The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1942-06-04
CHAPTER XIV

Con overhauled his outfit after din
ner. He was ready before Caramba
and Skeets and he went wandering
curiously about the place. Janet
called him from side veranda, and
when he walked up to the big house,
dusty Stetson at his knee, she was
sitting beside a small, white-haired
woman. Con looked curiously at
Mrs. Tension and she studied him in
tently for a moment, before she
turned Smilingly to Janet.
why, honey, he's just boy!
From all you said"
Nearly twenty-one. Not quite"
Con told her, wondering why Janet's
face was suddenly so flushed. "And
you are not so terribly old that
twenty is terribly young to you'll"
''Good-landsl He's dangerous!"
Mrs. Tension gasped. Paying COM
pliments to old women"
81 used to know girl in Chicago"
Con said truthfully, land she had the
prettiest gray hair, almost white,
from the time she was nineteen.
Somehow, it just made her look
younger. The way yours makes you
look"
what were you doing in Chica-
90? Go up with cattle? Don't tell
me you're a city boy! Not after the
top-roping Mr.. Tension says you did
and Janet says you did"
Con hesitated. Janet, still very
pink-and prettier than he had ever
seen her, he thought-was looking
steadily at him.
81 worked for horse dealers and all
sorts of commission men. So when
my uncle and aunt were killed In a
train wreck, l started for Texas.
That was last year. took on with
the 20 Bar trail herd and made the
trip to Wild Horse. Then I started
this way, to learn the cow business.
And here I am, roping Mr.. Teni-
sons colts"
She shook her white head and
smiled at Con.
''My boy would have been about
your age. Twenty-Five next Deem
Der fourteenth. But he-he was sto
len from this very yard, by part
ner of Mr.. Tensions, man whc
must have been very hard and win
dictive, or he wouldn't have done {
thing like that to pay score with
man. He and Mr.. Tension had trou
BILE about a mine and-and one eve
ming he took my boy from this yarc
and just vanished. We hunted anc
hunted, but his trail disappeared
within fifty miles and from that da!
to this"
'T-I heard some of that" Col
told her awkwardly. "Well! reckon
Skeets and Caramba ought to b.
ready to start for Red Mesa"
There's a hester family, a maj
and his wife and little boy, on tn
road to the Mesa. When you boy
90 by, see if you can sort of sneal
around and have a look. Into tn
kitchen, if possible. If it looks lik
they're really in bad fix, want t
know it."
He nodded and turned away
Skeets and Caramba were waitin
and they mounted They went o
very cheerfully for ten miles O
more, climbing into the foothills
Presently, where narrow trail al
gled off along an arroyo, leadin
toward wooded heights, Skeet
jerked his head to indicate tn
track.
"Gracey road" he said. 'Neste
family. Gracey, he's an oldish fe
low, kind of. But his wife is
nightly pretty woman. Not owe
twenty-three or about that. The
got a boy seven-eight years old. Ye
sirl Mis- Gracey is nightly prett.
She iiggled some hearts around ar
about, reckon. But Gracey amt
man to cross just for the fun of
He sent one Helligo Canyon hal
pin bowling home with hole
him. Caught him projecting arour
the place one morning"
Pancho covered a half-mile
twisting trail, up the arroyo ar
out of it across a low mesa, the
into scrubby pines. The tall tire,
were ahead and above. Where
tiny creek cut an opening in Il
woodland a rifle barrel came pokiI
out of green brush beside the trs
and shrill yell checked Con.
ST never done it, none a-tall!"
cried, lifting both hands. ''No, 81
It was the big fellow with the lon
black whiskers."
''Stay back off Gracey land!"
thin little voice commanded fierc
ly. "Stay back or I'll kill you dead
"But what for?" Con asked plai
lively. "Come on out, Mr.. Grace
and talk to a man. Where's yo
pa?"
"He-he's dead! Them dirty dog
they shot him, day before yeste
day, early. Shot Nom and me, tc
SHE'S worse'n / am. She's avn
sick. couldn't 60 for nobody. Ali
a horse on the place I can catch U
Besides, got to stay and give h
water. And got to be ready to k
'em, if they come back. like
shot you"