The Ely miner., 1935-03-22


Looking for someone who has no
business here, you said. Just who are
they, what are they doing?"
"As TO the first. I can't tell you.
For the second, their purpose probably
would be to attempt to hold up tim
Der operation in which I'm rather In
terested not so far from here
Her eyes were on him with a curious
expression, which might possibly have
been personal interest.
ITO hold you up? How?'
"Are you from Tincup?"
II an"
"You know people there? And what
seems TO be the towns most famous
tradition?"
81 don't understand"
isn't IT that Nicholas Brandon
finishes what he starts out TO do? That
whatever he says goes, come what
may?-
Her eyes dropped
"rve heard that said People like
to talk"
Right! But Tn managing an out
fit that's encouraging rough going
from some source. All sorts Of things
are happening and I'm trying to head
of certain Of them"
81 see."
She looked away and puckered her
delectable lips as though to whistle
Ben rubbed his chin again. She was
not even interested in learning more
about him, but where many young men
would have been piqued at that he only
laughed softly.
whats the joker" she asked, almost
defiantly.
Il was Just thinking that it's a
funny situation when a man gets into
a scrap and IL looks so big TO him that
he thinks the whole darned country
must be watching It and him; and then
along comes a nice girl who's been In
position TO hear all about 1t and who
isn't interested a dimes worth"
She looked up at him slowly.
~You mean that you want to talk
about it,"
Perfectly natural that / should. Pm
in one whale of a fight and having the
time of my life. It's the first job I've
found in coon's age that was hard
enough and complicated enough TO be
worth working over"
That's what I've heard about you" :"
you've >. Oh. so you have heard
about me?'
''Of course. / live in lineup. Few
have any secrets in a town Of Tin
cups size"
Ben chuckled again.
well. then. if you've heard that
much about me and my job, maybe
there isn't anything could tell you
that would be interesting"
maybe not" she said with an air
of dismissal
Ben watched her closely as she slow
ly broke twig to bits with her slim
fingers.
back Of here" she said. when l was
a little girl l used to come out and
try TO make friends with them. Thar's
why I came out today wonder
ing II they'd started TO yard yet"
ITS too early for them TO yard"
''Yes, but the snow may get deep
enough any day TO bunch them"
:"Snowr' he said and shrugged. "If
il gets deep in a hurry the deer viii
yard all right and. maybe. I'll be licked
and little girl done out of all she has
in the world"
-An she has In the world? Meaning
just whatT'
IF you live In lineup and know the
town you must know about the owner
Of this property. This is the Hoot
Owl timber"
queer smile twitched ar the girls
lips.
Sometimes l think l do; as often,
wonder what she's like i. really
like. l happen to be Dawn McManus."
Ben Elliott opened his mouth as IL
TO speak Then closed it again and
made foolishly helpless movement
with one hand. He stared at her and
began TO stammer.
why | =. Why, you Why,
Able saidi - He laughed out
right, then. as his misconception be-
came clear. "0h. If I'd given it sec
ond thought I'd have knownl Able first
told me about you as a little girl 1t
stuck in my head; little girl, BUT
that was years ago, of course. !.
Geel Why. then you're lost In
your back yard. as you might say"
Il was" she corrected. But a few
minutes ago l heard some one sing
out; and just now the cook called the
crew TO supper"
Then why didn't you"
Because was rather curious TO dis
cover what sort of man Is standing
between me and poverty,r-perhaps
ironically. this "And, of course, /
knew you weren't lost"
Elliott flushed on that.
4 played at being lost myself so I'd
have chance to talk to you. Tn glad
did unless 1t has offended
you"
NO. I'm Tn only ready to
90 In. now"
She adjusted the harness Of her
shoes dexterously and they set out On
the way TO camp Ben tried 70 talk TO
her further but her responses were brief
and non-committai- Her interest ap-
peared to be only poorly aroused even
on such a vital matter as the opera
ton OF her property, and so finally he
gave up trying to make talk and broke
trail thinking that now the Job would
kave an added zest, that q girl like