The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1942-11-26
CHAPTER 1
@GREGORY

Old Early Bill Cole knew full well
in the fullness of his years that ms
DAYS. held by some filed with lnlqul-
ty and general hell-raising, were
numbered and his sands were run
ming fast. He had known for SIX
months and with a sort of devilish
flicker of glee in all that he did, had
gone about making the final ar
engagements. He was rare old lone
eagle and in him was a stripe OF
Satan a yard wide, at intrequent
times something almost salnthke,
and on many a joyous occasion
dash of Santa Claus.
Even if I got to die like other
fool folks" he consoled himself.
'I'm going to get me my mite OF
fun out of it! Hell's bells, yes, sir!
With his preparations pretty well |
in order, Early Bill Cole of the King |
Cole Ranch still estimated that his
course had few weeks to run, but
that was before this particular
morning had blossomed In SHINING
gold out of the pleasantly cool, shao-
owy dawn. It was always his habit
to be astir before the new day. he
had no great fondness for the night
time. The things he loved with all
that wild old heart of his were the
good earth and green things growing
and the earliest hours with the last
stars winking out rather like the twin
kle in his old, hard, steely blue eyes,
and the little dawn breeze and the
sunup and the glorious unfolding:
And of late he was up and out OF
his enormous old adobe ranch house
each morning earlier than was even
his habit. He didn't want folks to
see him and realize what he was up
to. For each day he was telling
some part of his wide spread acres,
the whole of his world, last adlos.
For many the year he had in
habited all alone the ancient, pic
turesoue adobe building which long
before his days had been the home
of the Spanish-California Estradas.
At first, being younger and even
wilder then than at the end, he had
ALWAYS had a house full, and very
colorful accounts of proceedings I'M
der the red tiled roof and within
the thick white earthen walls leaked
out. But now, no. A quarter OF
mile from the old adobe, beyond
big grove of cottonwoods, were out
buildings. stables and corrals and
barns and quarters for hired hands.
His latter years he wanted to be
alone, like an old wolf, except when
he himself went out in quest OF COM
pany.
Thus, this morning, he should be
sure of going about whatever his
own business might be, with no fear
of a spying eye. He stepped along
under the fading stars with his
horny thumbs hooked into his car
fridge belt, his battered old black
hat pushed far back on his thatch
of white hair, his high-heeled boots
stepping briskly. He was darneo
if he'd crawl about like an old man
seen or unseen.
The house was on a gently Dos
omed site with big oaks all about 1t
to the west, miles away, lowered
the mountains; between the house
and the mountains were little rip
ping green hills where many tai
pine and many a tight clump o
Young pines grew. He walked to
ward the nearest hill with the three
nobly tall pines on its crest. Here
was a place of vantage well above
the slopes where chaparral ant
manzanita wove themselves int
thickets for rabbits to hide in.
It was still half dark when m
came to the one pine which, wit
no one in the least suspecting it, h
had loved with a deep, still, fra
erantly romantic love for nearl
forty years. There was a reason
locked away in his own heart. L
the half dark, and with no eyes t
see. he pulled off his hat and locke
I'D at the one star, still bright
laughing down at him through tn
branches. He put his long, thir
sinewy arms as far as he coul
about the tree. He pressed his grii
zled cheek against the bark, S
rough yet to his feeling so tenderl
soft
Then a rifle shot, clear and "
cious, cracked through the still love
illness of the hour, and old Early Bi
Cole felt stab of pain. For a mt
ment he chung to the pine tree, gril
ping it tight for support. Thel
quick and erect, he stepped free I
it and as he did so dragged both {
his old guns, almost as old an
worn and deadly as himself, U
from their loose feathers.
His shrewd old wintry eyes bar
" discerned puff of smoke like
wisp of vanishing mist hangir
above the thicket where a fierce
animal than brush rabbits was hi
ing this morning. And not waitir
for any sure target he started bla
ing away with both guns. VIII;
amazed him was that no secor
shot was winged his way.
So still was the hour that sma
sounds carried far and distinc
ne heard a man crashing his we
through the bushes, and praye
through clenched teeth for ia
sight of him. None was afforde
however until his assailant, havir
run to a horse tethered under Il
crown of the slope, went up into Il
saddle. The distance was great, Il
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
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