The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-01-11
The Marked Man !.
A Romance of the Great Lakes
vnux. BY W.. o~uarnau~a~no.

"What's that?" Captain Stocking
demanded. whats that you say?
Run away? he repeated.
Baker laughed. "You figger on hold
ing on to this boy?" he asked Captain
Stocking.
"Aye. Assistant keeper. And what
about it?"
| Baker lighted a cigarette. "This Is
Gustaf EricksOn's son." he said. He
addressed Captain Stocking. Gus.
taf's a fisherman down at Madrid.
His boy run out on him early this
morning. The old man nigh had a
stroke. "Gustaf's been SICK" he ex-
planned. "He asked this deep-divin'
mariner to take him out to the banks
today. He needed to lift his nets.
The boy wouldn't 60. His old mans
all broke up tonight. Says this fell
lows always been cargo of trouble.
Always been scarf o. the water. ;"
"Well, well, well!" Captain Stock
ing murmured.
Baker. you're liarl And thief !
And -. :"
Here. here!" Stocking interrupted.
None y such talk goes aboard my
light"
Baker laughed again. His eyes
glowed unpleasanty. Sue Stocking,
who had been listening in silence,
glanced from him to the new assist.
ant keeper. Norman's pale blue eyes
were filled with anger but she saw
no fear in them.
Lets get this straight" she said.
"If this boys not going to fit we'd
better know # now. What's this about
always being afraid of water?"
"Nothing!" Norman again spoke
sharply. my father was I'M
reasonable. Going out in that storm
would have killed him today. No one
went out" His voice raised. "You
didn't go out" he challenged Baker.
~ didn't have any nets set" the
other answered lightly. "And it's not
me that's calling you scared. All I'm
tellin' these folks Is what your old
man says He ought to know He
SAYS you was no son to him. Says
you had the green scares at goin' out
in a bit of breeze.
"a bit OF breeze?" put in Steve SUIT
ton. "I'll say it was bit T.
Baker ignored him.
"YOu never was hankering to go
afioat was you, Norm?" he asked.
NO." Norman answered slowly. mo
never was. And I'm not now. Most
thing I'm hankering for now is to see
how much punishment you can take
and come through alive. :" He
moved forward.
"Sit down, Erickson !" Captain Stock
ing commanded. "ldee o such talk
and such goin's-On! Sit down, tell
you! I'm master here"
Norman's temper cooled. II can't
can't tell all that's happened.
Captain Stocking. My father is better
off when I'm not there. He ordered
me away meant it," He
fought for words. His legs and feet
were numb. He felt the girls merci
less eyes staring at the back of his
head. "Hed have sunk the boat If
he'd gone out in that blow this morn
ing.
You wouldn't leave him sink you,
Norman, would you?" asked Baker.
You're q sailor, Ell? The hardest
sailin' storm chaser on the lake meb
be? If you are, your old man don't
guess It'll He says you got the scare,
and he's sailed a bit. seen a bit, In
his time"
Baker turned to Susan. sit was
you | came to see." he said didn't
tigger on meeting this tadpole."
Norman started to follow The two
out of the door. Ii was Captain Stock
ing's short Here. you'll" that halted
him.
Steve Sutton arose from his chair
81 don't like that dogfishl" he com
planned.
Don't like him!" the keeper de-
mandeG. "What of it? Guess he don't
like you. What OF that? The lake
is full of don't-likes." He turned ON
Norman. What wa his meaning
about you and your paw"
Nothing much" Norman wei his
lips Ii was difficult to explain How
could he make this old sailor under
stand any more than he had mis- ia
Their? Desperately wet his lips. 81
wasn't aiming to be a fisherman" he
said my father is stubborn some
times. He wanted me to fish along
with him."
"And you 1T an appointment here
instead?"
Norman shook his head gloomily.
mot exactly. got it. But I wasn't
intending to keep it."
"Not intending to keep it?" Captain
Stocking removed his spectacles an.
srily "What kind of monkey shine
was that? You think this lighthouse
business is game?"
mo, sir. wanted to come here
Only | saw ] ought 10 fish. ! was all
fixed in my mind to go partners To-
day he put me out There wasn't
any installing what he meant" The
clock licked twice. 81 don't like fish
ing ;" he paused lamely.
don like fishing? Why not? Why
wasn't you for goin' partners? Why
your paw put you outT'
Captain Stocking had taken Off his
blue uniform coat and stood In his
shirt-sleeves, his lips pursed out like
fat public inquisitor. Steve Sutton
interrupted.
81 never did lay stock in that Bak,
| err"