The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1934-11-30


in the dusk. And she got nearly as
far as where Jim's things lay In the
lee Of a low shelf.
Darkness soon settled down, and
with 1t the robbers, worn out with
their labors. Jim stayed up long
enough to see Hays stretch In his
blankets under Happy's shelter.
The next day was like the preceding.
with its camp tasks and Improvements.
the guard duty, attendance upon Spar
row. and the universal II covert OBJ
servance Of Miss Herrick. To do her
credit she kept out Of her tent. ate,
exercised, and watched with great
anxious eyes that haunted Jim.
After that day after day, full Of
watching and suspense for Jim,
wore on.
The seventh day, during the heat Of
the afternoon, Jim was on the look
out from the bluff with his field glass.
When he returned, Smoky came to
meet him.
"Sparrow's been askin' fer you" he
III oACdl NC lOIo
wuss."
When Jim bent over the wasted Lati-
mer it was indeed to feel a cold ap-
prehension.
What is it, Sparrow? I've been
on watch" said Jim.
"Am | a-goin' to croak?" queried
Latimer, calmly.
ErYhf %
wal, I've been shot before. But l
never had this queer feelin'. e.. Now,
Jim, If git to sinkin' don't keep me
from KNOWN. If I'm dyin' l want to
tell you and Smoky somethin' tibet
I'd keep If live. Savvy?"
Sparrow. couldn't honestly ask
for that confession yet" replied Jim.
"You might pull through. But prom
Use you, and I'm shaking your hand
on It."
Good. Thet eases my mind"
On the walk across the oval Smoky
said very seriously: Jim, reckon we
better have Sparrow tell US .tomorrer
whatever he has on his chest. Thet
Is, If we want to know 1t. Do your
II sure do, Smoky. If it's something
Latimer must confess it's something
we ought to know"
That night Jim moved his bed closer
to the grove, farther from the camp
fire, and 1t commanded a view Of the
rise Of ground where anyone passing
could be detected above the horizon.
Even after he had crawled under his
blankets he watched
But nothing passed. The hours wore
on until the utter loneliness Of the
deep pit weighed heavily upon Jim's
oppressed breast.
He fell asleep and dreamed that he
was riding a gigantic black horse with
eyes of fire, and that there was a
white flower growing out from a preci-
pice. and In a strange, reckless desire
to pluck it he fell into the abyss.
Down. down he plunged into blackness.
And suddenly a piercing, terrible cry
rose from the depths
Jim was sitting upright in bed. his
brow clammy with sweat, his heart
clamped as in q cold wise. What had
awakened him? The night was silent,
melancholy, fatefuL He swore that q
soul-wracking cry had broken his slum-
Der. Then he remembered the dream.
He was not subject to dreams. The
rest of the night he dozed at inter-
walls, haunted by he knew not what.
One by one the members Of the gang
appeared at Happy Jacks calls to
breakfast.
Jim was the last to arrive, except
Hays, who had not yet appeared.
After the meal Jim, as was his Gus
tom. hurried toward the shelf where
Latimer lay. He had gotten halfway
when Slocum caught up with him.
slim, you look like the wrath of
Gawd this mornin'."
Smoky, I didn't sleep well. I'm
cross. and l reckon l need shave"
"Wal. II thet's all-Say, Jim, did
you hear the CURL scream last nightT'
Scream. +. did she?"
"Huh. If she didn't, I've shore got
the jimjams. My Gawd, look at
pore LatimerI"
Their patient had wreStled on his
bed out into the grass. They rushed
to lift him back and make him COM
Portable. He appeared to be burning
up with fever and alarmingly bright
eyed, but he was conscious and asked
for water. Jim hurried to fetch some
"How l rolled out there I don't
know" said Latimer, after he had
drunk thirstily.
Reckon you was delirious, Spar
row." replied Smoky.
"No, sir. / was scared"
Scared! You? Thets funny" re-
Joined Smoky, looking across at Jim.
What scared you, old MANI" quer-
led Jim.
at was after got my sleep. Must
have been late, fer ! always am dead
to the world fer five or six hours. I
was wide awake. 1t was shore lone
some, still night. Mebbe my sins
weighed on me. i. But all of a sud-
den I heard a cry. It scared me so
jumped right off my bed. Hurt me,
too, an didn't try to get back"
Maybe 1t was a coyote right by
close" returned Jim.
"Fellers, I'll bet you'll find tibet CURL
dead: =. murdered !" concluded Lat
inner hoarsely.