The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-09-20

|
of glass. was cruelty cut, bleeding
in dozen places, yet was half into
the room. There. In the dirty. drat
light. saw face, the fiendish. rage.
| distorted face of Locasto.
He turned at the crash. With q
curse he came at me. Then, as
hung half In. half out OF the window
he clutched me by the throat Using
all his strength, he raised me further
into the room, then he hurled me ruth.
lessly out onto the rocks outside.
rose. Keeling, covered with blood
blind. sick, speechless. Weakly
staggered to the window. My strength
was leaving me. ] felt the world 60
blank. swayed; clutched at the
walls: fell.
had losti
"No. no, I'm all right Really am
Please leave me alone. You want me
to laugh? Ha! Hal Therel Is that
oil right now?"
mo, 1t isn't all right. It's very far
from all right, my OOy.
1t was in the big cabin on Gold hill
aud the Prodigal was addressing me.
He went on:
Nov. look here, kid. I'm giving
you a straight line of talk. Ever
since the start I've taken strong no.
ton to you. We've been in tight
places together; we've been stacked
up against hard times together: and
now I'll be gol-darned IL I'm going to
stand by and see you go downhill.
while the devil oils the bearings"
"Oh, I'm all right" protested.
"Yes, you're all right" he echoed
grimly. I'm an representation of an
albright man it's the hook for yours.
I've seen albright men like you hit
ting the hurry trail for the boneyard
before now. You've lost your grip, my
boy. You don't care whether school
keeps or not In fact, If 1t wasn't for
your folks, you'd as lief take short
cut across the Great Divide"
tits all very well for you to preach
| said; "you forget I've been pretty
sick man."
THAT'S no nursemaid's dream. You
almost cashed in. Typhoid's serious
proposition at the best; but when you
take crazy streak on top of It. make
midnight getaway from the sick
ward and land up on the Slide look
ing as If you'd been run through a
thrashing machine. well, you're sure
letting death get short option on
you. And you gave up. You didn't
want to fight. You shirked, but your
youth and constitution fought for you.
They were great team. and they
pulled you through. And you weren't
one bit grateful-seemed to think they
had no business to butt in"
"My hurts are more than physical"
"Yes. I know; there was that girl.
AS | camped there by your bedside
listening TO your rawlings, and getting
strangle-hold on you when you took
it into your head to get funny, you
blabbed out the whole yarn. Oh. son.
ny, why didn't you tell your uncle!
Why didn't you put me wise? could
have given you the right steer. But
you kept mum as a mummy. Wouldn't
even tell your old pard. Now you've
lost her."
ayes, I've lost her."
"Did you ever see her after you
came out of the hospital?"
"Once. once only. II was the first
day. | dragged along YEARLY, lean.
ing on a stick. | was thinking of her,
thinking. thinking always. Then sud.
denly she was before me. She looked
like ghost, poor little thing"
"Yes, what did she say?"
"Say! she said nothing. She just
looked at me. Her face was cold as
ice. She looked at me as If she
wanted to pity me. Then into her
eyes there came a shadow of bitter
ness. of bitterness and despair such
as might gloom the eyes Of lost
soul. 1t unnerved me. Then she drew
a great, gasping breath. and turning
on her heel she was gone.
"She cut you"
"Yes, cut me dead, old fellow. And
my only thought was of love for her,
eternal love. But I'll never forget the
look on her face as she turned away.
It was as If ] had dashed her with q
whip. My Godl"
"And you've never see her SINGER"
"No, never. That was enough,
I hon 20 "A
then, in little, came on here. My
body was living, but my heart was
dead. It will never live again."
"Oh, rot You mustn't let the thing
down you like that. It's going to kill
you in the end. Buck up! Be man
If you don't care to live for yourself,
live for others. Anyway, it's likely
all for the best. Maybe love had you
iocoed. Maybe she wasn't really
good. See now how she lives openly
with LocastO."
| rose and looked at him, conscious
that my face was all twisted with the
pain of the thought.
Look here" said, "never did God
put the breath of life into a better
girl. There's been foul play. know
that girl better than anyone in the
world, and if every living being were
to tell me she wasn't good | would
tell them they lied. they lied. I would
burn at the stake upholding that
girl"
He looked at me thoughtfully.
81 say, old man. do you ever hear
from your old Lady,"
Every mail"
"Why not go back? That's your
proper play; go back to your mother.
She wants you. You're pretty well
heeled now. You'll be comfortable ;
you'll devote yourself to the old lady /;