The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1942-05-07
CHAPTER X


The lspe showed Con nothing either
before or behind. Then he topped &
slight rise and jerked in short with
sight of horse standing riderless
not fifty yards away, and the dark
figure of man lying on the ground
close to it. He rode slowly down
the slope, looking past the man fol
sign Of an ambush. But there was
none. The man made a moaning
sound, but did not move.
Con swung alertly down, still GOV,
ering the still figure, walked in g
narrow circle until he could see the
face, then stopped quickly over JEFF
Allmen. Jeff's gray shirt was soaked
with blood.
"JeR! jeff" Con called him shak.
Ily. What happened, man? YOU
Did you get hit, at the bank?"
But jeff made no answer until
Cen had got the flask of Garcia s
whisky from his alforja and forced
the pain-set teeth apart to let liquor
run into his mouth. Then he gagged
and mumbled, but opened his eyes.
''D~d shot mel" he muttered.
~Horse-went lame. Wanted mine.
kicked and-he shot me-"
He swallowed more of the whisky
and looked intelligently at Con, even
managed twisted grin:
''Tais is it," he said. 81 rode
with - wrong crowd - whole life.
Reason / roadway I done-I liked
1t better! But you pegged Dud-
plumb right. Dirty dog"
He was quiet, breathing painfully,
seeming not to hear Cons questions.
Then he said:
''Whole world 's-gone-excepti
your face-it's going, too
When he was sure that jeff was
dead, Con stood to listen for sound
of the posse which he was sure
would quickly ride out of Tivan in
this direction. But it had not come
SO quickly as he had been able to
ride; he had little time.
"PR dios!" he said triumphant
ly. "You can tell the tale that'u
blow TAP the bud Paramore yarn
From an alforja he jerked piece
at brown wrapping paper. The soft
nose Of lead bullet made a pencil
of sorts, the seat of his saddle a
desk. The note was brief:
bud scared of posse. Shot me
for my horse. His famed. Comanche
was one stopped us at bank shoot
ing at u.s."
Note and cartridge he put artfully
beneath jeff where the wind could
not tUatch the paper away. Then he
rode ahead on the road to the Lobos
for kttle way. When he camped
at last, he was well to the north.
west af Tivan and he thought that
he was not likely to be tracked.
Rain walked him, well before
dawn, steady drizzle that prom.
ised to last. When he sat up with
the blanket around him, he looked
at the leaden sky and grinned. Who.
ever rode yesterdays trail today
would have his work for nothing. He
got the slicker from behind his sad.
die and put it on, smoked a ciga.
rette, and tried to answer the ques.
ton he had asked the night before
Where to ride?
Presently, he turned and faced the
rim Of the arroyo in which he had
sheltered. A man, slickered like
himseM, sat comfortably upon q
boulder with carbine on his lap. The
earbiBe was pointing steadily at Con
In hasky voice, the man said:
''Ana they call it big, fierce out
law! Shucks!"
Con watched stiff1y, but his car.
bine was two yards away and the
slickeF covered his pistol.
might as well come on dowr
and have breakfast" Con told him
calmly. "That is, if one tortilla-
tough as leather by now-and about
two sgxare inches of cold beef'n dc
you"
'Orght to down you first, Their
eat. But, no use rubbing you out
till you've saddled up. Save me the
trouble"
He stood, pushing back his hat anc
stretching.
"C&amba-Vear!" Con yelled.
Cananba slid over the arroyo
edge and for moment they pound
ed each other enthusiastically. Their
Carannba shook his head and showed
Con away, SO that he could look hin
I'D and down.
eff you amt the damnedest! Mic
est RT pilgrim ever showed the
difference between cow and crit
ter"
Con booked curiously at his friend
"How-come you found me? It..
TOO big an accident to be an acct
denti But, still, don't see"
Accident, your aunt's black cat.
long, curly tail! Boyl I got all the
pieces, but I don't fit 'em together
lust night. How'd it happen yol
got to be Old Cole Younger ovel
here?~
'.Not herel Let me saddle anc
ye'n hit out for cover"
Bus as he moved quickly, surely
10 break camp, he told briefly O
his adventures. When Caramba go
his own horse and they rode vaguely