The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1933-03-17
CHAPTER I

quite in keeping with certain salient
characteristic of his which. quite early
In his career, had earned for him
the not inappropriate sobriquet or
Crooked Bill" Not that the old ras-
cal was crooked in the commonly ac-
cepted sense of that term as employed
In the quaint patois of our times Tin
deed he was a most honorable man).
but because he was possessed or an
uncommon degree of craft. of auda-
cious and generally amusing slyness,
10 business and out of it-a sort of
super-prudence born Of uncanny In
nate ability to read human nature.
Such men are rarely deficient in
sense of humor, and Crooked Bill had
found life more abundantly provoca-
tive of laughter than of signs. He
was popularity believed to have more
money than some folks have hay; he
had no wife to bother his life and he
padded his own canoe; also, he en-
joyed excellent health.
1t pleased William B. Latham this
late afternoon to pretend to be asleep
the drawn-down rim of his hat, watch
his late wife's niece engaged in
pastime peculiarly dear to that most
attractive young woman, to wit, snar-
ing and breaking the heart of youth
whose manifest decencies appeared,
to Crooked Bill, sufficient justification
for receiving from the young lady in
question what her uncle and guardian
described as "a whole lot of letting
alone" ...
With the ordinary run of young
gentlemen who laid their vealy hearts
at the feet of Miss Roberta Antrim,
Crooked Bill had little sympathy and
less patience. The majority of them
were he-flirts, amusing themselves with
Roberta as outrageously as she
amused herself with them. or else
frankly attracted to her as moth is
attracted to a candle flame. Up to
the present none of Roberta's rejects
had committed suicide. although not
less than four had vowed so to do.
Crooked Bill had more than sus-
picion, too, that, In addition to Ro-
berta's undoubted charms, the fact
that she was his heir was not a neg
ligible attraction to her continuous
and shifting encourage.
In the case of the young gentleman
who sat with Roberta on the stone
bench under the elm, Crooked Bill
could find no extenuating circum-
stances to adduce as to why Roberta
should not be convicted of inflicting
cruel and unusual punishment. Glenn
Hackett, to begin with, was of good
family where brains and money, in
evidence for three generations. had
always been used wisely. He was
rather tall, loose jointed and angular.
with a plain honest face like kind
horse. He was thirty years old,
lawyer and good one, which is to
say that Crooked Bill gladly paid him
large annual retainer. The old
mans highest compliment for Glenn
Hackett was that he had horse sense,
and was the only man he knew who
appeared to be as common and COM
Portable as an old shoe and yet
wasn't.
Crooked Bill wished he might have
been privileged to hear what Glenn
Hackett and Roberta were saying.
However, he was fairly accurate
reader of gesture, facial expression
and mods, so he was assured that
Hackett was proposing marriage to
his niece.
It'll be like her to refuse him." he
decided, land him the only real man
I've ever seen on the premises. And
for once in his life he's doing all the
talking while Roberta does the listen
ing. / know that meek, sad resigned
bend of her head while she tugs at
her handkerchief and tries to appear
surprised. She must have admiration
from men or life is delusion and
snare And now she's picked on a
victim that's bound to back-fire on her,
or I'm no Judge of men. Hello, he's
talking too much! He's getting op-
pressive. She's finding the going not
to her liking-ah, l thought sol"
Crooked Bill drew his hat brim
down over his nose. opened his mouth
q little and commenced to breathe in
long even respirations. He heard the
rapid patter of Roberta's little feet
as she passed him and entered the
house. In about five minutes he heard
the firm, leisurely tread of Glenn
Hackett. following, and was aware,
presently, that the young man had sat
down in a chair beside him. So he
pretended to sleep on for FIVE minutes.
then he stirred uneasily. gritted his
teeth, sighed, opened his eyes, and
yawned pleasurably.
"Well, now that you haven't had
your forty winks." Hackett observed
quietly, whats your opinion as to
what my next move should be? I've
just Tilted Robertat"
Crooked Bill sat up with the abrupt
ness of Jack-in-the-box, which, in all
fairness. he resembled not a little.
"Shoot me for horse-thief!" he ejac-
ulated. played fast and loose with
you. eh, boy?"
mo. Just tried TO-"
$50 you threw the daily over your
pommel and gave her the bust, Ell?
Three cheers for our side"
Cheer to your hearts content.
This poor devil isn't dying" Glenn
Hackett retorted savagely.
Crooked Bill looked cautiously
around to make certain the door from
the veranda to the living room was
closed, for 1t was instinct with him
never to make move until all the
conditions were propitious. Il hadn't
any idea you two were engaged. son.