The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1939-06-22
CHAPTER XIII-Continued

-13
Tope nodded, and he asked after
a moment: ''Do you know whether
the front door was bolted or locked,
the night your mother died, before
you went to bed?"
EYES," June said. Uncle Justus
bolted it. That's why, when the
door blew open, it scared me. /
knew it had been fastened, and I
thought there must be someone in
the house. But l didn't wait to
find out. I just ran"
Mr.. Tame bolted it, did he?"
Tope repeated thoughtfully.
She said: Eyes, after Mother was
In bed, I came to the head of the
stairs, and I heard him tell Grand
pa Hurder the door was fast" She
remembered suddenly: "And he
tried to slip upstairs during the eve
ming before Mother died. Aunt EVE
saw him, called him back"
Tope was silent for a moment,
and he asked then new question:
eff you went back, where would
they likely have you stay?"
There isn't any room at Aunt
Ewes" June explained. ''It's just
a small house, you know. I'd have
to stay at Grandma Bowdon's."
They've put Mr.. Hurder upstairs,
IN the Bowdon house." Tope report
ed. The back room on the west
side"
That's a spare room," June as
scented. Grandpa and Grandma
Bowdon used the east rooms"
IF you go out there, then, you'd
probably have the front room on
the west side"
81 suppose So"
''I'd want you to try to arrange
to take care of him." Tope told her.
''To sit up with him tonight-in the
room with him." He considered.
They may not let you; but if you're
IN the next room, you can hear, lis
ten"
1.-The stairs are between" she
said. But the doors are just across
the hall, opposite one another"
'.Are there locks on the doors in
that house?" Tope asked gravely.
Locks, yes" June said. There
are locks everywhere. Even the
closets are locked. Grandma Bow
don always carries bunch of keys
on her belt"
Clint said urgently: Inspector,
Pm going to have a ladder ready,
so I can get up to her room, get in
the window if I have to-"
YES" Tope said seriously.
That's good. Or so she can get
out and down to US, quickly, if any
one tries to get at her. And III
give her a revolver, show her
how"
The telephone interrupted him,
and Miss Moss went to answer it..
She turned to say softly, her hand
over the receiver: Its for June. I"
So June crossed to the older wom-
ans side; she took the telephone in
her hand. They heard her say:
Hello. Yes Yes, Grand
ma"
And after long time: ''Yes /.
Yes, I'm coming"
And then: eyes They will
bring me out, in little WHILE
Clint felt his pulses pound with a
deep terror; but he could not check
her now. A moment later she said,
Eyes," again, and put the instru-
ment down and faced them all.
THAT was Grandma Bowdon, T"
she explained. Grandpa Bowdon's
funeral is this afternoon, late She
wants me to be there, and to go
home with them afterward." She
added slowly: That's what ! will
do
In the preparations that followed,
Clnt's hopeless protests were all
overcome. June's dress, that new
dress Asa had given her, was sooted
and soiled. Miss Moss made Clint
drive her to the nearest shop, and
they brought home two or three
dresses for trial, found one that
would serve. When they thus re-
turned, Inspector Tope had rum
mayed out his old revolver and was
explaining to June its simple mech
anism before she left for the funeral.
The ritual was scarce finished be-
fore Mrs. Tame came swiftly toward
them. sit is hard for me to forgive
you for this, June" Aunt EVE told
the girl, in her low, whispering tones.
''You have added much to the bur-
den we have all had to bear today"
Clint saw Rab guiding old Mrs.
Bowdon to their car; he heard June
say calmly: "This is Mr.. Jervies,
Aunt Evie." Her eyes met Clint's,
and she added proudly: 'tI'm going
10 marry him. I'll stay with you
as long as you need me, If it isn't
too long; but then I'm going to
HIM"
THAT is as may be-" Mrs. Tame
commented. '.Such matters are not
decided so quickly, June"
Then Asa came UP beside her. He
drawied cheerfully: "Hullo, June.
Hullo, Jervies. June, with man
like this one to take care of you,
you'd better hang on to him"
Mrs. Tame said softly: "AsaI"
The word Kissed on her tongue.
Asa looked at Clint. why don't
you keep her, Jervies?" he suggest
ed insistently.
Clint cried: ST want tot"
But Mrs. Tame said: "Come,
child" She took June's arm; Clint
saw her fingers tighten cruelty. He
started forward, but June freed her
self, and she said calmly:
''Tm coming, Aunt EVE. You
need not hold mel"
And she nodded to Clint In a deep
reinsurance, and led the way to-