The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1942-07-09
CHAPTER XIX

Light was SOOo In tle Saiiyon'
now.
lyons the cabin" Step called
softly. ''Slow down."
He moved to look over big boul-
der. After long time of staring, he
walked out and past the great rock.
Con and MARITIME followed.
The stone house was small,
single spacious room built of ma
tive stone. The gaping windows
were dark blurs against the wealth
cred gray of the walls. Step shook
his head.
Reckon nobody's using it. Let's
scatter out some. I'll go left. Con,
you go way right. Martina. middle
for you"
They moved as directed. AS he
walked toward the stone house, Con
listened to the faraway rattle OF the
firing. He came up to the cabin,
looked at it and turned to place
Step and MARITIME. Neither was in
sight from where he stood, for his
had been the longest move. He could
not look into the window openings.
They were small and set high. There
was a door opening, but no door.
He went cautiously up to look in
and listen. But he saw nothing,
heard nothing, inside. He set his
carbine down and fished match out
of his hatbaad, to relight his ciga-
rette. Then, around the corner from
the cabin front, bud Paramore
stepped carelessly, humming.
Con stared, not moving.
1.-THE Raniers told us that you're
not Comanche Linn" bud said
abruptly. Linn was killed after
that Salado business"
The tip of Dud's tongue came out
to wet his lips. Con took step to-
ward bud and, exactly as if pushed
by a pole, bud took step back
ward. Another step, and bud dupli-
Gated it in reverse. The third step
took them both out into the open,
clear of the cabin. There was a
heavy report that jerked Con from
his grim concentration upon keep
ing control of Dud; a shot from the
cabin wall.
bud staggered. Then, like a
browsing cat stabbed, he whirled to
face MARITIME, screamed, flashed his
hands to twin Colts and whipped
them out with speed that fairly
blurred the movement. MARITIME sent
another big slug crashing into him,
but bud was already falling twisted
ly backward. His guns roared al
most together and the bullets rang
on the wall. MARITIME stared savage
ly down, then sighed gustily and
put up hand to rub his cheek.
"We walked right into each 9TH
err" Con said slowly. Well! He's had
it coming for long time. We'd bet
ter get goingl"
AS they got nearer, the sound of
the firing drew Cons brows togeth-
er. He began to hurry. But, with
out meeting anyone, they came out
of the wide Canyon, where cattle
and horses grazed undisturbed by
the battle their brands had brought
about, into a narrow gorge as deep
as the valley it led from. Step waved
toward the walls of the entry-can-
yon. But already Con had seen
smoke rising from point after point
I'D there. He nodded and they con-
tinued silently until Step halted
them where long tumble of boul-
ders split the canyon.
Sitting comfortably behind a pair
of boulders that gave him rest
ing notch for the carbine, Con saw
that Step put down his battered hat
under his stomach, before stretching
at length. Then he looked up at the
wall and the little carbine famed.
Like something ierked, blue-and-
black figure came sideways from
high on the left wall, began to turn
over and over in air. It fell with
the seeming of slowness, then van
ished on a level with Cons eyes.
"Come onl" he ordered. -Four
down Kind of timid souls, looks
like. Maybe wondering about these
doings behind 'em. Keep to the
walls and watch!"
They edged along the rugged sides
of the canyon for fifty yards. Then
Martina jerked thumb at the hud-
died man just ahead. Con stared
and shook his head.
Now, tie thatl" MARITIME grunted.
"Janton, Onopa constable"
Step waved them down behind
boulders, again. Con could see the
mouth of the narrow canyon and
from the rough mesa on which it
opened came heavy, ragged fire. But
it was overhead that he looked. He
was too close under the right wall
to see anyone above him. But he
understood that they were to cross
fire, Step shooting to the right. he
and MARITIME to the left.
Just beyond him, three men
ceer-o1 to be alarmed by the cry.
Con began to shoot qui"'; = Mar
tino no-,ed fer a new r. 'ep
Slar-e' = at the o.her wal. A