The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1934-12-21
CHAPTER IX-Continued

81 should SILVER she did. Struck
Hays hair-trigger gun-cocked-right
into my belly, an says: will you tie
this villain-an' swear by your honor
not to release him or allow any of
these other men to do so-or will you
have me shoot your"
How'd she get that gum"
"Wal, she snatched it quicker'n
nghtnin', that's how. An when she
cooked it with both hands it went off
bang! The bullet went between
Hanks legs. Tickled him. You can
see the hole in his pants. Scared? My
Gawd, you never see man so scared.
Tibet CURL, cool as cucumber, cooked
the gun again, an held Hays up-then
all of US.
"We was sittin' at the table. She
made US all stand, hands high, an
then she performed tibet little trick
with Hanks gun agin my gizzard. Jim,
hope to die if didn't go cold an
stiff. But 1 promised on my word of
hOnor-as a rObber-thet I'd tie Hank
up, an make the other fellers play
square. 1t was so funny, too, tibet
near bust. Hays, soon as he was
helpless, got over his scare, an then
was be mad! reckon no one on this
earth saw madden man. He cussed
so terrible tibet she made me gag
him."
"Well, I'll be-blowed I" gasped Jim.
mo wonder. We was wuss. We'd
had breakfast, an Hank was tryin' to
face us fellers. I'll say he came
clean, Jim. He divided all the money
he got from Herrick an his sister, an
the gold things an diamonds. Eel
lers,' he said, 4 could lie an say I
meant to give this to you later. But
I'm not built tibet way. l double
crossed you all-first time in my life.
/ meant to keep 1t all, an the ransom,
fer the girl. But now there won't be
no ransom, for I'm not goin' to give
her up. She's mine, an l can do as
want, an if any of you don't like it
you can make your kick now.' :.
Wal, we was so plumb f1abbergasted
tibet we didn't see the CURL, who came
close on the sun side of Happy's shell
ter. She heard the whole d--n' show
.. Jim, wish you could have seen
her when she stepped up to Hank. I
don't know what did it-mebbe her
eyes-but he shore wilted. 1t was then
she snatched his gun"
$50 that's the dealt" calculated Jim.
"What are you going to do?"
Don't ask me. 1 gave my word an
I'll keep it. For tibet matter the rest
of our outfit air fer the CURL, ransom
or no ransom"
Suddenly Jim awoke out of his
stupefactiOn to remember the approach
of Heeseman.
Smoky, know what you're all 60
ing to do, and that's fight" he flashed,
CURLY. cheeseman's outfit is coming.
I sighted them perhaps three miles.
Travelling slow, but sure. We've no
time TO pack an get away. We've got
TO find the best place to stand an
fight, an pack our stuff into it
pronto."
"Heeseman cried Smoky, coolly.
$50 it's come. 1 reckoned on tibet.
Git busy, men,"
Jim strobe under the shelter to face
Miss Herrick. She had heard, for she
was white.
Were all but surprised by Heese-
mans outfit" he said, abruptly. ''We
must fight. You win be worse off If
you fall into their hands. I'm sorry
I must release Hays. We need him."
'Too late!" she exclaimed.
Pack your things quickly and hurry
over TO the cave on this side" Then
Jim 1picked up Hays gun from the
table and ran out. First he removed
the gag, then in terse terms he stated
the situation. Next he released the
robber from his painful fix and handed
him the gun.
"Heeseman, huh! Wal, so be it 70
Hays said, facing Jim with an air of
finalfty that intimated relief.
How, far are they away?" he
asked. IS ~. a...sss,ts
Two miles,"
We've got, half an heur-mebbe.
Did you think to look fer the hossesT'
Eight horses in the-yalley. Others
not IN sight"
Fine scout you air. How come you
didn't spy them soon enough fer us
to rustic out of hyar?"
Il couldn't have seen them half 9