The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1933-07-28
BELOW ZERO
CHAPTER V-Continued


at isn't that don't want to win.
John !" she protested. 81 want II more
than I've wanted anything else. IT
was my fathers heart that went into
this operation. My fathers memory
is here, in my heart. | owe il to him
to finish what he set out to do. Isn't
that natural? Don't you have that
same feeling of high regard for the
things your father wanted to do. or
wants 70 do?"
He looked away.
"My father yesi He's right.
He's always been right! He'll al
ways be right"
His yehemence startled the girl and
he looked deep into her eyes. He
wanted TO tell ii all. then and there;
wanted to cleanse her mind of the i'm
preston il held. Wanted to say: My
father is the man you suspect of
throwing all these obstacles in your
path /; my father is the man you loathe.
But be is right; he is guiltless.
know. because am his soni" He
wanted to say those things but he
could not. when all the evidence avail
able on this side of the Atlantic was
against himi
What he said was: Were going to
keep on. but I'm going to keep on
worrying about you unless you'll clear
out of this mess and chase the look
out Of your eyes that's beer there
since a week ago. when we piled up
the plow! Can't you get away?
Couldn't you go down the river with
old Wolf for few days? He wants
you"
She laughed wanly.
"Away now. When things are"
''Yes, nowl The jobs important
but you why, you're something
else again Oh, how can | tell you,
here and now?"-hands slipping down
from her shoulders to her hands.
you're something more than part
of the job. Ellen!" He was leaning
close to her, drawing her towards him,
lifting her hands. you're something
bigger and more splendid than ever
thought life held! You're all that
there is or has been or ever will be
under the sun or the"
joint" she whispered.
He spoke her name but before their
lips could touch the door opened and
they had scant time to break apart
before Wolf Richards burst in.
"Lookitl' he said, holding up frag-
ments of glass. "Lookit what
found out yonder, Johnny! Found 'em
in tn ashes; right in tn middle of tn
barn. jug, I'm tellin' you. jug,
it's! What's jug doin' into the mid
die of barn. Ell? Whisky. likely.
You're right. He was drunk nd
touched her off,"
He stopped talking and eyed Ellen
glass from him. Her face was flushed
from his untimely intrusion and the
old man chuckled to himself.
AS John left the Office man whom
he had seen repeatedly in town ap- ;.
preached.
"Steele?" he said. Bradshaw"
"HuIlo, sheriff! Knew who you
were, of course /. Now. Ellen,
excuse us. The sheriff's errand isn't
exactly pleasant. Mark'n get things
going right off,"
stranger, eh?" the sheriff said as
he pulled back the blanket and looked
into the face of the dead man. "Stran-
ger to all your boys?"
None of 'em ever saw him."
The other nodded.
Step by step John went over the
story, speaking lowly of the certainty
that he and two others had smelt
burning gasoline, telling of the jug
fragments just now discovered. He
traced the mark of horseshoe on the
skull, pointed out the clear impression
of calk began to argue a bit as the
sheriff squatted there, unresponsive,
chewing on a cigar stub, almost bland,
almost disinterested.
.'My guess is this" he said. 1.-THE
same people that have been badgering
us for weeks pulled this. They sent
this poor devil in here with jug of
gasoline. He shook hay out along the
barn floor, poured the gas on 1t and
touched 1t off. He'd naturally start
her TO the rear first and as he bent
over to set it going behind Prince, the
old fellow got him."
The sheriff scratched a match and
lighted his frayed cigar. "Pm goin' to
tell the curious just what everybody
else out here but you seems to think"
he said. SIN goin' to tell them that
here was some bum, walkin' in for a
Job. He gets to camp. sees every
body's in the hay and knows he's like
ly to catch hi If he wakes 'em up.
SO he slips into the barn, which is
warm enough for anybody to sleep in;
lights his pipe, goes to sleep and
there you are!
'Tve been watchin' what went on
here long time. been watchin' you
and what you've done since you took
hold. It's enough, what I've seen
enough to judge you and to make a
pretty good guess at what else went
on. Your friend here"-jerking his
thun,h towards the figure beneath the
blanket-"went to work for Burke at
the Belknap & Gorbel camp last Mon
day."
"The devilm
yeah" He stripped the foil from
another cigar. Il guess, Steele, we
understand each other?'
He winked, bit grimly.
go to i'll" John said under his
breath.
Sounds of saw and hammer filled
the air. Men moved methodically from
days barn, new. rough structure
grew And Ellen Richards. as she
stood on a stump and watched the