The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1942-06-25

went at racing gallop for the cor
rails.
Perch was staring from Janet's
sorrel to the house when Con rode
up. He looked up slantingly.
'Now, what'd you do, that got
her that way?" he inquired. Come
charging up, talking to herself like
a mad hen, let 60 the relns and
rolled out of that hull and jist skit-
tered for the house. Wouldn't pass
the time of day with me"
"She saw a killing" Con said
smoothly. -Four Helligo-off-with-
your-stuffers thought the bay stall
lion and his mares would look bet
ter farther over. Happened, we ran
smack into 'em and"
Perch listened to his colorless ac-
count, mouth sagging.
eff that don't beat five of kind!
Four of 'em on you and they had
to yellow dog it and ones counting
the grass roots and two more leak
ing. I reckon one of the Mex boys
better ride in with message to
Janton. Maybe we better send a
boy to Tivan, too. Let Nevil Lowe
in on the business. He might want
to come out for looky."
Con was afraid of that very pos
sibility, he thought sardonically. Let
Nevil appear on the Wheel and ne
must disappear-either permanent
ly, or without rousing the suspicious
of Perch and the rest. So he seemed
to consider the matter.
"Why, no use sending boy clear
to Tivan," he disagreed. Topeka
sent Nevil Lowe word of the Gracey
murder, you know. He may be on
the way here, right now"
ooh! If Topeka sent word about
that, then you're right. I thought
he changed his mind. All right!
| I'll just notify Janton. And couple
of the poems can 60 up and put your
rustler under grass. His horse is
still there, huh? Well, if we let the
Mex take his outfit, they'll fight
for a chance to bury him. Which
carbine is the one that fellow
dropped?"
SIN my scabbard. One of the Pc
ons can have it. It's so worn it's
not worth sack of shucks. It"
Movement at a corner of the cor
raj caught his eye. He looked thai
way at the little man who was ris
ing. Con stared frowningly. Percf
looked, too, then laughed.
"Jist old Step. Don't let that way
of his bother you, Twenty. He's like
a mole: crawls along under the
ground piece, then pops up. He
"Never talked nobody to death
anyhow" the little man said snarl
ingly. "You get good look a
these rustlers, TWENTY"
Con described them as well as h,
could. The little man had .fadet
blue eyes under grazing red brow
and the locks of hair struggling from
under his battered hat were of tn
same grizzled reddish color.
"Nobodies," Step summed up il
curt grunt. Outside Gloomy AM
them Raniers the whole pack at Hel
ligo nowadays is nobodies - an
nothings! I'll send out the MARITIME
boys to bury that rustler, Perch.
you want to give the carbine away
Twenty, Ramon Martinez amt GO
one and it'll make you friend 70
life.'
With Cons nod he took the oil
carbine from the scabbard and wen
off with odd lurching step-that sti
seemed to interfere very little wit
the speed, the ease and silence {
his walking.
Late, that afternoon, Con foun
himself free of small chores abou
the corral, and he thought of Stel
There was an unopened pint of viii.
key in Cons bunk, brought out fror
Onopa. He got the bottle and slippe
. it into his shirt, then hunted tn
! adobe house which Step lived
,, alone. The door was open and Co
moved to stand in the door. Ste
sat comfortably upon bench plai
,, ing rawhide strands. He nodded an
: Con went inside.
! "Perch was telling me you take
! jolt sometimes" he drawled.
I happened to have bottle of On,
pas strongest"
. Con leaned to pass over the pin
Step drew the cork deity and LITE
/ the bottle. He drank a third of til
whiskey and handed it back. CO
| IL 49,
a 81 brought it over for you. Perc