The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1936-04-23
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CHAPTER XI-Continued

Ill
Bluejay's one foot had been swing
ing idly. On Young's appearance the
arc it made diminished. More and
more slowly it swung until it came TO
rest and during that interval the mans
jaw sagged.
He sat so, gaping, unmoving, and
then his chair came down to all four
legs with a thud while the heritage of
the Indian in him, all the superstition
and regard for legend, swirled upward
TO possess him completely.
No one else had noticed this; did not
until Young spoke, easily enough:
Surprised. Bluejay?"
He laughed, then, and the laughter
was hard, menacing laughter.
Slowly, Bluejay rose TO his feet,
hands behind him, showing on the chair
back to aid hrs weakened leg muscles.
A luminous fear danced in the black
eyes.
Surprised. eh?" Kerry began to ad-
vance. That's what 1 came for. Blue
jay, TO see who'd be surprised"
The man was retreating. now, hands
spread against the wall, Siding along,
making for the rear. He did not speak,
though his lips worked.
Kerry moved faster and as the breed
turned, left off his touch on the painted
boards and, half staggering, lurched
down the room, was upon him.
81 didn't" Bluejay gasped as Young's
hand fastened on his shirt at the Shout
der, spinning him around. Il .
didn' :" he moaned.
Didn't what?" Kerry's voice was
like the crack of whip. Didn't what"
-insistently when no reply was forth
coming.
''All right, don't answer! I don't
need your words, you snake!"
He let go an arm and his hard fin
gers grasped the breeds throat. Be-
seechingly, Bluejay let drop something
he had held in one hand and grasped
Young's wrists.
"Don'!' he moaned. Don. Young!
/ .. didn' >"
His knees were sagging but Kerry
held the man half erect by his throat.
His grip closed down on the wind
pipe and his own teeth showed in a
grimace of rage.
You lie!" he growled. you lie,
Bluejay! You're guilty as hell. And
what you're going to do is this!
You're going out of this country as
fast as the good God will let you! And
if you ever show up again,
him slowly-''if you show your face
here so long as I'm here I'll strangle
you TO death as sure as water runs
down hill! Now do you under
stand?"
With sideways fling, he let the man
go. Bluejay sprawled on the floor, but
before he came to rest he was scram-
bling to his feet, circling to be away
from Young. Toward the door he scut-
tied and down the steps he ran. -.
AS Kerry stopped to pick up that
which the breed had dropped, the
sputter and roar of a motor could be
heard and when he smOOthed out the
bill and searched its crisp surface for
the serial number, gears whined and
a battered fiivver stirred the dust of
the street as Bluejay started for some
where else with all the speed he could
wiring from the ancient contraption.
Mel Knight came from behind the
counter Men who had been outside
were entering, curiosity aroused by
Bluejay's flight.
my gosh, Kerry, you sure put a
crimp in that Injun!" Knight said with
a queer grin. I'D like to bet he won't
be seen here again. My gosh, what
made him look so scared afore you
made mOve?
Dam right he won't come back ="
said another. "Betcha fifty dollars he
won't ever show up here ag'in! Betcha
hunnerd dollars Mister Young could
lick Dempsey, he could!"
Did yuh see him grab him?" third
asked at large. Il thought he was
a-goin' to squeeze his wizzen in twixt ="
Young gave no heed to these observa-
tons or questions. He knew certain
serial numbers by heart. This was one :
a twenty-dollar bill of a certain series,
crisp, unused.
For moment he was impelled to
tell what had happened this morning
on Townline lake, but as he drew
breath to speak car brakes squealed
outside and Ezra Adams voice, Curl
ously strained, called sharply:
HAS anybody happened to see Kerry
Young"
Kerry looked through the doorway
at Ezra's face.
The spectacles were showed upward,
the old eyes were wide and fingers
fumbled nervously in the gray beard.
Hi, Ezra!" he called, starting for
ward. whats up?"
What was up? Enough YVES up! Too
much was up for old nerves to take
calmly, for an old voice to narrate
coherently, for an old mind to grasp
comprehensively.
AS quickly and as clearly as he
could, Ezra told the story that the
prisoner had told him.
"a frame-up on Stuartv' muttered
Young. Good God, Vests hand is in
this. Why. unless we beat 'em to it,
they're going to make the rottenest
kind of trouble for Holt!'
Those were his words and they
voiced an honest thought, but not the
thought uppermost in his mind.
The thing which hurt him with the
acuteness Of physical pain was this :
Before shutdown. Nan Downer was
to see her lover led away to Jail as
suspect in the murder Of her father.
And they've gonew Ezra rasped.
@They crossed tn wagon bridge just
as made the turn: Bridger md Butch,
his deputy, md Tod Westi They're
bound for the cabin sure as you're
born and"
.'Get out of that seatl" snapped
Young.
Roughly, he showed the old man
from beneath the wheel, and stepped