The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1933-06-16

ut was close work and after I'd
moved around lot and had located
all the knot-holes and wide chinks In
the boards ! made them keep their
heads down. Then when the firing
started out on the fiat, and they saw
ken's men, led by you, making a pis-
tol charge on the men with the sheep,
Dingie got cold feet. You rode through
quite a barrage, sweetheart, but once
you'd topped the corral they figured
had achievements, so they ran for
their horses and rode south. That is.
some of them did. | climbed upon the
wagon seat and famed their rear; as
they fled down the south side of the
valley they bumped into Ken and
Julio, who emptied two saddles each.
Do you know, darling, that you have
a pistol bullet through the muscles of
your back, rather well on the right
side? Nothing fatal. but you'll sleep
on your left side for a month";"
I'm little fool" Roberta MUIR
INJURED weakly.
"Yes, but a gallant little fool You
have some Of your late Uncle Toms
ferocity and courage in you, Bobby.
Oh yes, old Tom always preferred odds
and good shelter in combat, but he
would stand up to it when he had to.
He couldn't be bluffed off this range
and he forced me to make good"
"Are you hurt, Jimmy?'
"Not a scratch"
She raised her left arm and curled
it around his neck; he lowered his
face until his cheek touched hers.
you're such terrible man." she whis-
pered. "Oh, such a terrible man"
''But you love me, just the same"
"Yes, but l wouldn't have told you
I'D have died first. it's all due to
Ken Hobart. He told me-"
Flush, sweetheart. He's confessed.
He told you few of the most wonder
full lies on record. and when he found
you'd been hit he cried like baby.
Swore that If you died he'd commit
suicide-provided / didn't kill him
firstw He lifted her to a sitting posi-
ton. "There's old Cupid Hobart sit
ting over yonder. Look at him. He's
still blubbering"
"Ken!" Roberta called weakly.
The ex-ranger got up and limped
painfully over to her, knelt and took
her hand. you're a grand liar" she
murmured, "and grand fighter, and
grand friend-and now I'm going to
decorate you, Ken Hobart-on the field
Of battle"
kiss her, fool" Don Jaime roared.
"And you can kiss her again the day
we're married. That's the privilege
of the best man, but after that, believe
you me, partner, she's not going to
give away any more samples to hard
boiler old waddies like you"
"Oh, my God, forgive me-" Ken
sobbed childishly, and brushed her
pale cheek with his tobacco-stained
lips.
ION the lips, man." Don Jaime COM
! manded. ''You don't know good kiss
ing when It's offered to you"
II been chewin' tobacco" the victim
protested.
81 don't care" Roberta assured him.
Jimmy chews 1t, too"
SO the embarrassed wretch obeyed
orders, and Roberta tainted again.
"Don Jaime, this time it's your fault"
Hobart almost mOaned.
Fan her and mop her face with this
wet bandanna," Don Jaime command
ed. He went to the corral and
searched in the chuck wagon for the
tin box containing the small field first
aid kit he suspected might be there.
1t was so he returned to the GIRL cut
her clothing away from the wound and
applied first aid in singularly work
manlike manner. Thereafter he at
tended to his wounded men and when
that task was done he caught the
chuck wagon mules in the corral, har-
messed and hitched them, spread out
on the floor of the wagon box the bed
ding rolls he found there and loaded
his casualties into the wagon.
Home, James," he called cheerily
to an imaginary chauffeur, climbed up
onto the seat and gathered the reins
He peered down between his legs at
Roberta's face upturned to him from
the wagon bed.
you'd have to live a few lifetimes
in Dobbs Ferry, Westchester county,
New York, before you'd get your teeth
into life as deeply as you have in the
past hour and half" he assured her
cheerfully. Whose spunky old sweet
heart are you?"
"Youse," said Roberta YEARLY.
"Giddap," yelled Don Jaime, and
flicked the Pumps Of the leaders with
his long whip. Gently he eased the
mules into their collars and rolled
away up the valley into a long draw
that wound between the hills and
eventually led them out to where the
deserted motorcar waited. Here he
transferred his wounded = Lambert
O'Grady, and Martinez Trujillo on the
rear seat, with Ken Hobart on the
front seat Lastly he lifted Roberta
up into Hobart's arms, after which
he braked the chuck wagon, unhitched
the mules and tethered them to the
wheels.
"Guess they can stand a night Of
watchful waiting" he declared. and
climbed In back of the wheel. And
maybe l wasn't a smart boy when ]
put Mrs. Candy on the payroll per-
manently. Nothing like having good
trained nurse around in an emergency
like this. Hold on. everybody
He switched on the lights and fooled
the car carefully down through the
sage to the Los Algodones road. after
which they made fast time to the
ranch. Here one of the hands took
the car and departed for Los Algo-
dones to bring back the only two doc.