The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1930-05-02

Ing to be interesting, mighty inter-
esting."
Bettington strolled over to the ex-
cited men.
"What's happened?" he asked.
Grammar bowed low as he heard
the doctors voice.
There's another real gentleman"
he said. 81 take off my hat to him.
Him and the Boss is just playing with
you till the time comes TO strike"
Hes one of you, Is he?" Hallett
asked. Grammar was wholly uncon-
scious OF the tenseness of the situa-
ton. He could only realize that he
was insulting the man he hated.
''Sure he u.s." said Grammar. Were
all together" He was in mood for
boasting.
1.-THE man is talking wildly" Bet
tington said, as calmly as he could.
He and Clements alone realized to
what perls Graumann's talk was lead
ing them.
"He's talked you both into IRONS"
Hallett cried "Fve suspected this all
along and now know it. Crosby,
wireless for government help"
do you mean to tell me you are
taking these drunken rawlings serious
ly?" 1t was Clements who spoke.
81 mean I'll have gunboat along
side by noon; that's what / mean. Go
below" He advanced threateningly
to Clements. Bettington interposed.
He tried the calm. conciliatory tone.
Il shall be cleared of these absurd
charges" he began, but"
"What charges have l nader" Hal
lett snapped, interrupting.
swell, haven't you threatened to
put me in irons"
"You can't mean to call In outside
aid" Clements said.
"Why nOt?"
"What would people say? You'd be
laughed at in every port"
"Be reasonable" Bettington broke
in. He understood the danger of the
moment too well. You're right to be
angry with this fools chatter, but
what you propose to do is too despotic
and arbitrary. You must have Mrs.
Railways authorization first"
"You'd talk her over too d-n quick
to suit me. You're the kind who's
used to hiding behind petticoats.
There's short and ugly word to de-
scribe your kind of crook"
Suddenly the sharp hiss of the wire
less cut the air. Hallett smiled in
triumph. "That settles you birds,
Think
"Sam!" Clements called shrilly.
"Here, Boss" Sam said. materially
ing.
"Let no message be sent. Smash
the instrument If necessary"
In a twinkling Sam had hurled him.
self into the wireless room. The hiss
ing was stilled. Then the two lads
were thrown violently out. Bob rose
instantly, but Crosby Todd lay notion
less. Hallett looked about him and
saw the sinister faces of those who
made up his crew. They had come
upon him unawares. The deck seemed
alive with them.
TODD rose painfully from the deck
and stood with Bob at the captains
side. These three opposed the rest,
conscious of the hazard which was in
volved, yet clinging to hope that
authority could quell insurrection.
BettingtOn stood apart from these
two groups. He had seen the coming
of tragedy when Graumann's drunken
babble had turned Hallett's justifiable
suspicion into certain knowledge. No
action or word of his could avert the
destiny he feared. He watched the
men grouping themselves behind
Clements. He could see that they
were awaiting his word.
Hallett, obstinate, unseeing and
blindly at the mercy of his own preju-
dices, showed, in this fearful moment,
his quality of courage. Not for mo-
ment was he led to think of COM
promise. He was captain and would
not be lesser man.
by Cd" he cried. "this is mu-
tiny!"
you grinning dock rat" he shouted,
"I've got the right sort of medicine
for mutineers."
With that he pulled revolver from
his left-hand breast pocket and shot
the steward through the chest. The
little smiling man pitched forward on
his face.
Leary made leap at his captain,
a Delaying pin appraised. But he was
not to catch Hallett so easily. Leary
fell across the body OF his leader.
"Back to the companion, boys" Hal
lett yelled.
Menacing the crowd with the
weapon. the three sought the COM
panion. 1t was Hallett's misfortune.
born of his hatred to retreat, that he
fingered a few seconds too long. Ii
gave Sam time to pull the automatic
from Clements pocket and fire twice.
It was a difficult shot for so short.
barreled weapon, and Bettington
thought the bullets must have gone
wide. He saw that as Sam leveled the
gun, Hallett recognized the danger
and turned.
swell, Doc?" Sam demanded, when
Bettington had knelt by Clements.
"Not chance" he returned. HE
| was killed instantly"
None bothered about Leary, who
had followed mis- chief in death. as U