The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1935-09-19

'aThis Mis- Ferrin." some one prompt
ed; and Luke said guardedly:
swell, never see woman like her.
Just looking at her would make man
kind of-lift his comb and strut like
a fighting cock"
Saladine commented slowly: "Pve
heard tell that VIII Ferrin is good
man." A nod. here and there. answered
him, asserting. II never heard much
about this Bart Carey. though" Sala-
dine added.
VIII Bissell. from behind the candy
counter. remarked:
Bart, he stops in here once In a
while, on his way to East Harbor.
He's kind of tall and looks to be able
and he speaks right up to you. I'd say
he's all right"
Luke Hills supplemented this. ave
used to go up to his place, from the
mill. of an evening sometimes" he
said. Bart, he'd always have hard
cider In the cellar and maybe some
rum. He don't farm much. He takes
folks to board that want to come and
fish the brook. Likes a good time"
And he added: His sister, this one
that killed herself, Amy her name was,
she KEEP house for him. She was a
RiGe-looking woman, too"
How come she killed herself" Sal
adine asked gravely.
Luke shook his head. 81 dunno. That
was after l come back here"
But Chef said strongly: "Well, If
you ask me, it's enough to make any
woman kill herself, to live out there.
That's miserable place"
Their talk turned presently into an
other channel; but when by and by
viii began to turn out the lights as
a suggestion that it was time to go
home, Saladine and Chef went out to
Jim's car together ana in the car
started up the hill. Chefs farm was
on the shoulder of the Ridge. where
two roads forked: and Jim stopped to
let the other man down.
You say you never fished Carey's
brook only that once" he asked then.
"Once was plenty" Chef replied.
"Sho," Chef protested, whats the
sense in going so far when you can
get plenty nearer home? The roads is
awful"
Jim chuckled. "This old car is used
to bad roads, Chef. I'm mind to go.
I'd like to have a look at that brook.
You come along"
But Chef would not: and Saladine's
curiosity was stimulated by the others
attitude. Chef was not fearful man.
nor given to imaginings, yet it was
obvious that he had lively distaste
for this hidden valley with the harsh
name. When the two men said good
night, and Jim drove on up the hill
his intent was by Chefs very reluc-
lance crystalized.
And two or three days later. when
rain and the promise of more rain
made farm work a tedious business of
turning water-soaked clods which
weighed heavily upon the pillow. he
took the opportunity thus afforded
''Pll be back by dark or little after"
he told Mrs. Saladine when he set out.
But it would be long after dark be-
fore he came home, and many things
would happen in the intervening hours.
The past Is book which any man
may read, but it is impossible to look
ahead with certainty. through thirty
seconds span. 1t may be as well that
this Is so; -foreknowledge might so
often daunt and dismay the stoutest
man, and futile dread Of the inescapa-
BILE paralyze the energies of human
kind. Saladine often afterward asked
himself, if he had known what a Sc
quence of events his entrance into the
Valley was to set In motion, he would
have gone there that day; and he
could find no certain answer.
But he set out with no misgivings
1t had rained the day before and In
the night; a sharp torrential down
pour. The road from his farm to the
village was rutted and washed away
along the borders, and mud splashed
luclIliJ uuueT Ills WueelS. CudluS, Jill
decided, might be useful; and he
stopped at the garage in North Fra
ternity to buy a pair.
Lon Pride. the garage man. had news
to relate. ''Hear about the murder out
at Liberty?" he asked, with junction.
Jim had not heard, and Lon said: "Old
Man Mayhem lived on the road to
Macs corner, they found him dead this
morning with his head beat in. They've
sent for the sheriff"
Jim knew Sheriff Sohier, but not
Old Man Mayhem. Nevertheless he
was tempted to turn that way. In the
end, he put this temptation aside. but
he would be glad to know where the
sheriff could be found, before this day
was done.
The chains adjusted, he went on !;
and there was prickling excitement,
deep sense of adventure, In him as
he drove. On the surface, he went
to fish and nothing more; yet this was
not good fishing day. The brooks
were bank-deep with roily water; the
sky was overcast, and surly clouds
went scurrying as though or Sinister