The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1935-05-10
CHAPTER XII-Continued


what shall say?" she asked, In q
whisper.
Nothing" the man replied. "There
is nothing at all to be said is
there"
"Oh, you gave me such start!"
you're the first one. Pm /. ).
I'm too full of things to talk, now,
Emma"
He made an odd gesture toward the
wall and looked about.
"We're in the upstairs front room II
we're needed" she said. us g. Is
there anything you need yourself?"
He did not reply for a moment.
Then. heavily:
Eyes. Your help, likely. =.
A little later. :"
The woman did a strange thing, then.
She snatched up her apron and pressed
it tightly against her eyes.
'She didn't rememberI" she sobbed.
"Oh, what'll happen in this house
next?"
81 wonder Martin muttered. Yes
l wonder !"
She left him, and he moved almost
hesitatingly into the living room. lie
stood q long time just within the
threshold and then went slowly about,
from picture to table, from book shelf
to mantel, hands in his coat pockets.
Before this old photograph he stood
for a long interval; beside that worn
rocker he remained with bowed head,
as one might who is suffering :. =. or
worshiping. When he approached the
couch where he was to sleep that night
his legs seemed to fail and he half
FELL half slumped to his knees. He
let his face down to the blankets and
his fingers clutched them, gripping,
gripping until the knuckles showed
white. =. And great, shuddering
moan slipped from his deep chest.
Grimly, Bird-Eye Blaine prowled
Lineup that night He had let John
Martin out as he drove through the
main street; then proceeded to livery
barn where he stabbed his team.
On the way he had sighted Ben ELI
OFT but later, although he took up a
position before the post Office and
watched passers on either side of the
street carefully, he did not see him.
He began making inquiries and found
that Elliott had been about town but
evidently Blaine was always some lit
tie time behind him.
Failing thus, he went to locate Ben's
.ko ,s,lt
waiting. Stores closed. The aura Of
light which their frosted windows had
thrown into the storm became fainter
as one by one they went dark. Bird
Eye chewed and stamped to keep warm
and watched and listened. And after
long hours vigil proved fruitless he
moved aimlessly away, along down the
alley.
At the rear of Joe Piette's hotel he
watched movement through lighted
window which gave into back entry
A man was there, closing an inside
stairway door behind him. He turned
and buttoned his mackinaw with hasty
movements and Blaine drew back into
the shadows. The man within was
Red Bart Delaney. The door
opened; the man stepped out. He
crossed between Bird-Eye and the
lights, carrying snowshoes. Blaine fol-
lowed as the other went swiftly down
the alley and then struck out past
the depot toward the tracks.
"Well, now!" Bird-Eye muttered to
himself. saints Why all this
rush, I'm wonderin'!"
a chill which had nothing to do with
the temperature of the night struck
through him. Red Bart, fleeing town?
Surely, he went as a frightened man
might 90. Or as one whose err
rand is completed.
Out into the street, then, went the
Irishman, and into the pool room.
'Has anybody here seen Misther FL
liott?" be asked loudly and men looked
up from their games at the query.
butcher had talked to him at about
eight. None other. To the
dance hall, next, and his queries were
repeated. Then hastily back to see
Ben's team still standing patiently in
the deepening snow, past Dawn Nc
Manus' house to find only faint light
In the hallway, and from there to Able
Armitage's at run.
Had the judge seen Ben Elliott? He
had not; and excitedly Blaine ex-
planned his empty search, the hasty de-
parture of Red Bart, the neglected
team.
Able dressed and they went out to-
gether, searching the town, inQuiring
of late passers.
"Somethin's happened" Bird-Eye de-
clared. "Somethin's went wrong with
tn by, Able! We can't foind out
what ut is ontil mornin'. Thin, believe
me, Wen have help a-plentyl"
slow SOP"
slave ut to me. Adler
Through the night, ten minutes later,
a team went swiftly westward. They
left town at a gallop; they breasted
high drifts across the way In frantic
plunges, came to a blowing stop at the
Hoot Owl barn. A moment later Tim
LETTERS sat up and In sleepy bewilder-
ment fought Off the man who shook
him and demanded that be wake up