The Ely miner., 1935-04-26
CHAPTER X-Continued

ia
"What's the difficulty, Brandon?
Didn't you expect to see me this morn
ing?"
"Why 1 That is.
thought"
Ben stepped close and dropped his
voice nearly to whisper.
you thought ! wouldn't be walking
today? Was that it?"
"Not walking? l don't know what
you're talking about" The older mans
self-control was coming back rapidly.
now that his fright had passed away.
Il just came in to ger matters straight
between us, Brandon. Several serious
things have happened to the Hoot Owl
but in spite of them the Hoot Owl is
booming; now, presume, can look
for things to happen to me. Before
anything does-because I'm not rash
enough to be cocksure that it won't
l want you to get me straight"
The last vestige of his smile was
gone by then. He stood spread-legged,
hands locked behind his back, eyes
boring into Brandon's gaze.
"Tm not interested in"
"But you'll listen! You'll listen or
I'll choke you until you'll beg for the
opportunity to listen, Brandon! You'll
listen to me this morning and it'll be
the first and last time.
81 know a great deal. / can prove
but little. l know that you started in
to run me out by sending Duval to
clean up my camp. Next, you tried
to cripple my operation by having a
firebug touch off the mill. Next, you
or some of your men stole piston
head out of the express"
Don't go too far, young man"
81 won't. The pits of hi are the
inside limits for you, Brandon!
"After that, you timed it nicely and
blew up my trestle. You almost had
us two or three times. But you Topped
The Hoot Owl is up on its knees, will
be on its feet in a month If we keep
going and it'll be sitting on the world
by the time breakup hits US. All
you've done to the job has only
helped it.
That's that! Next you try to get
me, thinking, probably, that if you
knock the skipper off the bridge the
craft will founder for certain. You're
wrong, there. You can't lick my men,
because they're too many for you; you
can't stop the Hoot Owl by getting me
out of the picture. But if you want
to keep on trying, it's you own funeral
I've only one thing to ask Of you: try
to play the white man, Brandon, and
fight your own fights"
Brandon smiled lightly.
you're a queer young man." he re-
marked. "You dream in broad day
light and with your eyes open."
"a peculiarly detailed dream, Bran
don! I've said all / have to say about
the job and about myself but there is
another matter left to be mentioned
while I'm here. / won't even utter
her name in your hearing, but any man
who would pull trick like you did and
involve girl Brandon, snakes
belly is sky-high compared to your
And that touched the well-springs
of rage that had been damned back un-
til the moment.
"You fool" the man said heavily.
The words came like the first break In
a levee; slow, sluggish words. /.
And then, like the following toss of
foam was the frothing rage in his
scream. "You fool! I'll drive you out
Of this country! I'll hang your opera
ton up for the crows to pick! I'll
string the bones of this timber and
your own bones across this country I"
He stopped, sobbing for breath, and
his reeth clicked in an agony Of pas
sion.
Dawn? Not mention her name?
Well, / will. She's mine, you
fool, body and soul! She's been mine
for years. Because she smiled
at you, because she played with you
don't think she's interested, fool {!
She's"
He swayed backward as Elliott
lurched toward him, but their bodies
did not lock.
White and trembling, Ben stayed
his own rush.
"No! Don't want to brawl
over her." he choked. "But if you men,
ton her name to me again I'm likely to
lose my head and tear your hide off
your carcass!"
His rage was so high, so holy, that
the fear it inspired carried through
Brandon's frenzy and the man stood
silent, perhaps in awe.
Ben relaxed.
"Now," he said quietly, 'Tve just one
thing to ask, Brandon. It's this: fight
your own battlesr"
He turned on his heel and slammed
fho door hphiDd him