The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1933-01-20
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George Marsh
Copyright BY Penn Pub. Co.
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CHAPTER VI-Coutinued
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Copyright BY Penn Pub. Co.
CwNU Servicel

CHAPTER VI-Coutinued
il
With his tump-hne Jim dashed the
two guns TO provision bag, swung IL
10 his back, adjusted the head-strap
over his forehead. and piled on the
rest OF their outfit, while Smoke
thrashed of through the bush" after
snOw-shoe rabbits. For a half mile
the trail held 70 the high land back
from the river. then turned toward
the water. Bent under his heavy load,
Jim followed the moving legs OF Omar
under the peterboro. From the slowly
Increasing clamor OF the rapids, Jim
Judged that they were nearing the end
OF the carry and approaching the
river. but his sweat-blinded eyes did
not lift from the moccasins Of the man
in front.
Suddenly. the legs OF Omar came to
a halt. Curious. Jim raised his head
banded by the tump-line, but the
canoe on Omar's broad back, blocking
the trail. alone met his blurred eyes.
Then. to his startled ears came
Omar's hoarse whisper: DE gunl
Quick"
What is II? Game aheadT Jim
wondered, as he slipped of the head
strap.
As his load slid to the ground he
wiped the sweat from his eyes and
squinted past Omar toward the river.
With a bound his heart started drum
ming against his ribs. There, twenty
yards up the trail. leering at the wait
ing Omar. stiff as a spruce under the
canoe, stood Paul Paradis
Trapped :" muttered Jim. working
desperately TO free the rifles from the
knotted tump-line which bound them
20 the pack.
Again came Omar's whispered warn
ing: de gun! TAX to de bush
Queek :" followed by the jeer of Para
dis: $50 you have come to viseet
me7"
With his gun almost free. Jim heard
a movement in the bush, and looked up
10 see two Indians hurl themselves ar
the man waiting. legs braced, under
tho canoe
AS they came headlong on, with a
lunge Of his great shoulders Omar
pivoted and swung the heavy peter
bOro crashing into their heads. at the
same time slipping his tump-line and
avoiding the falling boat Then with
a roar the enraged half-breed met the
rush OF a third man and. lifting him
above his head In his vise-iike grip.
flung the writhing body to the trail.
Ieaping over the stunned Indian, he
made for the surprised Paradis.
Dodging into the brush TO escape
the charging Omar. Paradis shouted:
''No knivesI" as two Ojibwas cata-
pulled into the half-breed from the
rear, bringing him TO his knees.
But they were fighting TO take alive
a man whose strength was a byword
from Gods lake TO the Barren Grounds,
and. as he tripped and fell with two
clawing Indians on his back. legs
twined around his, Omar snarled: 81
TAX you. too, Paradeesp'
When Omar dubbed his first as
sailants with his swinging canoe, Jim.
with his hands on his dashed gun. was
hurled TO his face by the impact OF
two heavy bodies. As he fell the
realization that all he had worked for
all he lOved-hung on the next few
seconds. flashed through his conscious
ness.
They had not knitted himI Thought
they could take him and Omar with
their bare hands. did they?
The old fury he had known in many
q trench fight overseas returned as
Jim fought the men on his back who
sought TO pin him TO the ground A
desperate heave and he twisted and
thrashed in their clinging arms until
he reached his knees. A wrench, and
he had a hand free, as they fell TO the
trail-a heap Of straining. painting
men. Chin clamped on chest to cheat
their clawing fingers seeking his
throat. again and again Jim hunched
his fist over the shoulder into the Jaw
OF the man who faced him, then BY
sheer strength bent back the head.
until, with a srOan, he tainted.
Desperate with the knowledge of
the white mans superior strength, the
remaining Ojibwa clung like a cat,
with arms and legs. TO Stuart's back.
but wrenching himself from his grin,
Jim beat him 10 the ground On his
knees the hands of the dazed Indian
fumbled with something on the trail. as
Jim rose painting to his feet Then, with
a blind lunge ne lurched forward with
Stuart's recovered knife. TO meet the
crash Of a swinging fist which crum-
pied him in heap.
Omarl
Picking up the knife, Jim hurried
ahead to aid bis friend. AS he ap-
preached. from the limp bodies OF two
men rose a pair OF massive bleeding
shoulders, from which a shirt hung in
tatters His heart checked as the sun
flashed from a knife blade and a
crouching figure left the brush TO run
ar the square bulk of Omar's back.
Behind you, OmarI- warned the
running Stuart
at the words, Omar leaped far to
the side and turned TO face the dan
ger. But the courage Of Paul Paradis
was net equal TO meeting the black
fury Of the unarmed half-breed, and
he lodged into the spruce and disap-
peared toward the river.
I'VE get de gunI" painted Omar,
-dere are more Of demI"
Tearing their rifles from their lash
ings. Jim and Omar followed Paradis
As they ran. from the direction of the
stream sounded the yelp Of Smoke.
Hes struck 'eml Hurry up or
they'll get him y cried Jim, increasing