The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1934-12-07
CHAPTER VIII-Continued

sparrow, you don't look Eighty"
replied Jim, gravely. But your talk
is Else you've a reason to think it."
"Shore, l have" rejoined Latimer,
lowering his voice to a whisper. Hays
beat an robbed Herrick! Thet's
part l wanted to tell you, If l was
goin' to croak. But gotta tell it any
how. An 1 ask you both, as pards,
to keep what tell you secret till I'm
dead"
81 swear, Sparrow" said Smoky,
huskily.
You can trust me, too" added Jim.
"Wal, thet's why 1 feel Hank must
have done fer the girl, too
Robbed Herrick!" exclaimed Slo-
cum, incredulously. "Was there
fght?"
Yes. But Hank might have avoided
it. he drove the man crazy. Fellers,
Hays'd steal coppers off dead mans
eyes-shOre. But what he said he
wanted was the CURL fer ransom. Yet
he picked a fight with Herrlck an
beat him with a gun"
Sparrow, how come you didn't tell
Us before?" asked Smoky, sternly.
I'm beholden to Hank. But 1 will
say tibet If I'd knowed his game I'd
never have gone with him. After it
was too late-wal, I stuck. An I'd
kept 1t secret. But feel in my bones
I'm done fer. So I'm squealin', an
I'm doin' it because Hays double
crossed you ALL"
Reckon I'd have done the same If
Hank had a hold on me-" conceded
Smoky, generously. Suppose you take
a nip of whisky and tell US what hap
pened."
I'm hot enough without liquor. But
T I'll tell you. Gimme some more
water"
After a moment Latimer drew a
long breath and resumed: Hank
picked me because he had a hold on
me. After you fellers left tibet
night Hank went out an got another
boss. He had a saddle hid somewhere.
We took them bosses up the bench
back of the house an tied them. Then
we went down toward the house."
"Ahuh. He'd had this deal in mind
all the time" said Smoky, nodding his
head.
Yes. Before we got to the house
3 he told me he meant to hold Herrick
up fer what money he had on hand
then steal the CURL fer ransom.
opened my trap to kick again the CURL
part of it, anyway, but he cussed me
somethin' fierce. seen then he was
blood set on it, so shet up. Her.
rick was in the livin' room. We
walked round the house, an Hank
showed me the gurls winder, which
was open. Wal, we went back,
an up on the porch, an into the Twin
room.
when Herrick looked up Hank
threw gun on him. Keep quiet an
shell out your money Hank ordered.
Thet didn't faze the Englishman. He
jumped up, thunderin' mad. Hank hit
him over the head, cuttin' a cash.
Tibet didn't knock Herrick out, but it
made him fight till Hank got him
good an hard. Then he opened his
desk an threw out some packages of
greenbacks. After tibet he slid to the
floor. Next Hank ordered me to go
out an round to the gurrs winder. 1t
was bright moonlight, but 1 didn't
locate tibet winder quick. An at tibet
was guided to it by the gurl's voice.
Gimme another drink"
Latimer quenched his inordinate
thirst again, while Jim and Smoky
exchanged thoughtful glances over
him.
wal, where was I? When I
straddled tibet winder sill l seen the
CURL sitting up in bed, white as the
sheets about her. Hank had a gun
pointed at her head, an he was sayin'
If she yelled, he'd shoot. Then he told
me to look around fer money an jew
els. / started tibet, keepin' an eye on
them. The room was as moonlight as
outdoors. Hank told her to git up an
dress for ridin'. She refused, an he
yanked her clean out of bed. Curl
he said, .yore brother is hawg-tied
down In the livin' room, an If you
don't do as 1 tell you, I'll kill him. :.
I'm taking you away fer ransom, an
when he pays up you can come home.
So longs you're quiet we won't hurt
you At tibet she got up an
ran into q closet. I heard her Sob
bin. He made her put on ridin'
clothes an pack what else she wanted.
Meanwhile found heap of gold
things an diamonds, an a package Of
money. still with the Wells-Fargo pa
per on it. These stuffed IN my
pockets, an l shore was q walkin'
gold mine"
How much was there?" asked
Smoky, curiously, when Latimer paused
to catch his breath.
"I'll come to tibet. We went
out the winder, an Hank hustled her
into the woods, with me follerin'. Soon
we come to the bosses. an Hank put
the CURL up on the gray. He blind
folded her an told me to see she
didn't git away. The CURL talked q