The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1942-06-18
CHAPTER XVI

time for a late supper and after
ward, loafng in the clubhouse,
Perch blew smoke from the side OF
his battered mouth and squinted at
Con.
None of my business, of course"
he drawled, "but the doctor told To-
peka some about you tangling with
the Latimers. From what he says,
they was both onto you at once, all
same hounds on a coon. Now, me,
I only bucked Latimer. Which was
just plenty! He's helps handful, l
would say. But, did he slip like the
doctor thinks, or did you really lay
him out?"
Con looked at him suspiciously,
but there was nothing except friend
" curiosity in Perch's face.
~ laid him out-cold," Con told
them evenly.
Tonelessly and briefly he told OF
drawing against Latimer; of the
fight and its outcome. Perch and
the cook said nothing. Con took the
Colt from his holster and slipped it
into his waistband, as it had been
in Onopa. He demonstrated his draw
with his gunhand moving snaky-fast.
"Oh!" Perch said softly, nodding.
'Now, ! can see it-and see some
thing else: I had been listening to
Gale and Topeka and when they fig
ured it out you had kids luck with
Slash Oxweld, I reckon took it
that way. But, Gale and Topeka,
they never watched you slap leath-
er, huh? No, I thought not. But if
you don't want folks boogering, don't
make draw where they can see it.
You like that waiStband hideout bet
tern a shoulder holster?"
my old uncle had yard of scar
across his chest and belly, from a
shoulder holster draw that slipped.
He sort of soured on 'em and ]
reckon he scared me of 'em. So
I've always packed my gun some
where else"
''He a Texas mani" the cook
asked. "Runs in my mind seen
some fellow SCARED all across his
front from gun that slipped. Years
back, that was. I worked so many
places I disremember a lot. But
Caramba and Skeets and Johnny
Dutch came in with the horses from
Red Mesa near noon. They ate witt
Con and Perch and afterward Cor
drew Caramba aside to tell him thai
he was staying as sort of guard
Caramba shook his head.
Didn't you know that Gale Gores
cut back to meet us? He told us {
i'l' bit about you tangling with some
hard case and - What was tn,
straight of that?"
Con described the fight with Lati
mer in the cantina and Caramb;
swore irritably.
This is a damn whiskers outfit
Goree and Topeka, they count yol
nothing but kid that was luck.
something happened to Slash Ok
weld and you downed him accidental
But Goree would have took you o.
this cow-work, account you're roI
er he can't help admitting there ain
the like of on the place. He eve
figured by the time roundup wa
over you'd be the top hand on tn
place-account of him showing 20
how, of course. But Topeka jus
looked at you and put you to wrar
Cling Stovewood!"
Con stared grinly at him, wit
face reddening: "He did, did he
Well, / can still put stable spok
in his Busted Wheel. I'm going
roll my bed and hit Lit Taylor {
Los Alamos for a job"
Caramba watched him over til
cigarette he was making.
81 wouldn't, if was you," he az
vised softly. "All this tom-fooler
of Topeka's made me so hot I wa
fit to tie. But have been talking
good deal to Skeets and john
Dutch, Con. My notion is, from VIII;
you told me about Paramore ar
what know about Megeath, leavir
that pretty Janet Lowe here, wit
all the outfit gone, is just the san
as hammering the old tire and yel
ing to 'em to come and get it,"
''I don't know" Con said sulkil
wishing that he had said less. 81
haven't thought about it, yet"
Fine! Now that we got it all sc
tled-you and Perch can help us
h'p bit along the road"
In mid-afternoon, Perch and c.
rode with Skeets and Caramba for
few miles. Perch refined in befo
dusk and sat comfortably with Ii
around the saddle horn, to make
cigarette and beam paternally up
S1eetS.
"Now, son." he said genial
"you-an will be safe. Just keep e
a-goine - wsv vou seen me 6