The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1942-07-23

no evidence, mind you, and 1t was
too late to stop you by cable. Well,
the natives working for me have
their own ideas about MitchelPs
death. They say it was no native
did the job, but couple of white
men. But Curt" he expostulated,
"you know no white man would hack
guy to pieces the way Mitch was
found"
Curt thought this out.
"Huh, unless it was to hide the
fact that it was a white mans kill
ing. And suppose it was white
man, Jerry, or a couple of them?
So what? Old Mitch knew his job,
but he certainly piled up enemies.
You and I know that well enough.
He made engineers out of us, first
job out of college, but we got plenty
bruised in the process. Men with
less sense of humor than we have
can't take the treatment he dished
out"
Curt pulled at his drink reflective
ly. a
"You didn't give me any Details"
he mentioned after another mo-
ment.
"There aren't. many. A track
walker found him early in the morn
UNFORTUNATELY before the buzzards
did. Let's see, the 18th, it was.
About a kilometer outside of Tenn
pujo, in a ditch by the track. The
damn zopilotes were wheeling over
head, so he got the section handcar,
loaded the body onto it"
"The 11th?" interrupted Curt.
THAT'S the date of their letter to
me! They didn't waste any time.
Wonder how they picked man so
| quickly?"
"Wen, the dates correct. I re-
member because we had an early
evening dinner-dance on the Tekla
at Soledad the night before Mitch
was found. And the Tekla pulled
out for Cristobal about 900 p. m.
on the 10TH"
'It did" exclaimed Curt softly.
He looked at McInnis. "Their let
ter to me was dated the 18th, but
air-mailed from Cristobal on the
18th. Didn't notice that discrepan-
cy at first. When finally did, I fig
ured the letter either made plane
to the Canal Zone, or was misdated
| in error"
eve have no air service to Pana-
ma from SoFedad-direct. Course,
it's less than two hours by air to
the Zone, but I doubt they'd make
the flight just for a letter. Any
way, know a messenger from Tenn
| pujo brought mail to the Tekla just
before it sailed. Came as our party
was breaking up and going ashore"
| "Then the chances are the letter
to me, dated the 18th, was put
aboard the Tekla which sailed the
10th. Actually mailed before Mitch
was found murdered. Right?"
"By God, Curt, that's sol" Nc
Innis brought his palm down on the
bar. mitch was killed some time
after dark on the 10th and discov-
cred early on the 11th."
Meanwhile :" Curt fell silent,
then looked up .keenly. 'The two
Swedes are white men,"
McInnis frowned. "And there are
plenty more white men where you're
going. No, Curt, the Swedes are
not what we'd want for bosom pals,
but we've no right to jump to con-
illusions. Besides" he dropped the
scowl and grinned, 81 did some
checking up myself. Had my motor
boy ask questions here and there.
The Swede made the run from Tenn
pujo to San Alejo late that after
noon, while Mitch was staying in
Tempujo overnight"
Another silence fell between them.
Then Curt spoke harshly.
Jerry, there's more here than
meets the eye. If Mitch's killing
was a grudge payment, then, TERRA
Libre being what it is, there's lit.
tie we can do about it. Nothing, ir
fact. And there's nothing for me
to worry about. I don't make enc,
mics like Mitch did. But if there's
more behind it :"
McInnis heaved sigh.
, "Curt, be careful! Don't mount
.. any white charger over Mitch. He
asked for it. He's been asking fol
it for years. And you've got Lee
and the kids here now. But if-well
don't have to say it, but if yot
find you're in spot, call on me-
!, They downed the last of theil
drinks and swiveled to face the
room. But before rejoining Lee Cur
brought up another matter.
"By the way" he said slowly
studying his friends face, 81 saw /;
, destroyer headed for Soledad thi.
!. morning. American, I suppose
, looked like ours. Any particular
, reason for it?"
"No. The country's quiet as 4;
church meeting. DR.. Areas only
one step removed from being die
tator, sure, but a good one. Seem
: to be what the people need, they'r,
: satisfied. He's solidly entrenched
7 too, there's no opposition to speal
of. But . ;" He paused.
"Well?"
"Wel, we had Navy visit only
: couple of weeks ago, and they Ger
tainly aren't scheduled to stop il
again so soon." He added, in a puz
:. zled tone, Funny I didn't see tn
!. ship as I came down the coast"
"You were pretty low in the wa
= ter and they were some distanc
= off,"
"Huh. Well :" He shrugged
: They started across the room t
II rejoin Lee and the boys. McInni
\ dug his fingers into Curtis arm.
= "See Fora Mitchell, Curt, frs
thing you get to San Alejo. But onl
7 to find out if you have anythin
: personal to guard against" he sal
. insistently. Don't borrow trouble