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


interrupt. tried to listen. tried to calm
him down-all was useless.
dash It, john" he exclaimed at
length, testy himself, ''if I'm nothing
else, I'm your doctor-hold onI
Il expect to hold on" retorted Sell
wood rudely. "Tell your Vigilantes
they'll find me on the hill. And tell
'em to come 'ixed,' for some Of 'em
will stay there with me-"
"But here's another thing / want
you to think of, john" resumed
Carpy. who was pertinacious. "What
about Dave Tracy in all this7 You'll
have your fight-you'll damage some
vigilantes; maybe some of 'em your
own friends; maybe get damaged
yourself. Even supposing you make
your getaway, what about Dave? He's
helpless. How should you feel, John.
If Dave was dragged out and strung
up with that river bunch7 Don't you
owe it to Dave to get him out Of the
way before this thing begins?"
The suggestion came like blow to
Selwood. 1t struck home. Selwood
had forgotten mis- wounded partner.
His mind worked fast. He looked at
Carpy-but not with less determine
ton. you're right" he said tersely.
'.Pll get Dave into the clear. But I'll
be back on the hill by the time your
friends get started
He rose. very angry, to go then he
turned suddenly on the doctor.
There's one thing I'll ask of you.
Doc; while I'm getting Dave away,
want you to promise me to see that
no harm comes to Christie Fyler-"
"John, I'll see to that If it's the last
thing on earth I see to-"
81 don't care much about her
father-he's no protection to her; but
he's her father, and no harm must
come to him in this mix-up, either"
you've got my word, john"
Selwood was not a man to let his
anger override his common sense for
long. Most of all, the helpless condi-
ton of Tracy, like relentless curb
on a willful horse, forced him to con-
slider what must be done to save him
from the mob fury. None knew bet
ter than Selwood what would be let
loose when the fight started. He knew
the men on both sides of the town
and knew that once under way there
would be no quarter for anybody
that behind the masks there would be
more than one personal score to even
up, regardless of right or justice; that
there would be, in that mob, personal
malice set on personal vengeance, and
that Carpys warning could not be dis
regarded.
Christie had been in the habit for
some time of visiting Tracy In the
sick-tent and taking him such little
delicacies as her ingenuity could sup
ply. She realized how close he was
to Selwood, and whoever was trust
ed friend of Selwood's Christie, some
how, liked.
Pardaloe, feeling that help was
needed in his efforts to straighten out
the differences that kept Selwood and
Christie apart, had taken Tracy into
his confidence, and the old man was
ready to do what he could to help.
On this Saturday afternoon he held
Christie for q little chat, and as soon
as he could introduced the delicate
subject that Pardaloe had already
preached to her.
"Bill Pardaloe," he went on, con-
tinuing his remarks, "said you was
afraid Of Selwood because you thought
he was gambler"
Christie's eyes fell-she would not
comment on it; besides. Tracy him
self was gambler "Mr. Pardaloe,"
she said impatiently, "says a great
many things about matters that don't
concern him-or anybody else, for
that matter. How is your back today,
Mr.. Tracy?"
Tracy was not so easily thrown OFF,
He said what he wanted to say. 81
don't call Selwood a cumberland
I've been trying long enough to make
him one. He amt built for the bust
ness. The ice Is too thin around his
heart. Any old woman can come along
to him with a tale of woe and he'll
He's film in for me, at my place up
on the hill,'' explained Tracy defen-
sively, that's about ALL"
Selwood, knowing nothing Of the
well-meant if misdirected activities of
his two crude but stanch defenders,
started for the horse barn, after
Carpy's talk, and for Tracy's tent, re-
flecting that with Tracy himself he
should have a delicate job on his
hands; to induce the old man to move
at all would be a triumph. He stopped
at the warehouse first to tell the
wagon boss, briefly, what he had
heard and what to do. "If there's
going to be trouble here don't want
to get caught with a warehouse full
of goods unprotected" he said to Lee
fever. "Get hold of every teamster
we've got In town and hold every man
here to protect company property.
Work fast"
"FH have 'em all rounded up in
half an hour by the watch" returned
Lefever. "What are you going to do,
yourself. John?"
1t was the second time Selwood had
been asked the question. He did not
know; but he flung some kind of an
answer to the wagon boss, and crossed
the street to the barn. McAlpin, in
the front gangway, was washing
harness.
Selwood's orders were brief. SECT
up team Of saddle horses, Jim. Hitch
'em to the light democrat wagon-the
one that's covered Mnzzln CLIon