The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1933-07-14
~Don't you say a thing like that to

Slt uoWuI Bite anu suing IN the
tone; and fire, In Johns eyes and
anger In his gesture. "Sit down." he
repeated lowly. with contempt. and the
man settled to the bench from which
he had risen with such show of out
rage. His face twitched; guilt sat
heavily upon him.
when | first heard of this whole
situation here It sounded like some
thing writer had made up" John
said evenly. "From the minute
came on the job knew it was real.
We've speeded up; we should be
showing margin of safety. but we're
not. Every move that's been made on
this operation has been checkmated
by move from Belknap & Gorbel un-
til we're about where we started.
Every move that has slowed US up has
been made deliberately. with design.
'This thing"-with curt gesture
was the most serious Of all !"
He sat very straight and his eyes
burned.
you're on your way. Tucker. Have
1t that you forgot. Well and good:
you forgot! And you're fired because
you forgot, but you can take mes
sage with you to deliver to Burke or
to Gorbel or to whoever bought your
manhood and decency. The message
is from me and it's this:
'Tell 'em we ask for no quarter.
Tell 'em that l think they're snakes in
the grass and that I'll treat 'em as
would snakesl The Richards outfit
isn't out yet, and I'll tell you why
as the pillow backed down against the
way-car, coupling with bump that
rocked them both. "This is why /: those
men out there are in a temper that's
not to be mOnkeyed with, and If you
doubt 1t I'll continue this talk after
they come into this carl Do you want
to test their temper and their loyalty,
Tucker, by having me keep this discus
sion up when they can hear? Do you
want that?"-leaning over Tucker as
the knob turned
"FOr Gods sake!" the man whined,
trembling, panic in his eyes. For
Gods sake, Steele. ~
John Strengthened with hard smile
and wiped his palms on his thighs. Until
that moment he had possessed only
suspicion; suspicion so strong, true,
that 1t led him into his fiat charges.
Now, however, he knew.
They opened the road to Shoestring
by noon; red-eyed, weary men dropped
down from the train to meet Roberts,
the mill foreman, and Ellen Richards.
Her face was strained and white,
lined with the WEAKNESS that these
last sleepless nights had set upon her.
Johns heart jolted as he looked at
her. as he caught the query of desper-
alton In her dark eyes. He went
quickly to her.
"Well. the flag still fiies!" he
laughed.
Her expression changed, was SUI.
fused by look of deep gratitude, and
he knew, with thrill. that it was for
him. peculiarly personal feeling.
"Yes. 1t flies!" Her voice, too,
gave evidence of WEAKNESS and strain.
But by tomorrow noon we'll saw the
last log here and the Milwaukee bank
has heard of the trouble and Is ask
ing questions.
"We'n have an answer!" he said,
looking down into her face. 1.-THE
crossing switches are still plugged
with snow. It's the branch Job to keep
'em open under the contract; not ours.
Gorbel's cars are loaded, likely, but
we certainly won't move 'em until
there's hole on the sidings. I'm
sending the train back nov. Tiny's
all in. but the fireman can handle her.
I'll be with him. By dark we'l roll in
with a days cut! %
"Oh, that's splendid!" she cried low
Iy, looking up into his face as he stood
close to her. "It isn't all bad luck then,
is it, John Steele? But If it hadn't
been for you. Why, I've been
thanking the Providence that sent you
here ever since night before last ~
Warm, gentle, her voice. with heart
in it now; II was the first time her
shell of self-control bad really broken.
his initial experience with her as
woman, and things caught at his
throat as he stared into her troubled
eyes.
"How can l ever tell you what It
means to have to have you
here?" she asked.
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
81 wonder If you could manage to
smile a little!" he said. "That'd be
pretty good thanks, If I've any thanks
coming on account"
After a moment she smiled, flushing
a trife.
Allows that?" she asked and laughed
softly.
He went about his job then. sud-
denly resolving not to tell her of
fuckers treachery. She had enough
in her heart without having to con-
slider disloyalty among her men. He
wanted to save her worries now; be-
fore, he had not cared.
Tucker had come In from Shoe
string the night before; he was wait
ing when Gorbel appeared at his office
"Welll" the manager said. and in
his voice was the tone of extreme graf
ification. at wOrked?"
yes worked"
whats the rubY
"Rub enoughl He saw through It !"
ssWho7 Steele?"
steele l"-bitterly, with an uncom-
Portable movement.
well, come on with it!'
81 did II just as we figured out /
could. The stand went over and threw
em all ways from HI DIN near
broke my arm when we took the ditch.
and what's he do? The first thing, he
saw through 1t! The first word he
said showed me he saw through itm
Tho roop,a mouth uuorLa1 To-