The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1942-12-31

ing white in the distance under the
eastern sun, the old Casa of the
Estradas, the home for many year
of Bill Cole of King Cole Ranch, was
like an alabaster palace out of a
fairy tale.
The low, massive building was
surrounded by wall akin in con-
struction to itself, wall of adobe,
white-washed, topped with warm
red tiles. Ann Lee, leading the way,
her carpet-bag containing the pre-
cious iron box caught tight under
her arm, threw open gate and hur-
ried along one of the paths radiating
from the old home. And Aunt Jeni-
fer, her cheeks almost as pink as
her niece's, her eyes almost as
bright, came hurrying after her.
The place seemed deserted. The
two women came to the patio and
stood very still; it was as though
they found in the silence a gentle
command for like silence on their
part.
Aunt Jenifer reached for the bell
cord and gave it an emphatic yank
setting the bell echoing through the
house. A mans voice-they were
sure they had brought him rudely
out of sound sleep-called out,
Hello, who's there?" And then,
without awaiting an answer, "Wait
shake: I'll be right OUT.
They had to wait more than
minute.
At long last they heard a heavy
bar let down, and the door opened
slowly only a dozen inches or so.
A tall young man looked out at
them.
Good morning, ladies! This is
surprise! You're twice as welcome
as the birds in spring. Come in,
won't your"
They entered just a trife hesitant-
ly, the house was so dark and, at
the moment, somehow sinister and
forbidding. But that was only be-
cause all the shades had been drawn
down and it was dark in here after
the sunshine outside. He said pleas
antly, "Just second and we'll have
some light in," and went to one
window after another Tipping up the
shades. The sunlight streamed in
joyously; of a sudden, with the dark
put to flight, it became a genial
and friendly room.
And now they could see Rance
Waldron clearly.
81 am Ann Lee and this is my
Aunt, Miss Jenifer Edwards. We
had an invitation from-from Mr..
William Cole to visit him here. We
got to Bald Eagle only last night
and noW-Well," and she too smiled
family, "here we are!"
81 am taking care of things right
now," he said. 81 was lucky to
get here just before my uncle died"
"Your uncle?" spoke up Aunt Jen-
ifer. "Old Bill Cole was your un-
cle?"
Rance made little deprecatory
gesture.
eve always called him that" he
said easily. "Not an uncle exactly,
but related. I am, believe, his
next of kin; his only kinsman, in
fact. am Rance Waldron; my
mother and the old man were cous-
ms. It's because of that" and he
lifted his broad shoulders in the
hint of shrug, "that am staying
on here. Unless there is will,
and I don't believe he ever made a
will, I suppose I am the next owner
here"
At the mention of a will, AIMS
lips were parted to speak up, but
by the time he had added a final
clause she had become conscious of
Aunt Jenifer's eyes stabbing warn
ingly at her.
Aunt Jenifer said, cts mighty
nice place out here. He wanted us
to visit him for a while. We've |
come long way, too, over hun
dred miles. We got to town last
night on the stage"
What she was driving at was OBJ
vious enough, and there didn't seem
very much he could do about it. Had |
it just been the older woman alone.
Rance Waldron might have been the
man for putting her out bodily; his
eyes, however, quilted her face
while she was still speaking and
drifted, openly admiring, to AIMS.
He said with semblance of hearti.
ness,
"Wel, the thing that counts is
that you're here now! And I am
glad that I happened to be on hand
to welcome you in my uncle's place.
And I'll bet you haven't even had
breakfast yet. I know I haven't"
Twill you show me the way to
the kitchen?" asked Aunt Jenifer.
"I'n be glad to get breakfast for
you"
''Say, that's greatl" said Rance.
He showed them the kitchen. a
room big enough for a barn, with
an enormous cook stove which Early
Bill had had installed here many
year ago and which had had scant
use for a dozen years, and there
were ample provisions.
'Now," said Aunt Jenifer, sleeves
rolled back on a pair of pretty,
white arms and clean sugar sack
pinned about her waist, ''you can
skedaddle and I'll call you when
things are ready"
Fair enough" said Rance. "Tu
go clean up speck; haven't even
washed my face or combed my hair
yeti" And he hurried away; they
heard his boots echoing through the
big rooms with their bare floors and
few scatter rugs; they heard a
door close, then, from some farther
rom another door