The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1941-10-02
CHAPTER XxXIv

Roam Afford helped Brand put on
his coat. JEFF sat on the bed grip
ping the covers to steady himself.
Gimme my gun belt" he said.
you don't need no gun tonight,
JEFF, Roam told him. you couldn't
use one good if you needed it-and
You won't"
'Pn take the belt, Roam. I
wouldn't feel dressed without it.
Afford buckled the belt around
him. Lane Carey walked into the
room.
They supported him to the wagon
and helped him to get into the hay
filed bed. Ellen arranged pillow
which she had brought from the
hotel.
She said in a low voice to her
father, II want to go with you"
NO." Brand said. eve won't
have a girl in this. It's mans
game"
Jeff is right" Carey agreed.
You stay here, honey, and don't
worry. Well work this out some
how"
Ellen moved to one side, her heart
filed with a leaden despair, and
watched the wagon roll down the
street. But she could not go back
into the Round Top Hotel and sit
there quietly while the man she
loved was being lynched. At least
she could return to the Holden
House, which was much nearer the
jail. She came out of the quiet resi-
dence section where the Round Top
was situated to the main business
street leading to the square. Even
this was now deserted except for
couple of running men. She knew
they were hurrying to be in at the
death.
Ellen had come to a street corner
from which she could see a seq
ment of the milling crowd. Every
step she took now toward her hotel
would carry her farther from the
jail. She found she could not do it.
She could not walk away and leave
Calhoun Terry to his fate. Per-
haps she could not help him. Her
father would be angry, knowing that
she was making herself subject Of
critical gossip. None the less, she
had to do her best. She turned to
the left and ran down the street to
get to the mob.
Lane Carey drove the team
through the square and down the
road leading to the jail. He did not
wait at the outskirts of the crowd
but continued to urge the horses to-
ward the door.
Help get us through" Carey
urged. 1--WE got JEFF Brand here.
He's wounded and can't get to the
front afoot, but he has something to
say. It's important.
The pack around the jail door was
more dense. Somebody had been
sent for an axe, and those nearest
we're already throwing their weight
against the door.
The sheriff shouted down a warn
ing. "a lot of you are going to get
killed, boys. Terry and Richards are
armed. We mean to fight"
He was standing on a little rallied
balcony which faced the street. Ter
ry and Richards joined him.
Terry flung out the palm of his
hand as signal that he wanted to
speak. The thunder of the mob re-
doubled, started to die down,
swelled out again in crescendo. Ter
~ waited, his lean, strong face
showing no sign of fear.
The voices stilled at last. Terry's
scornful gaze swept the crowd.
mo use to tell you I'm against
this invasion of the Texans" he be-
gan. mo use to tell you that I'm
responsible for the breaking up the
first of the big ranches in this dis
trict, and that on my advice the
owners of the Diamond Reverse B
are dividing it to sell to small set
tiers. You haven't brains enough
to take in a simple little thing Like
that"
He was interrupted by yells, but
his strong, clear voice made itself
heard above them. "I'l tell you
something you can understand. The
stairway is barricaded. Before you
storm it we can shoot down eight
or ten of you. Think that over, and
then listen to my proposition.
ITO hell with yore proposition,
someone shouted. Were gonna
string you up to telegraph pole"
From the wagon seat Carey shout
ed another opinion. Sure We'll lis
ten. Go ahead, Cal"
Afford and two or three others
backed Carey. The crowd fell in
with their view. A good many were
curious to hear what he had to say.
'Pm the man you lunkheads
want" Terry went on, taking his
time. Larry hasn't thing to do
with this. He's only hired hand,
and today he saved jeff Brands life
from these Texans. You haven't a
thing against him. All he did was
take job at cowpunching when he
needed one. And Sheriff Hart is a
good man. He means to do his duty
and defend us. Very likely he will
be killed. That would be a pity.
Here's my proposition. I'll surren-
der without fight if you'll let Larry
60"
Larry's voice rang out instantly.
mo, won't have it that way. If
you muttonheads don't know any
better than to kill Cal Terry you will
have to kill me too"
''All right. Have it yore own way.
Let's go, boys. Here's the axe"
The sheriff called down an answer
TO that. He knew the voice. "Come
out into the open, Lee. If you're
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