The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-01-04
CHAPTER II-Continued

KNOW ABOUT Seillu uelS. SIdnh liS
engine. I'm goin'. You can stay
ashore.
Ed Baker lounged through the door.
He had heard the querulous voice OF
Gustaf. Jim Nelson, who had been
doing in a corner on stack OF old
nets, awakened saying, mo, no!
Mebbe tomorrow. Gus, not tOdayI"
GuStaf did not turn his head.
III take you out TO the banks"
Ed Baker volunteered. IF Norm don't
want TO go"
He amt tit to co." Gustat muttered.
''he amt tit to be son O. me!'
Norman dropped the edge of the
pond net he was mending. he saw
Baker grinning in the door, saw his
fathers harsh profile and Nelson's
sleepy troubled face. Beyond these
three. through the open window. across
the wide waters of the lake, the white
tower of Blind Mans Eye. lie light
house, suddenly beckoned TO him. He
stood mp, his shoes creaking, and
moved TO the door.
Amt lit son to mel" his father
repeated.
Then I'd better not stay" Norman
told him. I'D better go where | am
lit" He locked again at the distant
lighthouse.
Desire grew within him. He had felt
1t before. vaguely. Once, when he was
seventeen, an itinerant preacher who
stopped for three Sundays at the Ma.
drid Bay mission house, had put the
idea into his head. He had said all
men, some time or other in their lives.
experienced definite call to service.
He did not explain what the word
meant. Norman could think then, as
now, of only one service that ever
had called him.
I've been calculating on going
away" he said.
GuStaf'S eyes widened.
You? Going away? Where"
Lighthouse SERVICE" Norman an.
swered Its a decent job. A job I'd
like"
"A good seamanIv job" old Jim Mel
son supported him.
OuSidi SCOWleu. I1lS lace luTueu
r ON yellow TO purple, his eyes grew
smaller.
"You?" he cried. You'd 90 to the
ights2 Quit tishing?" He paused
$50 crank that boat + he added
Ill run you out to the banks"
Baker offered again.
Norman swung about. He stepped
Dat,a
into the shorter mans face.
Don't you touch that boat" he
cried Hear me? Keep away from
my fatherl Stop playing up to him.
Lighthouse" old Gustat grunted
with the perverse emphasis of sick
man. Lighthouse, eh? They wouldn't
have yOu!
Baker laughed. NOrman's fist drew
into tight knot Baker, seeing it.
and the cold whiteneSS of the others
face, lodged through the door, and
as if he thought suddenly of some task
that needed him, hurried along the
wharf. Father and son and patient
Jim Nelson remained.
NJ IISIlth'uSC udNS LuG hh6S
o. your GuStaf cried.
I'll 90 see!" Norman answered
He was standing outside the shack
before he knew it. Nelson followed
him.
Take care of the old man a few
days?" Norman asked.
"Sure, I'll stand your watch bit.
ua,c Shipnata aip't ha
Each morning of the five days that
followed. Ed Baker came to the door
of Gustat EricksOn's house and in
quired for Norman. Jim Nelson an.
swered faithfully each time. Norman
would be back next day. Jim did not
trust Baker
Norman stepped In Unexpectedly on
the sixth morning. He looked thin,
ner. there were new serious lines
around his eyes. He showed no sur.
prise ut seeing his father in bed.
Hello" he said to Gustaf. Hello
jim" and passed through to his own
room, Try as he would. the old mans
ire could set off no dry spark this
morning In the temper of his son. II
Madrid Bay. close-mouthed. unexcited
more mature. little detached
"YOur paw was took sick" Nelson
contideL when the two were alone.
"He carried on pretty squally. You're
goin' 70 the lights?'
Norman shook his head.
I'm staying here he said "Sure.
went down to Milwaukee Took the
examination. There's a few vacancies.
they said. But s.ar | been thinkin
1t over, Jim, on the way home.
guess shouldn't have gone. Here's
my place. | came back to stay"
pass the testsT' Nelson asked.
wont know for a few days. But
that won't make any difference.
don't have to go If do get an ap-
pointment."
'No, don't have to. But it's a good
Job. Norman, no matter what Gus
says :" he paused lamely.
Hes my father"
"Sure. But he's a hard skipperp'
cit don't matter" Norman answered
Gustaf stayed In bed eight days this
time. On the ninth he arose obdurate-
lS and demanded his clothes. He rode
out TO the fishing grounds that MORN
ing with his son and Jim Nelson, both
of them submissive. r.
II was the kind Of day Norman
hated Each changeable gust presaged
foul weather.