The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1933-08-25
last night. probably. and insecurely

oShcu, anu sHppIiS thc ioheSih ooi
over one arm advanced, hand extended
to catch the rope.
He should have been warned now,
had the light been better He could
not see the tensing of the big animals
frame as he approached. He was
wholly unprepared for the charge
| when II came.
With a squeal that stopped Johns
heart. with his lip pickering over the
long, yellow teeth, with greenish
glitter springing to life In his eyes. the
animal rushed himl
So quickly did il happen. so close the
quarters. that John could not turn
and run. To the left the outer wall
blocked him, without niche or corner
within reach to use as sanctuary. To
the right stood other horses. and as
the black squealed the one nearest
danced and wrung his tail.
All In flash. In a split second.
John swayed backward. not daring to
turn, and used the only weapon he
had: the lantern. He swung II as the
horse reared. Swung 1t the whole
length of his arm and let II go full in
the creatures face as he poised for
the downward pitch that would mean
broken bones and torn flesh.
The animal cried out as the lantern
struck his nose The glass broke
with a crash and tinkling; the light
went out. John had vague impress
sion of the horse going sideways, over
against stall partition. as he quickly
turned and fled.
He did not go far. Feet thudded
behind him. The killer squealed
again. and as John caught a STAN
chion in one hand and swung himself
in beside another horse the black
Numbered on his heels.
"Whoa ~ he cried. as the horse
which gave him protection kicked.
"Whoa. you'll"
Against the faint glow from mill
yard lights that penetrated the dusty
windows he could see the black there,
stamping, crowding to get into the
STALL The tied horse kicked again and
squealed and lunged forward as the
blacks teeth nipped his hip.
John was up in the manger by then,
trying to quiet the one horse as the
outlaw backed away. stamping.
He stood, a bit shaky. strOking the
snuffing muzzle in the darkness.
The black was standing there, wait
ing for him, he thought, waiting like
a surly bear might wait for his quarry
to emerge, stamping now and again.
The other horses were restless from
the disturbance.
John slipped through into the feed
alley, found pitchfork. walked along
to the far end of the building and
crawled through the hay window into
box-stall, used for sick horses when
occasion demanded.
He stood against the door which
gave into the stall row, listening.
Then, careful to make little sound, he
slid it open. That done, he retreated
to the feed alley again and moved
along, trying to locate the strange
horse. He found that the animal was
now standing behind a vacant stall,
head down. almost as though listening
himself
Cautiously John crawled through to
the manger, standing erect, dragging
the fork with him. Then he stepped
down and with a quick stride, fork
held before him, was in the litterway,
confronting the black.
your he cried, and leaped for
ward.
The animal squealed again. His
hoofs beat the straw-padded floor as
he gathered himself for another
charge. And then he cried out in
pain as the fork tines raked his face,
as they prodded his chest, mercilessly.
"Back you! Get backr'
He could hear the savage teeth pop
ping in the darkness, felt fore-foot
strike out at the torturing fork But
the animal reluctantly gave ground.
At the door of the box-stall John
swung the fork sideways at the
horses head to turn him. The beast
bit and struck. He made a stand.
there, until John got the tine points
against the neck and showed, and with
a scream the black yielded. turned
into the box-stall and Numbered to
far corner.
John had the door closed in Sec
ond. set the hasp in place and drew
deep breath.
"Now. -. Something else to
figure out" he muttered.
The first of the transfers trailed in
as daylight drove back the shadows.
"Here, Tim; take a look at this
pony, will you"
The man came down behind the
horses and John let down a window In
the door of the box-stall.
"My Cdr the man said. THAT'S
old DeForest's renegadel What's that
horse doin' here?"
John explained that the horse had
been sold to Gorbel and had been de-
livered after quitting time last night.
"Gorbel bought him?" he demanded.
"Cripes. that horses been In this
country for five years and DeForest's
the only man who walks who can get
near him and come away whole You
mean, Gorbel was thinking of buyin'
him?"
John shrugged.
THAT'S the way I took It. Where
does this DeForest live?"
Three mile west and half a mile
south"
II guess. so long as I'm running
this barn. we'll try to do without him.
What say?"
"If you want me around here; or
anybody else who knows that horse,
you will Why, it's wonder he amt
killed a dozen men. And you handled
him alone?"