The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1927-04-15

His Friend.
his taciturn boss; he had ventured
zone question. But he had forty ques-
lions that were burning the tip Of his
tongue.
Who would lead the Vigilantes;
how far they intended to go in their
cleanup; when they meant to strike
first and where; whether they could
handle Starbuck and Atkins and their
friends-for whose prowess McAlpin
had sneaking and canny respect;
just where Selwood would come in in
the fight; what measures he would
take for his own safety; and lastly,
what was to become of the big place
on the hill that had cost so much
money-these queries the Scotsman
revolved rapidly in his mind, until
Selwood, treading the path lightly
and with the briskness Of unreckon-t
ing manhood, turned the first corner
and disappeared from view. But fate,
greatest Of all gamblers, quite under
stood how to upset poise Indifferent
to the threats of men; just as Sell
wood turned the corner 1t presented
to him, almost threw into his arms
rounding the corner from the other
way and walking as briskly as he
was-Christie Fyler
She started visibly-as he did in
visibly. Then in the suddenness Of the
encounter Selwood-never quick to adj
just himself to meeting the woman
whose mere glance could upset him
stifly, almost ostentatiously, stepped
aside, touched his hat, and hurried on
little faster. But after that, with
his heart beating harder, he began to
think and to surmise and to question
himself and, of course, to regret.
Their eyes, in this sudden and unex-
pected way, had met. 1t was only an
instant, but the picture came back
to him now Of sad expression in
Christie's eyes-sad, at least, until she
woke up and realized that she had
run into Selwood, and then her eyes
had quickly dropped; she had passed
on.
1t was his fault, he told himself.
He had not even hesitated-he might
have given her time to speak. He
cursed his stiffness and contemplate
pride for not having given her even
an opportunity at such time-a
time pregnant with threatening posi-
bilities for them both as well as for
Sleepy Cat. He longed for a chance
to meet her over again; still, his van
fu 1nf oil h I'm 70 fr1Fr haa
So-while Christie was reproaching
herself for not making the quick adj
vance she wanted to make and now
felt it had been her place to make
when she saw the only mans face in
the world that meant anything to her
both, unhappy, passed on, little reck-
oning of when and where they should
meet again.
Selwood quite knew that his mis-
sion to Tracy would call for tact. He
sat down on camp stool beside his
friend, and after few conventional
passes opened the one subject of his
visit with an abrupt question. 'Dave,
how much do you figure you've got in
our Sleepy Car place? Whatever 1t
is" he continued, as Tracy disclaimed
any equitable interest In the hall that
Selwood had paid for, I'll trade you
my interest In the Thief River mine
for your interest up at Sleepy Cat"
Tracy was taken abaek. what you
tryin' to do?" he asked presently.
Rob me or rob yourself? The mines
worth half dozen of our Sleepy Cat
outfit"
Then" said Selwoed definitely.
"the halls mine and the mines yours.
Is 1t a go?"
''Why, if you want 1t that way. yes
lit Is"
ITO BE CONTINUED, -