The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-11-01


faithful thought has entered my head.
never a wrong feeling sullied my
heart. I've been true to you"
.'Oh. my dear. my deari"
Il want to bring you happiness. but
only bring you trouble, sorrow.
Sometimes. for your sake, ! wish We
had never met"
She turned to Garry.
"As for you, you've done me a
great wrong. can never forget t.
Will you go now. and leave US In
peace?"
His head was bent, so that l could
not see his face.
"Can you not forgiven" he groaned.
She shook her bead sadly. "No, ]
am afraid ] can never forgive"
''Can ! do nothing TO atOner
mo, I'm afraid your punishment
must be-that you can do nothing"
He said never a word. She turned
to me:
Come. my husband, we will CO."
was opening the door TO leave
him forever. Suddenly ! heard a
step cunning up the stairs, heavy.
hurried tread. looked down mo-
ment. then pushed her back into
the room.
BE prepared. Berna," I said quiet
Iy; there comes LOcasto."
There we waited. Garry and l. and
beside US Berna. We heard that
heavy tread come up. up the creak
ing stairway. stumble moment. then
pause on the landing. There was
something ominnus. something preg-
nant in thai pause The steps halted.
wavered a little. then, infleNihle as
Doom. on they came toward us. The
next instant the door was thrown
open. aud Locasto stood In the en-
trance.
Even in that brief moment ! was
struck by the change in him. He
seemed TO have aged ny twenty years.
He imped and noticed his left hanG
was glOved.
From under his bristling brOws be
glared ar us. AS he swayed there be
minded me of an evil beast, a savage
creature. mad, desperate thing.
With a malignant laugh. the feering
laugh of a fend. he stepped into the
room.
Sol Seems as If I'd lighted on a
pretty nest of IOve-birds. Hoi no!
my sweet You're not satisfied with
one lover. you must have two Well
you are going to he satisfied with one
from now ON. and that's Jack LOcaSTo
I've stood enough from you, you
white-faced jade. You've haunted me
you've put sumo kind of a spell Cd
me- You've Iured ME back TO this
land. and now I'm goi2g TO have you
or diel Stand oui away from
thuse two Stand out. I sayl March
out of that dnnr"
She only shrink hack the farther.
"YoU went come, curse you: you
won't come, you milk-faced witch.
with your great eyes that bore holes
in me, that turn my heart to fire. thar
make. me mad. You won't come
Stand hack there, you two. and LET
the girl come"
We shielded her.
"Hal You won't LET me get her
Well. it'll be all the worse for her.
I'll make her life a hell. I'll beat
her. You won't stand back. You. thu
dark one-dOn't know you; haven't
| hated you more than the devil hates
a saint: hated you worse than bitter
poison? These three black years
you've baIked me, you've kept her
from me. Oh. I've itched to kill YOU
times without number, and I've spared
you But now it's my call. Stand
back there. stand back ! say. Your
times come. Here's where | shoot
His hand Ieapt up and saw {,
gripped a revolver. He had me Gov
cred. His face was cOntorted with
devilish triumph. and knew be
meant 70 kill. AT last, at last my
time had come. saw his fingers
twitching on the trigger. gazed into
the hollow horror of that barrel NJ.
heart turned TO ice could not
breathe. Oh. for respite a moment
-Ughl he pulled the trig-
ger, and. at the same instant. Garry
sprang at himI
What had happened? The shot
rang in my ears. | was still stand,
ing there | felt no wound felt no
pain. Then, as stared at my en-
envy, heard heavy fall. All. God
there at my feet lay Garry, lay in
huddled. quivering heap. lay on his
face, and in his fair hair ! saw
dark stain start and spread. Then.
in a moment, ! realized what nv
brother had done.
fell on my knees beside him.
"Garry. GarryI" mOaned. heard
Berna scream. and ! saw that LOcasto
was coming for ME. He was man
no longer. He had killed % He was
a brute. fury, devil. mad with
the lust of slaughter With smart
he dashed ar me. Again | thought
he was going 10 shoot, but mol He
raised the heavy revolver and brought
il crushing dewn on my head fel,
the blow fall. and with it my strength
seemed to shoot out of me. My legs
were paralyzed. ! could NOT move
And. as lay there in a misty daze
he advanced on Berna.
His bands were stretched out to
clutch her; moment more and he
would have her in his arms. a mo-
ment-ahl With a suddenness that
was like flash she had raised the
heavy reading lamp and dashed II In
his face.
I heard his shrek of fear; saw
him fall as the thing crashed between
his eyes; | s;lw the flames squirt and