The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1931-01-09
CHAPTER VI-Continued

the girl didn't know ii either. Look !"
He pointed TO his coat. which he had
left so placed in II car that it looked
as though some one was still sitting
In II. and then indicated his hat, with
which he had crowned the collar Of
the cost
From g distance IT would look Ike
q man slumped down in the seat with
his hat over his eyes. Browne bent
over and saw 10 his establishment that
there were several holes in the hat
and when he lifted the coat some
small shot ratified TO the floor Of the
car. He looked at his companion in
CONSERVATION. mo wonder he made
such a quick getaway. The fellow
must have thought he had killed
q man"
"Oh, absolutelyi'
They walked without speaking
toward the shack where the girl was.
Roberta was ready 10 go.
Find anything?"
~Only the she'll" Sir George said
hurriedly, with a warning glance ar
Browne. 4 have it in my pocket
Do you want 10 see it,
Roberta shook her head with
little shudder. q can still drive"
she announced.
Absolutely not. l can manage that
car, I'm sure. Your father expects me
20 drive this road tomorrow, or next
day, so l might as well have q little
practice now"
Roberta made q gesture to stop
him, but he was out of the doorway
and striding toward the machine be-
fore she could speak He took The
car down and around the narrow turn,
and came driving up to the shack. his
eyes alight with pleasure "Jolly good
car, Goes like bird. Hop in. Miss
Macbeth. and barring a few mistakes
about left and right hand drive, well
have no trouble ar all But you will
have 10 call of the tea party, Browne"
Browne nodded Roberta opened
her lips TO protest again, took one look
at the bright head. as he SAT- hatless
before her. and climbed into the car.
Sir George held out his hand 10
Browne.
See you again soon.
"Sure You come up any time. I'll
be glad TO show you about the place
whenever you feel like it,
I'm keen about it, he declared and
somehow both Browne and Roberta
believed It
Roberta gave Browne her hand and
q few murmured words Of thanks and
farewell, but few as they were they
were cut short by the driver starting
the car
Roberta and her companion went
silently toward the island. Whatever
Sir George thought about this latest
development in their excursion, he
said nothing to the girl, giving him
self up wholly 10 the skillful driving
of the magnificent engine he had under
his control II was not until he
stopped the car al the terrace and
turned TO her. as though expecting
some praise for his driving, that
Roberta spoke.
Have you an enemy here?''. she
asked and then-as he stared al Der
amazed-she stammered: Among the
foreign workmen. mean? or was it
an accident pure and simple that the
shot went through your hat q
~Oh. accident. pure and simple" Sir
George assured her. Nobody about
here knows me wei enough to hate
me that much" He helped her out of
the car and watched her go up the
steps. Then be whistled. and he said
to himself: Then the man who fired
the shot was a foreigner. At least he
was g dark man" The girl had given
that much away, even if she was. as
Sir George suspected. trying to screen
the man who fired the shot And why
she did that be was tremendously
curious TO know.
He was wrong. Roberta did not
know II a suspicion had for a mo-
ment entered her mind she had driven
ii forth instantly. II was unthink-
able impossible TO imagine that there
had been something familiar about the
man who had moved away so swiftly
through the thicket She wanted Sir
Georges assurance that she was
wrong, yet somehow his very decision
family troubled
Sir George heard his stepmother ex-
claiming and Robert MacBeth's voice
raised In wrath, and knew that
Roberta had told them. He called
August TO take the car in, and went
forward to answer the questions that
were in store for him.
Pohor- MacPa-b uan+ad The -o1;ca
notified ar once and stormed for
moment at both Browne and Sir
George for having omitted TO do this.
Roberta pointed out TO her father
that their construction camp was just
outside a small town, which was likely
TO have about three superannuated
constables. The only men who could
do any good would be the state police
and there was still time TO notify them.
Macbeth asked Roberta one or two
questions, which elected the fact that
she had not seen anyone clearly, had
only been aware, after the shot. of
some one moving of over the little
pile of rocks and rubbish. screened by
bushes and small trees. ar the en-
trance TO the construction road. For
tunately, she had not lost her head.
but had instantly put her foot on the
brake and driven with her right hand.
She steadily denied having plainly
seen the man who had fred the shot,
but she had heard a car start after
she had gone some distance. She was
in too much pain and too frightened