The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1934-11-23
what appeared a round grove OF cot
tonwoods impenetrable to the sight.
"Oh, for G-d's sake-let go OF mel"
gasped the girl. and sank down on the

gasped the girl. and sank down on the
grass.
'You may as well get used to thet."
replied Hays, in low voice. do you
want anythin' to eat?"
"Water-only water. Pm-choking."
"Tl fetch some, an bed fer you."
Little did Hays realize. as he strobe
back to the horses that Jim stood there
In the gloom. clutching hand on his
gun and mad lust for blood In his
heart. Jim knew he meant to kill
Hays. Why not now? But as before
he had the sagacity and the will to
resist terrible craving.
With nerveless hands he unpacked
his outfit. Then he sat down upon
his bed roll, exhausted, and gazed
around him. The place fascinated. An
owl hooted down somewhere In the
canyon, and far away a wolf bayed
bloodthirstily.
Soon a crackle Of fire turned Jim
to see growing light, and dark forms
OF men. Jim waited until he saw Hays
go to the camp fire, and then he, too.
Joined the men.
what kind of a roost Is 1t, Hank?
Anythin' like the Dragon canyon?"
"No. / seen that place once. It's a
cave high up-forty feet mebbe. from
the canyon bed. Only one outlet to
tibet burrow, an thets by the same
way you come. This roost has four.
We could never be ketched in hum
dred years."
flank, how'd the lady stand the
ride"
"She's all in"
"Gosh, no wonder. Tibet was Job
fer men,"
Reckon I'll put up the little tent
fer my lady guest"
Hank, how air you goin' to collect
tibet ransom now?" inquired Lincoln.
II dunno. Heeseman shore spoiled
my plan"
Jim watched the robber chief min
lister to the wounded Latimer. While
he was bandaging the wound Jim stole
away In the darkness toward where
the chief had left his prisoner.
It was dark as pitch toward the
grove of cottonwoods, but Jim located
gray objects against the black grass.
He stole closer.
where are you, Miss Herrick?" he
called in tense whisper: "It's Jim
WALL"
He heard a sound made by boots
scraping on canvas. Peering sharply
he finally located her sitting up on
half-unrolled bed, and he dropped on
one knee. Her eyes appeared unnat-
urally large and black In her white
face.
"Oh, you must be careful. He said
he'd shoot any man who came near
me-" she whispered.
"He would-if he could. But he'll
never kill me, Miss Herrick." Jim
whispered back. 81 want to tell yon
I'll get you out of this some way or
other. Keep up your courage. Fight
him-if-"
II felt you'd-save me-" she inter-
rupted, her soft voice breaking. "Oh,
IL i udu OIky hotCuCu W yOu! oul
wasn't afraid. l left both my door
and windows open. That's how they
got in. I ordered them out. But he
made that Sparrow man point gun
at me. He jerked me out Of bed
throwing me on the floor. I was half
stunned. Then he ordered me to dress
to ride"
keep your nerve" interposed Jim.
with a backward glance toward the
camp fire. "But I'll not deceive you.
Hank Hays is capable of anything.
His men are loyal Except me. I'm
with them. though l don't belong to
the outfit. l could kill him any time.
but I'd have to fight the rest. The
odds are too great I'd never save you
that way. You must help me play for
time-till opportunity offers"
st trust you-Iu do as you say. /.
Oh, thank you."
"You said he robbed you?" went on
Jim, with another look back at camp.
Hays was standing erect.
eyes. 1 had four thousand pounds
In American currency. The Sparrow
hawk man found it-also my jewelry.
-. Another thing which worries
me now-he made me pack bundle of
clothes. my toilet articles"
"Ahuh. But where was Herrick all
this while?"
"They said they had tied him up In
the living ROOM"
"How much money did Herrick have
on hand?"
ST don't know, but considerable"
"It is good bet he robbed your
brother, too. That's make this ran
som deal look fishy, even If there were
nothing else"
"Therel He is coming. Go-goi
You are my only hope"
Without a look Jim rose to glide
away along the grove. He realized
that when Hank Hays stole this girl
from her home he had broken the law
of his band, he had betrayed them, he
had doomed himself. No matter what
loyalty they felt for Hays, the woman
would change 1t. Her presence alone
meant disruption and death.
Morning disclosed. as remarkable
place as Jim had ever seen. Below
him the little gray tent Hays had
raised for his captive had been pitched
against the grove Of cottonwoods, which
occupied a terrace. One half Of the
trees stood considerably higher than
the other, which fact Indicated rather
a steep bank running through the mid
die of the grove. The luxurant jungle
of vines, ferns. flowers. moss and
oroSs on tbat hank wac olonuont of