The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1939-06-01
copyrisht-WNu SERVICE
CHAPTER X-Continued


Miss Moss asked: "Why didn't
Mr.. and Mrs. Hurder wake up, ]
wonder?"
Clint suggested: Smoke got
them, maybe"
But June said: 'They slept pretty
soundly, usually. And Aunt EVE
gave them some warm milk when
she put them to bed" Her voice for
moment was dry, as though it
might crack. She repeated: "They
slept soundly."
Tope looked at Miss Moss; and
then he asked awkwardly: "About
Mr.. and Mrs. Hurder. How-what
do you Think"
''They were unconscious" Clint
explained. "The firemen got pull
motor. Doctor Cabler was there. ]
didn't wait to hear. I brought June
away"
Miss Moss said: ''I'm glad you
did, Clint. Miss Leaford, I'm go
ing to put you to bed in our spare
room. Clint, you will stay here to-
night?"
June protested: ooh, I don't want
to go to bed"
And Tope reflected: Funny that
the fire department took so long to
answer" He asked Clint: Mrs.
Taine or any of them surprised to
see you there? Surprised to see June
up and dressed?"
Clint nodded, with smile at June.
''Matter of fact, we had quite a
row. he admitted. "June and I
had Mr.. and Mrs. Hurder out of the
house when Mrs. Taine got there.
She asked if they were dead, and I
didn't know. So she knelt down to
feel them, and then Asa came
along, and she told us to carry
them into the Bowdon house. We
did, and about that time the firemen
got there, and I went outside again
and took June with me-"
The others were listening intent
IL, and Miss Moss watched the girl
and liked her. "But Mrs. Taine
came out after u.s." he explained.
"June had on a new dress that Asa
had given her, and Mrs. Taine didn't
approve of that. She wanted to know
why June wasn't In bed and asleep,
and who was, and about this dress
She had burned her hand, and
maybe that upset her, but she was
pretty unpleasant, and I got good
and mad.
Finally she told June to go into
the Bowdon house and take off that
dress and go to bed, and I got up
on my ear. l told her June was
coming home with me-"
June lifted her head; and Clint
held her close. Mrs. Tame thought
l was crazy" he said. "But June
stood up for herself"
81 told her I never would live
there again." the girl cried, in
sudden passion of grief and woe.
''Oh, I can't go back. Ever! 1t was
terrible, always, there"
Miss Moss came quickly to her
side. Now that's enough for to-
night" she decided. "I'm going to
put you to bed, child. Come"
mo, no." June protested. "I
can't. / don't want to be alone"
The Inspector said soberly: "The
fire chief figures the fire was set.
Gas exploded in the cellar" Miss
Moss nodded; and Tope exploded in
a grim wrath: ST told Heale, days
ago, that when man starts killing,
he may go on"
She touched his hand, comforting
him; and he asked: ''What do you
think"
She hesitated. eff Rab Tame was
in Providence, and Asa and Mrs.
Tame and Mrs. Bowdon were to-
gether, then only Mr.. Taine was
alone"
.sThey found Taine asleep in a
chair in the kitchen of his house,"
he said. 81 asked Heale. But Clio
vere's still missing"
She looked at him curiously.
Asleep" she repeated. "But Miss
Leaford said they saw Mr.. Tame
turn out the light"
''She said they saw the light 60
out" Tope corrected. "Mrs. Tame
said the lights went out in the Bow
don house, too. But anyway, Tame
was asleep in the chair when they
found him. Or pretended to be-"
Miss Moss considered. 81 should
like to know" she reflected, "why
his light went out?"
"Heale told me once that the three
houses were a! on one meter" Tope
recalled. wired from the Hurder
cellar. The fire might have shorted
the wires, or melted them"
''Then why did the current go
off in the Taine house before the
fire started?" she insisted. "And
what started the fire? And why did
1t spread so fast? And why was the
department so slow in answering
the alarm? And how did Mrs. Taine
burn her hand?"
Inspector Tope made a gesture
of amused surrender. 81 don't know
Mrs. Tope," he protested. "Wish /
did"
She nodded, smiling family. "I'n
take care of Miss Leaford," she
promised. while you find out the
answersl"
CHAPTER M