The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1932-10-14

left They were for the moment stand
ing alone. "YOu'll look after Phil,
won't you? He's only boy,
"I'n do that lii thing If can," he
answered. smiling into her eyes by
way of reinsurance.
rs it safe to go up there-you two
alone?" she asked. Il wish you'd
wait and take posse"
He shook his head. "Can't do that.
We'd be followin' cold trail If we
did. But / reckon it'll be all right
We're not allowin' to bring any rust
lers back with US. Just now we're
| after information"
"Well, don't let Phil do anything
| foolish, please"
Again he promised to look after the
boy.
He frightened cinch before he made
reference to another subject on his
mind. Father was tellin' me about
his talk with you"
"Yes, we smoked pipe Of peace"
she said.
I'm sure glad. Far as was con-
cerned 1t wasn't necessary. | was
through, anyhow. You an yore broth
er have done too much for me. ia
never lift hand against you. But
| it's better to have an open treaty"
IF Dad had only lived" she muir
INJURED, more to herself than to him.
Father can't get over that. reckon
they hated each other. but there was
something between them deeper than
hate. l expect Mr.. Stark knows that
now, If over there they know about
| things here. Likely their hate hurt
them a lot more than they let on"
THAT'S what l think. Did your ia
Their tell you about how feel?"
Her deep eyes met his and through
| him went a thrill that quickened his
pulses. His drumming heart beat the
| tidings that he wanted this lovely girl.
so quick and vibrant with life, so pas
| sionately DESTROYS of the fine things IT
| had to offer-wanted to take her for
his mate and spend the years of his
life beside her. Yet he knew 1t couih
not be. There was a chasm between
him and her that could not be bridged.
Eyes. | understand that too. It's
the only way you could feel. But. :.
Remember that night we rode across
the desert together an talked about
how 1t had got us. how it had made
US tough an ferocious an harsh like
that clump of cactus there; an how
you said it had another side. too, for
from that dry waste came lovely flow
ers an outa the heat came hours when
the air was all rose-colored an pink
! an lilac? I've thought heap about
that, an you sayin' it was thataway
with our lives, too. It's so. +. What
I'm gettin' at is this, that If the desert
makes US gaunt and hardy. II 1t gives
us endurance and fierceness shows US
how to survive when softer folks, I'M
trained by it, would crumple up an
die, maybe these very qualities. brought
into service an subdued to use, are the
ones we've got to have to win out on
this thirsty frontier. We live where
we're always SEEM the flash of teeth.
We've got to stand heat an drought
an hardship or get off the map. All
summer my sister has been tryin' 20
cut the ironweed outa her garden, but
it's still there, I notice"
Eyes, it's tough, like the bisnaga
and the cholla and the prickly pear"
she agreed.
Mature gives hooks an barbs an
saw-edged teeth to those of her chill
dren that need 'em. A mule-deer
learns to go coupla weeks without
water. Same way with prairie dogs
an coyotes. If they couldn't stand
thirst they wouldn't last long. No
different with US. We've got to meet
the conditions. But there's something
born in us that stays with US. Even
when we get tough as leather we're
all right inside, maybe. On the dry
desert things take long time to rot.
I've seen mighty tough citizens who
had clean hearts when once you got
to them" He laughed at himself.
"Pm not gettin' anywhere, but you
know what / mean"
"Yes, l do" she told him. And it's
true. They call Mr.. Stone a killer,
but I'd trust him anywhere. But
wouldn't trust that Gitner."
mo, you're right about Gitner. He
belongs to the lobo family, l reckon.
Well, I'll be movin' along"
81 don't think you belong to the
lobo family, Mr.. McCann," she told
him impulsively. II did once, but I've
changed my mind"
Their level gazes met.
Much obliged for that" he replied
| In the drawl of the Southland. Il
don't reckon I'd better tell you what J
think about you"
Into her dark eyes there flashed a
momentary panic. She drew back. her
pulses fluttering.
Phil called across to his companion.
Ready. WilsT
The two horsemen disappeared
round bend In the road.
Wilson Mccain and Phil Stark did
not find Yerby at home. Mexican
boy herding sheep on the hillside near
| said he had seen him start downward
in the morning.
The trail assembled steeply. The
travellers left behind them the desert
vegetation. The lean and haggard
ocotillo. cruel of claw, no longer
shared with the mesquite dominance
of the landscape. Catclaw and cholla
were still TO be seen and occasionally
Spanish bayonet Scrub oaks and
! juniper appeared. at first struggling
and hesitant The riders passed
through splendid grove of live oaks
festooned with great clumps of mistle-
toe. and as they still climbed upward
pines were silhouetted against the sky
| line.
They camped far up in the hills,