The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-03-15
ONE HAND
IN THE
HOPPER
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-EAN MAIISTER teamed close 10
the screen. widening her eyes TO
the darkness. The 200 feet of her
own LOT lay between her and the
car In the alley, YET she could see
the human figures thar hurried from
the shelter of the dim maple TO meet
it.
Back in the old four-posfer from
which the strange boot of an owl had
reused her, Jean recalled the talk
that had been going the rounds be-
fore she had gone away. Adding %
that the gossip she had heard after
she had taken the valley train home.
her slim fingers touched of twelve
names that might he connected with
the car.
The business day of Morgansburg
began at seven. The last stroke of
the town clock was still resounding
when Jean walked into the store of
George Stayman. George was not only
merchant, he was one of the town
fathers as we'll His surprise at see
ing her showed plainly.
"Good morning. Miss McAllister
After New York our town will seem
very quiet to you"
"Yes, hui it's nice to be quiet some
times, and 10 get a good sleep"
"You must "a been tired" cut n
sharp voice, ito sleep in this town.
What with them cars signaIin', row.
dies fightin' and wonderin' il your
own men folks is gettin' mixed up in
it, ! amt slept bit for q good while
back"
why, Maria" exclaimed Jean.
smiling al the bulky figure and going
over TO shake her work-worn hand.
here | was thinking | would get you
10 help me to get the dust out of my
house. and now just know you will
be lying down on the first sofa you
see TO take nap"
LA, Miss JEAN" a smile breaking
through the gloom, "of course I'll
help you and be glad. but you know
how il is with no police In a town
like this. There's no order and
there's great carrying on"
You're jokingl Isn't she, Mr.. Stay
man? Surely we still have a police
man."
1.-The last one we had proved a
problem" said the councilman suave-
Iy. land We like to be careful about
the taxpayers money"
II was on jeans tongue TO speak
Of her alley when she was checked
by Maria's "Humphl" Her soft voice
went on ordering her supplies: The
coffee ground medium, please. Can
you deliver the order right away:
Thank you. And Maria" turning to
her, "can you come up when you are
through at homer"
"I'll come now and help you get
your break fast"
AS they walked along the street,
Maria confided: "Old George Stayman
makes ii sound pretty slick about
why they don't have no police. but ]
guess he knows all about the real
reason
Later OIL in the day she went N
without missing stroke on the win
dow panes. .Old Deacon Mowbray
could have stopped the whole works,
but they tricked his boy into driving
a truck one night, an he never knew
what he was hauling until they start
ed to sing that old song they use as
signal"
When she had gone Jean sat by
the window and ran over the facts
she had gathered. There was no one
to do it. Even Rev. John Mansfield.
leader of the Law and Order society.
had had his hands fled because a
minister of the gospel has no civic
authority.
"I'H do II myself" she muttered
IF / am a woman, I'm a McAllister
one"
With elbows on the sill, chin in her
hands, she thought and studied Sud-
denly there came the big idea-the
fad she had had some time ago for
amateur photography She soon had
everything in readiness
Through the gathering dusk she
slipped down into the garden and set
up her tripod in the shelter Of the
bean vines. looked in the finder TO
see if she had focused on the right
stretch of alley, then got back to the
house without being seen.
The time dragged till the midnight
hour. At the last stroke of twelve
a slim black-eoated figure crept out
of the McAlister house and made its
way to the grape arbor. Jean was not
afraid, but she kept off the flag
stones, for she did not want to ex-
plain 60 any one why she had gone
out so late at night Safe between
the rows of grapevfnes. a long breath
relieved her lungs Halfway down
she stopped Perhaps she was fool
ish TO do this alone, perhaps they
would nor come tonight She started
on the silent as death, sank down TO
the ground-a boot sounded. so close
that she might have touched its
sources. She edged her length under
the overhanging leaves of the vines.
turned her face dawn. tucked her
hands under the folds of her coat.