The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1939-12-21

IdI1nS MOIST ana sweet from the
green of the hills into the curved
valley where the Lander ranch
seemed to hide in humility from its
more magnificent neighbor, the do
main of Jarvis Dean. The ancient
weeping-willow trees dropped like a
ceaseless lovely rain into their own
dark and earthly shadow, and like
a phalanx of green-tipped paint
brushes the long avenue of Lombar-
dy poplars stroked the sky, sway
ing In whispered rhythm from the
corrals to the Landor ranch house.
In the tiny patch of sunlight that
lay like gilded shield between the
house and the somber poplars, Jane
Landor's irises bloomed, purple, yell
low, and then again purple, on each
satin lip a brilliant sunny stain. Jane
Landor's hands would probably new
er trim those beds again, Bruce
thought as he strobe down the walk
leading from the house to the cor
rails. The voices of the ranch hands,
the bleat of sheep, the occasional
barking of dog, were rarefed to
unreality through the blue filament
of the air
From the woolshed came the
whir-r-r of the shearing machine
Two or three hundred sheep stood
in the corral outside, a ranch hand
running them into the shed as quick
ly as the signal came from within.
These were the pick of Bruce's flock
of more than three thousand; they
were great three-year-old Merinos,
their bodies richly waited, and their
average yield of wool would be well
over fifteen pounds. They were his
great experiment in feeding for the
best possible results IN wool tex
ture, and while other sheepmen had
laughed at him and called him fin
icly and impractical, he had gone
serenely ahead.
He went into the shearing pen,
where the great tall hemp sacks
were rapidly filing with wool. As
the nervous sheep passed from the
hands of the shearer, they were be-
ing caught by the brander, who gave
each a smear from the branding
brush. Bruce stood by and laughed
at the ungainly look of a great
horned ram as, shorn of his mag
nifcent coat and duly branded, he
dashed to freedom.
When he had inspected the work
and instructed his men, Bruce went
out and made his way to the small
pasture back of the poplars, where
he whistled to his horse. When he
had saddled him he mounted and
rode off to the southwark 10 visit
one of his camps. He found the camp
deserted. The flock, he knew, was
grazing to the eastward, close to
the edge of the Dean property. He
caught sight of the sheep edging
their way across the face of hill.
The herder was bringing them back
to camp for the night.
Bruce rode out and circled to the
rear of the flock, where he found his
herder at work with his dog, bring
ing up the stragglers and keeping
the sheep on the move toward camp.
well be ready for your bunch
tomorrow, Ned" he told the man.
Right, sirl I'll start 'em in first
thing"
Bruce ran his eye over the flock.
They'll feel better when they've
been to the shearers, he said. ''It
was very warm for a while this
afternoon"
1T was warm, all right. I found
it hard to keep my eyes open for a
while"
you've seen nothing more of that
big coyote hanging around?"
Pm thinkin' yen see little o.
that one from now on" said the
herder. Them two shots I got at
him day before yesterday come
close to putin him away for keeps.
But, since ye're askin', I did hear
something this afternoon over on
the Dean place. Seemed Like it was
down there somewhere near the
Gulch-or beyond"
"You heard something?" Bruce
asked.
st sounded like one o. them cats
we get up In the hills sometimes
like young-one cryin', it was"
did you go down to see what it
vast"
st went as far as the Dean place,
but could hear nothin'. I heard it
once or twice after then an I could
"a swore it was a kid cryin'."
when did you hear it last?"
"Mebbe an hour back-after I
started headin' for home. thought
I'd come out in the evenin', Just to
make sure"
Bruce turned his horse about and
looked eastward beyond the line that
separated his own land from that of
Jarvis Dean.
Perhaps I'd better ride down that
way" he said, then bethought him.
self. When he had been very much
younger, he had heard the men talk
among themselves Of the haunted
gully known as Landor's Gulch. His
herder had doubtless been loath to
venture too far that way alone.
You're sure you heard a cry of
some sort, Ned?" Bruce asked him.
HOh, indeed I did, sir. As say
Like young-one cryin', it was"
"I'n go down and take a look"
said Bruce and rode away.
At the entrance to the ravine