The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-12-06


he could find another key TO dit It
stood there waiting. I put my
hand In my pocket for my handker-
chief. There was key. Ii fitted
the lock. | opened the door.
About half way up the steps. Gaby
was lying in huddle of pink wrap
! spoke to her. She did not answer.
ran up the steps and put an arm
around her. trying to lift her. Her
head rolled TO one side. [ saw her
throat II was saffron color, with
great blue black bruises at it's base.
touched her swollen face. II was
cold
For an instant, my only sensation
was one Of violent nausea. / tried TO
scream My throat had closed. /
must have shut my eyes, for | re-
member thinking that, If did not
open them. the dizziness would sweep
me off into Inconsistencies. | opened
them. ! saw. there on the red carpet
Of the steps, something that shocked
my Keeling senses into sanity.
Dropped all over the bright beaded
bag, lying there. we're the burned to
bacco and the ashes from Sans pipe
All of my horror concentrated into
a frantic desire to get those ashes
cleared away so that no one else
could see them. shook them from
the bag TO the carpet. brushed
them fIom the, carpet into my hand
kerchief. Just as | got nc my feet
from my knees. Chad came up.
Call the Others" said. "Gaby
is here-murlered"
stuffed the handkerchief filled
with ashes into my pocket. and, for
the first and last time in N, life. |
tainted dead away.
The next thing that | knew was
lying on my back listening to some
one screaming, above the voices of
Sam and Mrs Kicker. | realized that
those awful sounds were coming from
my OVID throat trieG to stop them !:
hut ! could not put my hands to
my throat to make II stop the noise
Sans voice came, clear and strong
then-real. like light in the dark
SAT straight up The screams
ceased. what" managed. ais the
marter?7
Everything on Gods earth, that
could be-" Sam answered "But here
Mary Drink this. Get some Sleep
Nothing TO he done. now. Well need
you, tomorrow"
He shook powder into my mouth
Mrs. Kicker held glass of water to
my lips.
When 1 opened my eyes again. it
was gray dawn | saw that ! was
in Mrs. Ricker's room. She was sit.
ting by the window tatting. | watched
her for a full minute before memory
seized me. and cried out with the
pain of IL.
"Sh-h-h." she warned me. in a
whisper. You'll wake Martha. She
is asleep here on the couch"
| felt in my pocket The ball OF
handkerchief was still there. I went
into the hall bathroom. washed my
face and hands. and drained the last
crumb of tobacco down with the wa
ter out Of the washbOwL | washed
the handkerchief, secured the bowl
and wen. back to Mrs Ricker's room
AS 1 opened the LoOr, she again
warned NE against waking Martha
WAS the shock too much tor herr
asked. going and standing beside
Mrs Kicker so that we might talk
in whispers
II didn't allow her to go upstairs
She followed chad out of the house
and saw him shoot himself. He died
within ten minutes. II vas terrible
for Martha. | had 20 hold her. while
Sam gave her a narcotic"
mo, no." protested. what
what are you sayingi dot Chad?
What was II you said about Chad"
"He walked out and shot himself.
through the head"
rushed out of the room. away
from hei. staggered down the
stairs into the kitchen.
Sam, Hubert Hand, and John al
jumped up from their chairs and
started toward me. John reached
me first, ana put an arm around me-
Chad" | began. but couldn't
get any further.
"There, there. Mary. Pour her
some coffee. dad Quick Here. sit
here. Turn on that fan. Hand. Get
some water"
"No, no. Tell me. Mrs. Kicker
said 1t isn't true lit can't be
true. Not our Chad"
Sam answered. gruff1y, TO keep the
choke out OF his voice. at is a d-n
shame, Mary: but, II Is true. The
boy shot himself. not fifteen minutes
after we found her. "Wait." be went
on quickly, before you think any
thing I want TO tell you what ! have
told the others. II Is Gods truth.
That poor boy is as innocent of any
connection with the murder as | am"
what" [ moaned. ARE we going
to dor"
we are going to do a lot. Mary
Sam said. "We are going to keep
Chad's name clean. Sure" In answer
TO my protest, I've all know. But
just the same. I'm mighty thankful
that have his alibis for him. my
self. A suicide looks bad. you know
That is. II would until we and Can
nezianh This Is his work.
But. Sam" | said. "if be WASN'T
Iet out of San Quentin until yes
terday morning. he couldn't possibly
have got way up here that same eve
ming"
We've told Sam that. a thousand
times" Hubert Hand said.
"All right, all right" Sam said.
'Bat If ever get that long distance
call throuoh vou'u find fhaf f,an