The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1928-07-20


above board like man and not un-
der cover of handing her something's"
You young upstart" snorted the
medical man, outraged and crimson,
crossing over and trying to subdue
Red with his pale-blue eye; "if you
weren't sick would knock you down."
You old pudding. you couldn't
knock man down. If it wasn't for
the presence of Miss Bowman would
get up and pound up to an even softer
jelly than you already arep
"Doctorr' interposed Charlotte,
pushing him away. Remember he Is
sick Red, can take care of my
SELF"
"Good-by, DOCTOR" said Charlotte.
"Now, Red, you must try to go to
Sleep"
'Yes. mom." answered the obedient
Red, and closed his eyes.
Three days later the invalid was sit
ting up for the first time That night
the whole house was aroused at mid
night by terror-stricken scream. 1t
came from Charlotte's room, but not
from Cbarlotte's throat
Mr.. Maddox, who had driven to q
distant ranch that morning to buy
horses, had telephoned that on ac-
count of an accident to his machine
he would have to remain overnight.
Red, who was the only man in the
house, leaped from his bed at the cry
and ran to Charlotte's door.
"Are you hurt?" he called. "Open
the door if you cam
The bolt was shot back. He could
see nothing, for 1t was starless,
moonless night; but he could hear
music-the "Miserere."
'Can you strike match?" inquired
Red in cautious whisper. 81 can't
see anything to hit"
A match flared in the darkness, and
by it's Pickering light he could see
Charlotte wrapped in blanket, pale
and plucky, shielding the flame with
cupped palms. On the floor by the
dressing table was a huddled head
whose chattering teeth were furnish
ing the castanet obligato.
$50 it's you, String Bean thought
so. If you move I'll brain yOu,' Red
Hawkins threatened.
But the superstitious Mexican,
panic-stricken, at the unearthly melody
that greeted him when he lifted the
jewel box's lid, made no effort at re-
sistance or escape.
By this time half the men from the
bunkhouse-all more or less armed
and all attired in blankets-had gath
cred at Mrs. MaddOx's call, and were
standing just outside the bedroom
door. By the wavering light of a
candle held in the lady's shaking hand
her own costume a bedquilt-it
looked like pow-wow of big chiefs.
Charlotte lit lamp and the half
animate burglar was dragged off by
two of the men to be tied up in the
clubhouse until morning, when he
would be handed over to the law. ac-
companied by the mistress of the
house to see that the tying was mer-
cifully done. !.
"a very neat burglar alarmr' COM
mented Red, picking up the still per-
forming music box with -One hand
while with the other he drew more
closely about his tall athletic pajama-
clad form the counterpane he had
snatched from the bed when the lamp
had been lit. "They ought to be in
stalled all over the country. We've got
one on this order at home, only it's
chair and dlscourses sweet music
when sat upon; we got it in" He
broke off abruptly and colored. q
"Oh, go on" prompted Charlotte.
"rve suspected for some time you
were not what you seemed. In your
delirium you babbled not wisely but
too well. Your grammar improved
immensely. You got it, as you were
saying, one winter abroad when you
were travelling with your father, the
duke of Connaught, and skiing with
the prince of Wales" &
mo, indeed" responded the young
man, laughing. "But we did get it
one summer in Geneva. My father is
Senator Robert Caswell Hawkins, and
his prodigal son, Robert, etc., IL, on
graduating from Princeton. was so
rked by buckling down to work in a
law office that he went gallivanting
all over the Wild West seeking adven-
ture and supporting himself any way
that came to hand" z
land you don't really say yes NOM
and no nom and eat with your knife.
"No, nom, only when dining with
the Romans But" declared Robert
Caswell Hawkins, Jr, determination
in his tone though his teeth were chat
tering in the frigid night air. I'm
going back home and settle down to
work like a beaver. am going to
become substantial citizen and mar.
ried man. Don't you believe, my beau
tiful angelic nurse, that | will?" he
asked, directing look more earnest
that his words into Charlotte's eyes.
"You might" was the noncommittal
answer. go on back to bedI Your
teeth are beginning to chatter. Weak
as you are from the fever, you might
catch your death of cold in this icy
air."
STOPPING suddenly. he kissed her
and vanished.
"Yes, mom," called back the docile
Red.