The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1934-12-28
ROBBERS ROOST


to clear the air. An If Smoky had
come back he'd have seen 1t different.
I could have talked him out of 1t. =.
Jim, you're shore smart enough to see
tibet, an you oughter be honest enough
to admit It."
Il daresay you could have won
Smoky back. He had fool worship
for you. But you can't talk me
out of anything"
"Why, fer Gawds sake-when I'm
givin' you all the best of the deal?"
Because 1 want the girl" thun-
dered Jim.
A great establishment held Hays
stricken. Through it realization FL
tered.
"Thet! Thet was it-all the time!"
he gasped.
"All the time, Hank Hays" replied
Jim, steadily, and it was the robbers
eyes, pale fires no longer, that he
watched for thought and will.
Still he saw the violent muscular
quivering which slowly diminished to
freeze into rigidity. He had struck
the right chord. In whatever way pos
sible, Hank Hays loved this woman.
However it had begun, the sordid,
brutal thing had ended in Hays wor-
ship of the golden-haired sister of
Herrick. Jim read this in the extraor-
binary betraying eyes; and read more
that 1t had been Helen the robber
had fnuOhf for hiS Incf cfo with
his men, not the honor of thieves. 1t
was this that accounted for the in
fernal blaze of unquenchable hate, of
courage that death itself could scarce
ly have stilled.
All this Immediately coalesced into
the conscious resolve to act and kill!
AS the robber sprang up Jim's first
shot took him somewhere in the
breast. 1t whirled him half around.
His gun, spouting fame, tore up the
gravel at Jim's feet. A terrible wound
with it's agony, consciousness of it's
mortality, added to the overwhelming
ferocity of jealous hate, gave the man
superhuman physical activity. He
whirled, bounding the other way, and
SO swiftly that Jim's second shot
missed him altogether. Hays gun was
booming, but 1t was also describing
the same curves and jerks as his
body. Then as passion gave place to
desperate need and the gun aligned
itself with Jim, Jim's third shot de-
troyed aim, force and consciousness.
Hays demoniac face set woodenly.
The gun, with hammer up, dropped to
explode. And the robber lodged
against the slant Of wall, dead, with
the awfulness of his mortal passion
stamped upon his features.
1t was over. Jim breathed. The
hand which held his gun was so wet
that he thought his blood was flowing.
But it was sweat.
81 wish-Smoky could-know," NUT
tered Jim, over convulsive jaw. He
showed Hays off the wall.
Wiping his face, Jim staggered to
the rock and sat down. Spent and
heaving he sat there, his will operat-
ing on a whirling mind. 1t was over
the thing that had had to come All
dead! Loyal and faithless robbers
alike. What to do now? The girl!
Escape from that hellhole, soon to be
besieged again! He must pack that
very hour and ride-ride away with
her.
"Jim-oh, JIM" came a cry from
the back of the cave.
"Helen-it's all-over," he called,
hoarsely.
She appeared in the opening. Sooner"
she whispered.
Eyes, gone-and dead"
"I-saw-you is he-dead"
"You bet your life," burst out Jim,
his breast oppressed.
''Oh, help me out!"
He ran to assist her. She came slid
ing out, to fall on her knees, clasping
Jim with fierce arms. Her head fell
against him.
Get up" he ordered, sharply, try.
ing to lift her. But she was more
than dead weight.
"God bless you! Oh, God bless
your she cried. The voice was husky,
strange, yet carried the richness and
contralto melody that had been one of
Helen's charms.
"Don't say thatl" he exclaimed.
aghast.
"Jim, you've saved me-" she whis.
pered. Jim's hands plucked at her
arms, caught them.
She loosened her hold and raised her
head to look up at him. He saw only
her eyes, fearless, strained in over.
whelming gratitude.
'No-not yeti" he blurted out. ave
must hurry out Of this"
She arose, still clinging to him.
Forgive me. I am selfish. We can
talk some other time. / should have
realized you would want to leave here
at once. =. Tell me what to do.
I will obey"
Jim stepped back and shook himself.
"You kept me from thinking" he
began, ponderingly. Eyes, we must
leave here. Put on your riding
clothes. Pack this dress you have on
and all you have. Take your time.
We're safe for the present. And don't
look out. I've got to bury Hays and
the men,"
TO BE CONTINUED.