The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1936-05-07
FfNNlWNW.
CHAPTER XII-Continued

to use q little of it, some that he didn't
know could be identified. When the
first of it showed up, on the same night
I happened to hit the Landing, Ezra
came TO me and let me in on it. I've
been busy ever since"
Rapidly he narrated what they had
learned and suspected; what they had
found today; his encounter with Blue
jay and the very obvious fact that his
own arrest had been made on Tod
Vests suggestion.
You see, he had a double motive
with you. Likely he, too, thinks that
Nan -. well, likes you lot. He wants
you out of the way. You were in
bad spot the night Of Downer's MUIR
der; he plants the box with just lit
tie money, gets Bluejay ready to swear
TO this story of his and figures thatl
dispose of you.
Me, though; he figured he'd better
hire me killed and he missed by about
a hair. The next best thing is to keep
me behind bars as long as he can be-
cause he knows damned well neither
Ezra nor I fell for the Bluejay lie
about you and that cash box.
Here we are: the two of US in Jail,
something over twelve thousand dol
lars still missing and West on the
loose.
Did you notice that Vests head
and neck were swollen up? You did?
Am crazy, or did hear somebody
say he'd been stung by hornetT
That's what he toldw Stuart was
trembling, infected by Young's in
tensity.
Check! That's no hornet sting.
That's bee sting. He's been fooling
around bees somewhere; he gets stung
and gets all daubed up with honey be-
cause there's honey on the box and
honey on the crowbar be used in max
ing the plant!"
The hell you say"
Fact! Do you know anybody that
keeps bees?'
Bees? There isn't a hive of 'em in
the county. 1 know all these settlers
and"
But there are wild bees in the
woods. e. oh God :" he muttered, ris-
ing and slapping a hand TO his head.
"Why the devil won't a mans brain
work when he needs it most?
Honey and money! Money and honey!
ave should be out Of here tonight,
but there isn't chance. And control
ling county politics as he does, you can
bet WeStu see TO ii neither one of US
gets loose in hurry. Money and
honey. Holt, the things just too
damned hot to let drop. .. . How in the
name of high heaven can we get out
of here?"
He swung out of the cell and tiptoed
TO the window before which he had
stood. The heavy bars were set in
stone. Even with a hack saw, it would
take hours TO cut through.
Back he ran TO the panel of steel
which made the front of their prison.
Bars, heavy and thick, ran from ceiling
TO floor; the lower ends were set in a
steel plate; the plate was held to the
concrete floor by heavy lag screws,
square headed, solid.
On his knees he felt along that plate
he whispered. Look; the things
in three sections, Stunning his hands
up the bars. This door and its steel
frame is one And one, two, four
=. seven lag screws hold it to the
floor. With those out -"
But hOw?" Holt whispered, voice
shaking, now. How the devil d you
get 'em out? Where'd you find a
wrenchT'
Wrench? Wr Why .
King Christopher! Holt, on the way
in, d'yOu hear"
He gripped the others arm so tight
~ that the boy WINGED. He strained to
listen and put his lips close to Stuart's
ear.
stand here and if anybody comes
talk or whistle or sing. Whistle If
you cant For the love Of God, walk
up and down and whistle. :. No, never
mind why. :. Let me alone I'm
going TO try TO pull a fast one.
Got any string? Search yourself! Or
a shoe string'd do. :. Yes! Get one
out. And cover me up, boy, if you
Ducking into a cell he felt along
the base of the brick wall. seraping up
fragments of plaster. With these, he
went quickly TO the rear window and
peered down. Tip lay there, still pant.
ing from his long, hard run.
Hi, chum !"-cautiously. The dog
rose and stood looking upward, tail
busy. Tip, fetch!''
On the command Kerry tossed biz
of plaster toward the car.
The retriever went out with a great
bound, running in short circles, snuff.
fling. looking up, whining.
'Fetchr' Again he tossed a frag
ment and it struck the fender.
With the sound, Tip whirled, bound
ed toward the car, paved at the ground
and picked up the plaster in his mouth
trotting back TO his place below the
window.
"Givel Now =. fetch againi In
the car, boy, in the carr
Behind him, Holt Stuart was pacing
and whistling lowly, raggedly; not q
musical whistle; a rather dry and
husky one, to be sure, but STILL it was
sound.
Mystifed, Tip trotted out TO where he
had found the plaster and shifted anG
paved, looked back, trotted around the
car, stopped and lifted his nose high
drinking in scent from the seat.
Right, Good dog! Up, nowi Fetch
-"
Lightly, the dog leaped within, bunt
ing the half opened door wide. He in
yestigated at length, smelling here anC
there. paving, and then, on blanke
which spread across the cushion. h,
found his masters scent and immedi
ately began Juggling at it stoutly.
aNof NOT that NOT rhe rob<a .