The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1935-08-22
DN ALAN LIE nj Az
Copyright by Alan LeMay
WNU Service.


| her now"
For another long moment Lee Bishop
fixed staring, vacant eyes upon Ken
tucky's face. You love her, huh?"
Kentucky Jones shivered; he felt as
if the grip of the night cold was get
ting the better of him, so that his
body had a core of ice. He covered
his face with his hands. II think" he
said, Il hate her as I've never hated
any living thing in my life"
Lee Bishops words jerked out of
him incoherently, but unexpectedly
sharp and strong. God help you, Ken
tucky-don't say that!"
''All right, Lee"
Jean Ragland made the round trip
and loaded a mule at the other end
in little over four hours, which was
wonderful time on those night trails.
But she might as well have saved her
animals; for an hour before she
reached Trap canyon Lee Bishop was
dead.
" hCu NSiItuShy pdChcu Tie UOuY
to the Bake Pan camp of the Bar
Hook, where he placed it with that
of Jim Humphreys, he faced his horse
into the steep switch-back trail up the
rim, and started for the main ranch.
Kentucky had agreed with Jean Rag
land that to take Lee Bishop to the
Bake Pan camp was a shorter and
more convenient pack; and Kentucky
had seized upon the opportunity to re-
lease Jean from the mournful process
sion and send her home.
He now put his horse up the trail
stiffly, climbing fast. He felt no weari-
ness, but only a black temper. Now
that he knew for the first time what
set of ugly circumstances he was up
against, he knew what he had to do !;
it was not easy, and he wanted to get
it behind him.
The voices of the guns and the cir
cumstances of Lee Bishops death had
brought him an odd new alertness, an
almost painful consciousness of every
thing that moved within the limits Of
the rimrock horizon. 1t was as if he
had found himself returned to the days
of his forefathers, when an awareness
of far-off details had lot to do with
keeping on mans scalp!
And long before Jean Ragland came
in sight, he knew that two horses
were coming toward him along the
trail, that they had but one rider, and
that the second horse was not driven,
but led.
For a moment after Jean came in
sight he was absorbed by the sight of
her. She rode little dark pony, and
her short white storm coat was in key
with the snow. Hardly anybody ever
saw Jean Ragland ride without follow
ing her with his eyes, as a man looks
after bird that is bright living dec
grafton against the snow. And now the
girl and the pony she rode looked
better because the led horse was raw
boned and mud colored, with only a
sharp, well-tracked leg action to sug-
gest that it might be more horse than
at first 1t seemed.
AS they met in the trail he saw that
her face was quiet with the resigna-
ton which had characterized it for the
last two days; but her eyes were alive.
There was a touch of feverish light in
them which told him that she was still
fighting, though what she was fighting,
or how, he was no longer sure that he
knew.
I've brought you fresh horse" she
said Immediately. Maybe it doesn't
look like much horse, but it is a whole
lot of horse. Pretty near any Bar Hook
horse would give down under you be-
fore this plug would"
81 suppose 1 kind of ought to appre-
ciate that" Kentucky said; "but, Jean,
how come you think l am going to need
such long-traveling horse?"
Kentucky she said, Kentucky"
She drew her hand across her eyes,
as if what she was trying to say was
almost beyond her ability Look here.
I've asked lot of favors of you, Ken
tuck; lot more than l ever had any
right to ask. | have to ask you one
thing more. If you'll do this one thing
more for me, I'll be grateful to you
all my life; and swear I'll never ask
anything of you again."
"Jean, girl" Kentucky said, whats
happened here?"
Take this horse, and the mule, and
such of the stuff as you need. 1 don't
need to tell you where to go or how to
get there, nor how to get along; but
do as I say! Go a long way, and go
fast, and lose yourself; and never
come back until some day this CHASTITY
thing is over with and forgotten!"
Kentucky Jones stared at her a long
time, studying her face; but her eyes
did not finch from his. At last a
crooked one-sided smile changed his
mouth.
81 know this is a terrible sacrifice
for you," Jean said. II wouldn't ask
you this, Kentucky, swear wouldn't,
If wasn't so positive that there's no
other way. Believe this-I1l be your
friend, always; it may be later that
l can help you, and send your money
to you, or something like that. That
will work out later. All can say now
is that I'd rather be dead than sitting
here telling you this; but there isn't
any other way"
"Why do you ask this?" Kentucky
said curiously.
"Kentucky-God forgive me II can't
! answer that! But l tell you that there
| isn't any time to lose! Not an hour,
not event can't tell you any more
l can only"
You'll have to tell me, / think, y
| Kentucky said.
His face was hard, and the fatigue