The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1942-04-02

didn't say anything about his intro
ducing me to her and telling just
when and how I joined the 20 Bars.
Too full of her disappointment, prob
ably"
He fumbled for tobacco and pa
pers.
"You put your sister on the train
and told her to have a good time.
You went on to the Metropole and
saw Mrs. Keiss. went there, too,
hunting Caramba Year. We stood in
the door of the dining room while
you thanked Mrs. Kleiss for being
nice to Janet. But can see that all
this still leaves me a buscadero, if
you feel that way. Even leaves me
as this COMMUNICATIVE was shot in
the robbery and died in the saddle,
Lee Welsh said. All right! I'm done
talking"
Lowe said nothing, only turned to
60 out. Janet got up quickly and
followed. From the next room the
murmur of their voices carried to
Con as he and JEFF stood.
"Not a thing!" Lowe was saying
to Janet. "Except-The description
of Comanche warns against being
deceived by baby face, and re-
marks that he is amazingly plausi-
BILE liar and born murderer! I
couldn't take chance, even if I felt
inclined-and I don't feel Inclined
not the least bit!"
When they were chained to the log
once more and alone, jeff leaned to
Con and whispered:
''How do you feel about taking q
paseo? To the Lobo Hills?"
81 won't kill anybody to get out"
Con whispered grirnly, ''but that's
about the only line I drawi'''
"You got awful little hands. Try
twisting. These old cuffs are stiff
and clumsy. You can slip 'em-
Try!"
1t was hard and painful maneuver-
ing, but amazedly Con found himself
free of the right cuff. Then JEFF
passed to him tiny bit of pointed
steel which he called picklock.
Under his whispered directions, Con
worked at the left handcuff until il
opened.
81 had the pick hid all time" JEFF
told him. "But these cuffs keep your
hands so close together I couldn't
work it. Try it on mine, now"
They continued to sit in the dim
light of the wall lamp, when both
were free. jeff seemed unmoved.
"Just a i'p more oil in that
lamp" he muttered. "When it goes
out, I'll tie into the door lock :"
Time went draggingly. There was
some talk in the next room as the
wick that Con watched gave off a
smaller and smaller flame. Then
Milan FAINT wondered audibly why
Chunky had not come up to put out
the lights.
''We got sef-cocker lamp in
here" jeff called. "Just wiggle your
left li'l' finger and-out she goesl
Like that!"
The flame rose brilliantly, then
shrank to red edge and disap-
peared. FAINT laughed and called to
jeff to come in and put out the 9TH
er one.
Con and jeff were at the door,
jeff whistling almost soundlessly as
he worked with the pick at the cheap
old lock. There was click that
sounded thunderous to Con and
Jeff's triumphant ah! The door
swung slowly open crack.
"Come on, cowboyl" JEFF
breathed. Nobody in the half"
He stopped for long enough to re-
lock the door as quietly as it had
been unlocked. A muttering of sew
eral voices sounded below them.
Then feet.
'This way!" jeff grunted.
They went into the storeroom as
several sets of feet climbed the
stairs. The window was case
ment and only latched. They
dropped two yards to the ground
when hanging at arms length from
the sill. Dinly, from overhead, they
heard what seemed many voices
snarling.
"Por dios!" JEFF breathed gasp
ingly. 81 told you smelled hang
knott If that amt the strangers
taking 'em out-No wonder Chunky
never showed upl Come on! What
we need is covert"
He led the way at run, to .
ditch near some cottonwoods.
ITO BE CONTINUED)