The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1937-12-23
CHAPTER Xv-Continued

MOIS Inc tWo iioulo, NdA OooS-
las thought.
eff we was to drift into that
town." Steve said, "either we'd
meet 'em on the road, or they're
needing our help, by God! think
we oughter-"
'We're plenty close now" Wheel
er said. ''You can see the lights of
the town from here-or could be-
fore they all went out. If you think
I'm going to take Marian into town
Into shooting scrape-forget it.
Unless Tular and Coffee get back
with my car, so that she can go on
back to the ranch-I stay here. And
so does the car stay here"
Don't you bother about me-"
Marian spoke. ''I'l get along all
right"
1t was after midnight. Their plans
for the crack-out of Horse Dunn
were indefinite, because their infor-
nation was indefinite. First was
necessary the seizure of Walt Amos,
for it was known that he carried
the keys to the Inspiration lookup;
but the trouble was that they did
not know how many deputies were
camped with Amos, in his house be-
low the Jail. If more than one or
two were there, they thought that
it would be good idea to create a
gunpowder diversion in some other
quarter of the town, to draw away
a part of the sheriff's force. Tulare
had driven Old Man Coffee into In
spiration to make reconnaissance,
and what they feared now was that
the hot temper of Tulare had got
both scouts in trouble.
"There amt much left of the
night" Steve complained.
There's other nights"
"Leave one man here with Mar
ian," Steve suggested, land let's
the rest of us go take that town
apart! Or anyway, find out what's
up"
They finally agreed upon this; but
only after it was conceded to Billy
Wheeler that they wait quarter of
an hour more.
That last quarter of an hour
dragged out like week; and still
no headlights appeared upon the
Inspiration road.
''It must be time by now" Steve
Hurley insisted.
Give minutes more"
A CLEAN of lights showed two
miles off in the outskirts of the
town; car was coming out of In
spiration at last. So slowly it came
that for time they were convinced
that this could not be the driving of
Tulare. Even when Billy Wheeler's
roadster pulled up opposite them on
the road they stayed quiet for mo-
ment, suspicious that the car was
no longer driven by their own men.
Then Old Man Coffee sung out. ''Bil-
ly Wheeler"
''Here!"
"Billy, let me talk to you min
ute-alone.
Val Douglas and Steve Hurley had
started piling out, but now they
looked at each other and reluctantly
settled back. Billy Wheeler trotted
across to the other car.
Old Man Coffee dropped his voice
to muff1ed undertone. cts all
over, kid"
whats the"
"Horse Dunn has run his own Jail
break, pretty near four hours ago.
1t took us long time to get the full
dope. We got it now He got clear
of the Jail, all right, with that same
derringer in the sheriff's back, and
using the sheriff as shield. But
the deputies moved him down."
"You sure? You sure this isn't
one of Bender's tricks"
81 saw him laid out" Coffee said.
For moment Wheeler was 81
lent. He was laboring under heavy
shock; but already he was wonder
ing what he was going to say to
Horse Dunn's niece. "Did he get
anybody" he asked, half uncon-
scious of what he said.
''He couldn't get man. He made
his break with an empty gun. And
they found his ammunition lying on
the floor inside
They were silent again, for long
time. And to Billy Wheeler the
night turned suddenly empty, as if
great and living force had gone
out of it witt Old Man Coffee's
words. 81 suppose we may as well
be getting back to the ranch,
Wheeler said at last.
"Who's going to tell Marian?"
''I'm going to tell Marian. PE
take her back in my car"
Coffee and Tulare stepped down,
and followed him reluctantly across
to Horse Dunn's battered touring
car, where the others waited.
For moment Billy Wheeler stood
silent, one foot on the running
board. The eyes of Marian and
Steve Hurley and Val Douglas were
on his face. Steve Hurley spun the
starter and the engine began to
purr; he sat waiting to jump the
car down the road to Inspiration at
the first word.
"Well?" Val Douglas demanded
5 at last.
4 mo action tonight" Wheeler
heard himself tell them. well be
going back to the ranch. Marian
you'd better come with me-"
.What the" Steve began.
"Coffee will give you the dope on
your way back. We got to get out of
here now. Come on, Marian" They
stared at him; but presently they
obeyed.
Billy Wheeler let the others turn
Horse Dunn's car in the road and
start back toward the "a, before he
started his engine. Even after he
had set his roadster rolling he drove
slowly, half paralyzed with the
dread of what he had to say. He
knew that Marian was watching his
| face waiting for him tn sneak