The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-02-08

certain warm friendliness In his eyes.
He put out his right hand and Nor
man took II. The act treasured him a
little. The strangers hands were large.
but soft, as If he never had worked
out-of-dOOrs with them. He was not
old; under forty.
.'Did you happen to find anything
on the beach tonight?" he asked.
Norman hesitated. The mans voice
was aggressive. But II also was friend.
ly. Norman liked II at once.
"Yes. sir, did find something"
"What?" Delong braced himself up
on one elbow. "What did you find?''
"A dead dog" Norman said. I found
a dead dog, Mr.. belong. Drowned"
The stranger nodded.
"He was good dog" he answered
mildly.
Norman started. He felt blood rush
to his cheeks. Those were his fathers
wordsl "A good dogl" He stood up
straight, aware that Sutton and Baker
were grinning at him.
hiC ioohCu IL Sli. upoSt ihSs SCC'
ing him. If it hadn't been for that
dog I'd have been all right"
"YOu didn't find pack, an OIL
skin pack?" Delong inquired.
~ didn't" Norman replied stiffly,
"all found was the dog"
Baker laughed. 81 best get out on
the job again." he said easily. "Capt'n
put me on watch down there by
the wreck. I'll let you know. mister,
If anything comes ashore"
"You will keep your eye open?" the
stranger asked.
"Sure. :"
Norman strobe through the door
and across the sanu to the signal
house. Captain Stocking stood bare
headed on the path peering north at
the weather.
Clearing up?" Norman shouted.
Eyes. Let the steam go down. Turn
off the automatic"
The keeper had softened his anger,
but his tone still was chilly. He left
Norman on the W." and truGged
heavily into the house.
1t was two by the clock in the signal
shanty. Norman turned off the mech
anism that controlled the steam
whistle and stepped back out-of-
doors. 1t was lonely on the beach,
but just now he craved loneliness.
He needed to think over this whole
catastrophe. But what was there to
think over? He could expect nothing
here on the point except scorn. He
had proved himself a coward in the
eyes of keeper and coast guard crew.
Being coward was unfOrgivable. He
could never make Sue Stocking un-
derstand about the schooner Cortland
and the captains dog.
Julie? Lord, had it been only that
afternoon he smelled the soil of the
Richaud farm back in the hills? He
believed Julie would comprehend
what had happened to him q.
but he couldn't agree to farm. He
couldn't leave the light. After what
old Samuel Stocking had threatened?
Well, what could he do? Neither land
nor lake wanted him. A wave of
nostalgia overwhelmed him, a passion
like homesickness for place he
never had seen.
He arose with stiff legs after an
hour, and facing into the wind,
climbed over the sand hummOck to
the beach. There was a hint of day.
Out upon Blind Mans Teeth the cap
sized yacht made a gray and black
patch, with white breakers stretching
high arms above it. On the shore,
not hundred PAGES off. an electric
flashlight shone for gusty second
1t was Ed Baker, no doubt, on watch
by the wreck. Norman stood motion
less.
The surfman approached. It was
Baker all right; light from the tower
cleaned in streaks on his wet sag
ging oilskins. Ten feet off he halted
and knelt down beside a drift log
Norman held his breath. Why was
Baker digging in the sand with his
hands?
The surfman stood up and walked
swiftly back to his post. Norman
shook his cold legs. And what was
this new business? Something queer.
Another light, a lantern this time,
moved along the wash beyond Keeper
Stockings quarters. Baker waved his
own flash toward 1t.
"Oh. Shay!" he hallooed.
"Three-thirty," the relief man
called.
The two guards talked quietly for
q moment. Then Ed Baker started
back toward the coast guard station.
Norman waited five minutes before
be stepped out of the brush. He
crossed swift, to the log where Baker
had knelt, and searched with his
fingers in the sand. In half minute
he touched a wet object. too soft for
wood.
He clea. ed away the sand and with.
drew an oblOng packet. 1t measured
fair ten in mes in length, half that in
width, and bulged thick. II was
bound with soggy cord. Norman thrust
it into JOcket of his coat.
For a second time in his life he
had discovered Baker in an act Of
thievery. And both times he had stood
by silent4.'. AS boy lie had taken his
beating and said nothing. 1t had been
pride kept him from telling that other
time, pride and ridiculous Juvenile
fear Of what Baker might say. He
need have no fear of Baker low. Only
a loathing for him. Baker who played
the hero and who was only a common
theft What would Sue Stocking say?
And Captain Samuel? And Parish?
II came to him swiftly that It did
not matter what they might say. For
he could not tell them.
He had no witnesses. Baker wouid