The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1941-12-04

"I," Karen said, twas on Alakoa
when he died"
'You must have had a very lovely
time"
Interesting" Karen put in.
did you talk to James Wayne
before he died?"
For a fraction of moment Karen
Waterson hesitated.
mo-" she answered.
There was a long silence then, and
Karen had curious sense that time
was rushing over them in long
swells, as the green seas swept over
the coral rocks.
"John," she said, 'have you
thought of compromise with the
Waynes?"
"You talked with them?"he asked.
''No one but Tonga Dick. And
it's impossible to learn anything
from him until he's ready to have
you know"
"Then-"
"I'm speaking from impressions
vague impressions, Karen admit
ted. 81 don't pretend to call it in
tuition-but you can call it what
you want to. I think we ought to
consider, very carefully, some sort
of compromise with the Waynes."
If John Colt had ever feared Tonga
Dick, he forgot it now. "Your case
is sound and justifiable in every way
Island law being what it is, and
the Island precedents what they are.
wouldn't be here now, and you
wouldn't be here, if I thought there
was any loophole in your case"
''You don't want to think of COM
promise? Not any compromise at
alI?"
The best possible thing for us is
that the case be tried as it stands.
The death of James Wayne, and the
probate it implies, is magnificent
break-such a break as we could
not have accomplished by our own
efforts, nor hoped for. If ever any
one in the world had reason to play
the cards as they lie, we have it
now"
"I'm not so sure" Karen said.
'The whole estate will be tied
up" Colt exulted. ANY attempt by
the Waynes to conceal assets will
be blown to hell nowl Everything
will go into probate, and We'll get
the whole works, intact. And with
James Wayne dead, those helpless
nephews of his will drive their at
torneys crazy. What a pictured
They'll run in circles like sheep"
lone of them won't" Karen said.
James Wayne was the only hard
edge in the lot. He would have
fought till he died; but he was the
only one"
There's one other" Karen said.
"Who?"
Tonga Dick"
"That youngster? Rubbish"
you're going to find that Tonga
Dick Wayne is the hardest one of
them ALL" Karen prophesied; land
perhaps the most resourceful."
Colt shrugged. You'll find he
doesn't count at all"
What Karen said then was totally
on impulse. She had not planned to
say it, had not meant to say it; but
somehow the words were unexpect-
edly drawn out of her lips by the
tension that had come between
them.
John" Karen said, suppose I
married Dick Wayne?"
John Colt did not start, nor turn;
he stood still, looking at the sea.
But by his very innobility Karen
knew that John Colt had met some
thing which dropped him where he
stood.
After a moment he swung his wide
shoulders toward her. "You mean
to say" John Colt started to ask
'you mean to say" His question
died away. He swung his shoulders
again, and once more stood looking
out at the sea.
Colt seemed composed again as
he next spoke. You're in love
with this Tonga Dick?"
ST don't know" Karen said.
He stood looking at her, his hands
deep in his pockets. His unaccus-
toned irresolution had a curious eff
feet, strangely disturbing, as if it
could mean nothing except that the
whole basic foundation of the man
was unexpectedly cracking up. John
Colt was Like mountain; he was
like the sea. Perhaps it was a ter
rible thing that a slender girl,
weighing not more than one hum