The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1942-03-19
CHAPTER III


Fronteras looked harmless, from
the height where Con sat Pancho to
stare downward. The single "street"
was empty except for a horseman
and a file of wood-burdened burroS
moving slowly.
He pushed the sorrel down the
winding trail, looking with very real
interest to right and left. A shabby
young man with cheerful, freckled
face said Hi! and waved toward
large house out of which came an
mmusical, deep-toned chanting.
"Just Quirk Ellis" the freckled
cowboy treasured Con. Him and
his one song"
"Thanksl" Con said, smiling
family, wondering if this friendly
cowboy would be one of those visi-
tors to Fronteras of whom Easy and
Two Eyes and Hogpen had warned
him.
He wondered what he would actu-
ally find in the big cantina. He
twisted slightly to let his shell belt
move and holstered pistol sag more
comfortably. Then he walked into
the dusky, dirt-foored room and
looked all around.
There was a bar made of rough
planking and tables of the same
rude carpentry around the walls.
Boxes and kegs and stools seemed to
serve the dozen customers or loafers
as seats. At the far end of the bar
a big man slouched with tin cup
and bottle before him. He stared
fxedly at Con and continued to sing
huskily:
'And now my time is drawing nigh
When for my evil I must die.
So an young men be warned by me
And shun all evil companeee-'
AS his eyes accustomed them
selves to the gloom of the low room,
Con faced the drinkers blankly.
Quirk Ellis was f1orid man with
long, sandy hair, by his rough cloth
ing cowman or cowboy. A tall and
slim man near Ellis was very neat,
his blue shirt looking as if just
ironed, his dark trousers drawn over
the legs of glistening kid boots. But
Con disliked the Ratchet face with
great hooked nose, and dark eyes
sunk IN deep sockets, and straight,
almost ipless, mouth. Three men
close together were nearer Con.
Two looked like brothers, vaguely
alike IN towy hair and square, sui
len, beard-stubbled faces. The third
was hulking red-faced man heav-
Ter even than Quirk Ellis, as shabby
as his companions.
.'Howdyr" Con greeted them all
generally. eff there's no objection,
I'll buy the drinks. For the house. -
ST got thirteen dollars in this peck
et," Ellis announced at last, sandy
head on one side as he looked at his
money. $50 I'll give you that for
the sorrel. But you ought to throw in
that carbeen, account of the way
you're skinning me. Pack it in here
and stand it up in the corner yon-
der. I'm awful tired, somehow,
today. Herel"
He yawned and indicated the sill.
yer. Con looked at all the faces
within range, without seeming to
study them.
''I'm sorry!" he told Ellis sadly
"You never will know how sorry
am. But I promised my aunt
never would. She said to me that out
In the Wild West and certainly ir
Fronteras there would be chances
to get rich taking advantage of kind
ly people. But she said it wouldn''
be honest. So I promised her
wouldn't. But"
He looked thoughtfully down a
the silver while Ellis stared without
expression at him.
''Ten you'll Just to make some kline
of trade, I'll buy that bunch of dol
lars from you. I'll give you eighty
cents for every one of 'em and i
you want to bring in some more
I'll take any number you want Il
get rid Of"
Ellis shook his head gloomily.
"And him so young!" he drawled
lOO lazy W OIL LILO nun O14 III,
horse and pack my carbeen in here
and me asking him as pretty, like
you all heard"
He slouched up the barroom ant
when near the door turned to lool
at Con and shake his head. Thel
he went on outside. Con moved back
ward two steps so that he coult
look through the doorway. Eli
stood before Pancho, but with sid,
to the door. His right hand wa
thurnb-hooked in his shell belt, tap
ping the butt of his Colt. HI
stepped across to the sorrel, slappet
him so that Pancho moved and wa
between Ellis and the door. Col
kept his face blank while Eli
jerked loose the latigoes an,
dropped the saddle into the dirt
Then he shook his head and re
turned to the bar.
He leaned quickly and from it
nails behind the bar jerked tn
sawed-of shotgun he had seen Will