The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1935-04-05

was filling his pipe with unsteady
hands.
1t was a moment for the right word.
But Tim LETTERS was not man OF
words; not of many words.
swell, you done It," he said simply.
yeah. With your help"
"Still needin' camp boss?"
"Badly!''
"S'pose I'd do?"
do! Lord, Tim, If"
"All right. I'm hired to get out logs
again. Guess I'll hit Mr.. Butler for a
cuppa carfee. I've rode trains now md
again, Ben, bur Of all the rides I've
ever took that was what you might call
tn dangdest!"
In a Minnesota lumber town a
bearded man sat near the stove in a
small hotel and heard the story Of what
was happening in distant Lineup.
Know him?" another listener asked
the narrator.
"Not the kid. l know Brandon, md
l know Tim LETTERS. Top loaded for
him three winters. If Tins back
there's hot scrap on and gosh
but like scraps"
MEAN you're pulling for lineup"
"Tll say 1 ami"
The bearded man cleared his throat.
you think, then, that the lads got
chance Of making it against Bran
DOM" he asked.
1T sure looks as if he had chance.
With old lineup shanty boys hitting
back for their stamping grounds his
chances are getting better. Ever been
in lineup, Martini"
The other closed the blade Of his
pocket knife and pulled at the lobe of
his left ear with his right hand.
"Pve heard of the place." he said
quietly.
Better hoist your turkey and come
along with me. Likely he could find
place for good bookkeeper."
Martin smiled oddly but made no
other response.
In far flung camps and mill towns
the story was being repeated, just such
men were leaving jobs and turning
their faces toward lineup, known
through the Lake states for the tyranny
that Nicholas Brandon had exercised
there so many years.
Ben, sitting with his feet on Able's
desk in the Justices Office, grinned
broadly as he told Of the latest develop
ments on the job.
"Sixty-four men in camp this morn
ing" he said. "Over thirty of 'em new
and the best looking bunch Of loggers
I've seen since I was kid"
Able glanced at letter he had been
holding.
"And with the Milwaukee people
standing ready to finance us it looks as
If you might, maybe, perhaps be get
ting ready TO find it all down hill and
shady, Ben. think that interesting
this particular bank is the best piece
of work you've done yet"
Nothing, Able. All 1 had to show
was what we were doing. They can't
lose with the lumber behind their
notes."
unless Brandon finds way.
you've got to watch every loophole.
Benny. And you've got too much for
one man to do"
"Oh, it's not that bad. Things are
Strengthening out. Tins wonder ;
Butler isn't missing bet. We ough.
to keep right on stepping" i
Ben rose to go and, as he did so. the
door opened and Dawn McManus
stepped in out of the lightly falling
snow.
"Oh!" she cried In surprise. 1t was
the first time she had seen Ben since
that morning month ago when he
took the veneer logs on their mad ride
to save the Hoot Owl operation from
immediate insolvency. "Am / inter
rupting" .-.~ .
"Come In, Dawn" said Able, rising.
And Elliott said: eff you are, It's
nice to be interrupted"
She made a playful mouth at him
and Ben, watching her as she advanced
to Able's desk, thought again that he
never had supposed women grew to
such loneliness.
Her errand with the old justice was
brief. She and Ben went out to-
gether, Dawn on her way home, Ben to
finish his errands in town.
At the corner where their ways part
ed they stopped and Dawn hesitated in
what she had been saying. Then, look
ing into his face, she asked.
"Does Mr.. Ben Elliott ever take tea
with a young woman? You know,
am beginning TO think that like to
talk to you'll"
"Then the risk of having it reported
that I'm lounge lizard is as nothing. y
The house where Dawn lived was the
house In which she had been born, q
sprawling white frame structure be
meath whispering hemlocks. She led
Ben into a long. low room, with wide,
low windows, where a fire burned on
an open hearth.
The fine odor of baking bread per.
meated the place and as they entered
Dawn lifted her voice in a light hail:
"Oh-ho, Aunt Emil"
Sounds came from the rear; a door
opened and closed. and then another
door opened which gave into the room
where they stood. and an ample woman
in checked apron. her face flushed as
| by stove heat. entered hastily.