The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1933-09-15

of her weight on the post which
blocked the door. His blows fell rap
idly, assaulting the boltheads that In
dicated the position of the upper
hinge. The door began to give bit
under the driving. The barrier was
yielding. sagging inward.
With sob the girl clutched at the
post which slipped as its good angle
of purchase was disturbed. She could
not get II back into place between
blows. She removed her weight from
1t, tried to shift it. The door,
sagging on the lower hinge, tilted In.
ward.
She was up then, backing from him
as he stood In the lamplight. long
knife In her hand, the other spread
across her breast.
Don't come in herer she whis.
pered. Don't come in here or I'll
I'll do the only thing you've left me
to dow
He strobe forward and stopped as,
with cry, the girl flashed the long
blade at him. He recoiled, cursing.
81 could kill your
"You could, of counsel"
"You think won't?"
"You might. But I'm not leaving
this campr
"You think l wouldn't, eh?"-fum-
bling for the rifle. "You think
wouldn't shoot you down? Well,
think again! Leave you here to spread
the word? Leave you alive to get back
and spoil my twenty miles of covered
trail. Today they can trail pin a
mutter. "Today trail'n be an open
book. :"
He looked out into the coming dawn
A light breeze stirred. the stars were
gone; thin cloud streamers In the
east glowed lemon color.
To-day it won't snow and"
He crouched then and his head
thrust forward. She heard ragged
breath sizzle through his lips as he
crept, cat-like, towards window, rife
at ready, and she heard the safety
"Belknap. eh?" he muttered. and In
the tone was something of savage JOY.
"Belknap, after me. :"
Out yonder, coming down the slope
of the old burning towards the swamp
was a man. He swung forward with
long strides, with something relentless
in his very posture.
The rifle butt slipped to Gorbeps
shoulder; his cheek pressed the worn
walnut of the stock.
And then girl was leaping for
ward, screaming, dropping the knife
she held, hurting herself upon him.
Her hands touched his sleeve as the
gun roared. She all but knocked him
from his feet.
And as he swung her about, almost
lifting her from her feet as he wrested
the weapon from her frantic grasp,
she lifted her voice again:
"Stay back, John! Stay back"
Clear and shrill, that voice, and she
caught breath for another warning
scream, but Gorbel's palm. hard over
her mouth, shut it back. He gathered her
in his arms, held her close, ran with
her the length of the room and threw
her, sprawling, into that dark, win
dowless chamber. He seized the door,
dragged it shut on Its sagging hinges
and slipped the heavy iron hook into
its staple.
He staggered back to where he had
dropped the gun, snatched 1t up and
aimed through the shattered window.
Out there in the open burning the
sound of that shot, the whine of the
wild bullet, stopped John Belknap In
his tracks. He whipped Mats pistol
from his pocket, a foolish gesture.
and as he realized the futility of Civ
ing battle to screened adversary he
heard girls voice lifted Muffled
the sound was. but he caught the last
words clearly.
"Stay back" someone had called.
and he thought the words were pre-
coded by his own name!
Stay back. he had been warned! But
why stay back? A quarter of mile
of open lay behind him. and before be