The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1935-03-01
BY HAROLD TITUS
CHAPTER III-Continued
Copyright 1s2S-1sS4, Harold Titus.
WNU Service.


ing on the treads. but he stood at the
bottom a long interval. shaking his head
in misgiving and mutterlng to himself
Then he turned about and crept bach
as softly as a cat On the upper land
ing he seated himself leaning against
the thin partition of matched boards
which separated him from the SICK
man.
A half hour. perhaps, Bird-Eye sal
there growing cramped and chilly In
the draughty hallway. Then he leapec
to his feet with a little cry. From
within had come long. retching gasp
a sharp creak OF bed springs. a thud
on the floor. Blaine burst into the
room. The catalogue was beside the
bed. Old Don lay half doubled for
ward, face In the blankets, one limp
hand swaying slightly as 1t dangled
over the edge.
"Donny! Denny. by, what's up?"
He raised the limp figure, laid II
back. stared hard at the face which
now seemed so peaceful and then ran
excitedly down the stairway In frenzied
search of Joe Petite.
In the room was confusion after Doc
tor Sweet answered the hasty sum.
mons. The doctor felt vainly for q
pulse, touched the shrunken breast OF
the old cruiser and then turned away
with significant shake of his head.
The usual things were said and then
BirdEye and the physician were alone
in the room. The little Irishmans eyes
brimmed with tears but behind these
was an intent look as of one who i'm.
patiently awaits opportunity to pursue
specific purpose. and when the others
trooped down the stairway he closed
the door and returned hastily to the
bedside.
"Sure md where is ut?" he asked
beneath his breath, riffling the leaves
of the bulky catalogue. shaking folds
out of the rumpled blankets.
"What are you after, Bird-Eye?" the
doctor asked.
"Ah! Here ut bel"
On his hands and knees, peering be-
meath the bed, he uttered that ejacula-
ton and, reaching far under, rose TO
his knees with sealed envelope in his
hands.
Across the face was scrawl, writ
ten with an indelible pencil Blaine
scowled as be tried to make out the
words. got TO his feet, and moved
across the room to hold the envelope
closer to the light. Doctor Sweet bent
over 1t beside him.
"Open this when the nut gets too hard
to crack"
Emory Sweet Strengthened and gave
q long drawn Hum-m-m.
Brandon for sureI' Bird Eye whis-
pered hoarsely. "'Twas Brandon kept
Denny out av Lineup fer years, want
it? Twas Brandon TUX him when he
was hittin' tn booze years back nd
made a slave av him. he did, It's
Brandon who's ben comm here livery
night. not loike you or I'd come. but
loike a masther d come to watch a
slave q slave he was a-scared to
have around.
"Why was rich man loike Nick
Brandon afraid av n ovid bum like
Donny?" he demanded, shaking the let
ter almost accusingly close In the
others face. "Who was t with Faxson
when he died? Who was t put Fax
sons murder on McManusT" He gesti-
culated gravely toward the bed. Him.
/. :. +. Him, Nick Brandon's slave, who
vance was man. who whit to hell
with booze, who's truckled to Brandon
evir since until his pore ovid heart
broke!"
"By George. Bird-Eye, 1t does look
as though 1t might" The doctor
did not finish what he had started to
say. Instead he remarked intently
I'D give a good deal to know just
what's In that letter!"
"Oi'll be takin 1t myself to Ben
Elliott this night. Aw. md won,
Misther Brandon squirm whin tn by
starts in crackin' tn tough nut Nd
It's tn justice av the saints. no less
that Brandon brings Elliott to Able's
attinrion In foight over ovid DOnny.'
They went down the stairway to
gether after closing the door softly be-
hind them, Bird Eye muttering impreca
lions on the head of Nicholas Brandon
And even as Doctor Sweet emerged
from the dark mouth of the narrow
stairway, the front door opened and
Brandon himself entered the hotel
stamping new snow from his feet
Others were there, Petite. the drum
mer, the mill hands; two or three
more. But Brandon's attention cen
tered only on the physician.
swell. Docror?" he began and II
seemed as though his lungs we're toe
filled with air to speak comfortably
''How's our patient this eveningT
Emory Sweet looked grimly into the
others face.
''Old Don has taken the long Trail.
he said
Dead? DeadT Brandon's voice
on the query pinched up bit Ant
on the repetition OF the word IL fel
holloway. with a finality which NIGH
have indicated sorrow. disn1ay OIL
Amusement.
But none of these three was reflected
In his face In his dark eyes was jus
one expression: Relief. Relief Re
lief from suspense, from worry; relie
from dark and haunting fearl
"You don't sayl So the old fellow
gone!" His voice was even now, color
less. assured, as was normal. "WeII
1t was to be expected. | suppose. Wer,
you with him, Doctor?"
"No; he died alone"
Brandon drew breath as one viii
who has asked an important question
and received pleasing or reassurin,
ON