at him with eyes so
wide open and SO appealingly per-
picked that Selwood momentarily
wilted. His eyes fell. The man who
could look at any sort of a hand at
poker calmly, or into the muzzle of a
gun without visible hysteria, faltered
before Christie's eyes. He kept his
wits just enough to answer her ap-
peal. you've done It," he managed
to say-and continued: II hope you'll
have no more trouble. Bob Scott
will be sneaking around here for a
while at night; Bob doesn't sleep
much"
"He just saved my life, helping this
morning. And"-she hesitated and
twisted her fingers a little as she
stood behind the counter. Then she
summoned courage and went on-in
truth she had much the more courage
of the two. "And-he, when 1 spoke
of you, he told me you were not here
at all last night! And I just knew
that wasn't so. And he said that MI.
Pardaloe had gone out Of town early
this morning"
HE took a wagon train out" ex
planned Selwood. He did not add that,
knowing there was but one way to
keep the mule boss quiet, he had
sent him out.
"Where were you last night?" de-
manded Christie, growing in pretty
boldness-pretty because it was moth
ing but gratitude and fast-kindling
CONFERENCE.-THE just the merest dash
Of receptive feminine curiosity. "Oh,
you needn't tell me If you don't want
to-" she added hastily, II know I
ought not to ask"
Her head hung down-about far
enough down to reproach herself for
hardihood-and her eyes looked up
Just far enough to reach his; and just
innocently enough to shatter his good
resolutions of every sort.
you've full permission to ask nue.
any kind of a question In the world"
he said. "Just remember that. I was
here a little while last night. But
Pardaloe and Scott did the hard
work"
Somebody certainly did ii. How
can men be so mean as those men
were to really steal everything we
had?p Christie sighed at the thought.
But 1t was not the sigh that shook
Selwood; it was the appealing conf
dence of her question to the one man
she felt sure she could trust; and it
was so satisfying to him to be even
for a few moments in that position.
He stumbled at some effort to an
swer or explain her difficulty, but
Christie rode right IN. 81 suppose"
she said impulsively, 81 might as well
ask: How can men be as good as you
and your friends were to risk their
lives to get back what vas taken
away from us-when they couldn't
have the slightest personal interest
In helping father and mel"
Co1,yood dnmurrpd "I wouldn,f gov