The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1933-09-08
CHAPTER XII

Last month, an assured schemer. in
tent on ruthlessly feathering his nest !;
last week, a panic-stricken vessel for
foreboding but clinging to the hope
of material gain; tonight. fugitive
Paul Gorbel's self-control had
cracked back there in the office where,
for so long, he had planned and plot
ted He had shot without meaning to
kill. intent only on the horrible fear
which rode him.
But he had cast his die. He was
far outside the pale of decent men
now. He was running away, blindly
at first, with the thought only of put
ting distance between himself and
others.
To go northward was natural, for q
man seeking sOlitudes. In other direc-
lions railroads and towns would be
encountered. In this direction, though.
only wastes of Lake Superior lay and
somewhere along its rugged shores
or in the wide swamps inland he
could find safe hiding
Why his mind should go back to his
talk with the cruiser late in the after
noon was beyond accounting for. But
he did think of that as he raced on.
of his cruiser who had come in from
the nOrthward, with his casual story
of having stopped at Wolf Richards
cabin and made his abode there in the
trapper's absence.
VOLTS camp was the only habitation
out yonder: the only habitation In all
that country about Kampfest where
travellers were turned away. For
years men had known that when old
Wolf was at home none was welcome
to pass his threshold except Ellen Rich
ards. His was a place to shun, a
camp where succor was not avail
able.
But Wolf was gone now. He was
out in the Caribou deer yard, forty
miles away, the cruiser had said. He
would stay there, too. driving out tim
Der wolves. come to fill their winter
slack bellies. on the easy living af-
forded by yarded deer.
Richards cabin, then. was sanctuary
for a man who fed the law. Doubly
so: going there would throw trailers
off the scent; he would find a chance
to rest; would take food and ammuni
ton and anything else he might need
for long period of hiding. Then.
when the heat of the chase cooled.
he could make his way to the west
rd hno6 Of Snnorinr
and off into Canada.
He was not an old man, not yet
even In his prime. True, he would
start with his hands again. but he had
started so once and If ii had not been
for his righteousness he would have
possessed many of the things he
wanted. =. He would not lose his
head again He would not play his
cards too strongly He would keep
himself within the law next timel
"The law, the law!" he whispered
within the law. 3. Always with
in the law. :"
He ran bit until the strain on his
heart. already heavily taxed by ex-
element, forced him to walk. Min
utes later he halted. thinking he saw
someone running off TO the right. cir
cling TO get In front of him; but ii
was nothing. trick of his eyes, of his
inf1amed fancy.
Hang on to yourself!" he growIed
shakily. you've lost your head once
tonight =. that's enough. !"
The snow still fell. covering mis-
tracks. he took a passing comfort
in that. By midnighf his trail would
show only faint traces; by morning.
if the wind blew even a breath, this
light snow would shift and obliterate
them forever.
He did not reckon that man was
already on thar trail coming slowly.
painfully. No. he did not guess such
a circumstance no more than be