The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1942-04-16

| gallop and went racing to house on
the edge of San Marcos. In the
pale moonlight he saw dark mass
of horsemen, not fifty yards away.
Get back!" he yelled at them,
sliding the Winchester out. "We've
got you surrounded! Back, you nit
wits! Back!"
AS he began to shoot, holding low
at the horses legs, Jeff's voice lift
ed in a below, picking up the phrase
Con had used. The mass of riders
seemed fairly to blow apart as the
carbine ratified. But a horse went
down, and another. Scattered return
shots came from the sides of the
road.
Come on" jeff called to him.
"Big and Kinky's gonei"
He spun Pancho, and together
they Numbered away, with other
horses pounding ahead of them. Out
of San Marcos they galloped, with
lead whining waspishly about them
but not too close. They overhauled
Big wager and Kinky Odom; passed
them with an encouraging YELL But
mile of alternate darkness and
moonlight had been covered before
Con saw bud, Quill Hogan, and Cat
fish skylined.
jeff and Con overlook them. bud
and Catfish seemed to have better
horses than any Of the others-in-
Guiding Hogan. Or, Con thought,
perhaps the beaten man was not in
condition to get the most out Of
his mount. He Jagged farther be-
hind and made some indistinct an
swer when bud yelled at him to
keep up. The four spurred away
from him, then became three when
Catfish's horse slowed. AS a trio,
they slackened pace to walk in the
foothills of the Lobos and listened
and let the blown animals get
breath.
"Well, sir!" bud drawled cheerful
ly. "Nevil Lowe, he will be a dis
appointed young sheriff, tonight.
Who was that shooting, after we
left town? Big and Kinky?"
Like hell" jeff answered before
Con could speak. THAT was Con,
stopping the posse"
'Listen!" Con grunted suddenly.
''They're not so far behind right
now. What do we do?"
"Why, I reckon the smart thing is
to set right here and see about
things" Dud answered.
They sat minute after minute,
smoking, listening to the fiat rattle
of shots until the sound died and
only the small night-noises of the
hills could be heard. bud grunted
impatiently and moved his horse.
Con checked him with a word.
"Wait! Somebody's coming. It
might be our bunch"
"Just one horse" jeff announced.
1t was Catfish and he was painting
as if he, not the horse, had been
running, when he came up to them.
bud called sharp question.
Rubbed outl Whole bunch!" Cat
fish answered. .That damn Nevil
Lowe! Knocked Quill out of the hull
right at my elbow. Swear I heard
four slugs hit Quilts back. Then it
was Big. Me and Kinky kept ahead
awhile. Lowe stopped again.
Opened up. Got Kinky through the
head"
"We'n make that son pay for it,
boy!" bud assured him fercely.
Don't you never think we won't
make Nevil Lowe remember tonight.
Come on, now! No use crying about
it."
They rode in silence by twisting
trails to the cabin. Nobody was in
talking mood when they reached the
place. They rolled into their blan-
kets, but Catfish took his to the
point used as lookout. He said that
he was not sleepy; he would stand
guard.
They were up early, with the
grim events of the night very heavy
upon them all. bud alone was cheer
ful-or pretended to be. He looked
at them and swore that they were
the sourest set of cowboys he had
ever put eyes upon. From some
hiding place he produced jug of
whisky and uncorked it.
The liquor brought no Tightening
of Cons disgust with this company.
Instead, he thought of the misfor-
tune which had put him here, as if
in a trap.
/TO RE cONTJNIJEDj