The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1943-01-21


guess out there at the window, you
didn't miss word. So suppose we
60 on from there. I don't know
who you are
why not get Strengthened out at
the start?" said Rance Waldron rea-
sonably. Me, I'm Rance Waldron
and just blew in here a few days
ago. As far as I know, or anyone
else seems to know, I'm next of kin
to that rare old bird, Early Bill
Cole. I had me a bunch that he
kicked off without making any will
at all, and in spite of the several
mentions of wills that I've heard
since, I'm still of that notion. If I
happen to be right-Well,. then, this
outfit, lock, stock and barrel, be-
longs to me! Got all that, Mr..
Cody?"
That's quite speech" conceded
Cody, nodding approvingly. Yep,
I got it. Only it's my bet you're out
on a limb. Here are the three OF
US, you and Miss Lee and me, all
putting In our claims" He made
wry face, then wiped it away with
the heel Of his hand. Like so
many turkey buzzards sitting on a
fencel It makes me sort Of sick at
my stomach. I got notion to high
tail out of here and let you folks fight
over a dead mans boots!"
"Scat!" cried Ann Lee. You're
overdue some other place."
mo. I'm sticking until get things
straight. Why old Early Bill Cole
should make me his heir, I don't
know and can't guess. But he might
have had his reasons. I never knew
him, I never even saw him. But
one thing sticks out Like a sore
thumb: His name was Cole, and I'm
Cole Cody! How's that happen?
Must be that we're related, or some
thing"
He reached into his pocket, CROPPED
a minute and dug up small, fiat
key-and did little Ann Lees eyes
all but start from their sockets!
"ThereI' said young Cody.
There's the key to the mystery,
as the teller says-Maybe! Who'll
bring me a lock for my key?"
Ann Lee had a way, all her own,
of getting from the place where she
was to the place where she wished
to be, that was like nothing else on
earth.
And with her cherished carpet
bag cIutched tight. She got it open,
she ran a hurrying hand down into
it, she plucked out an old, black
iron box. An iron box with two
locks, as anyone might see.
eff your key fits one of these
Iock-This one! Try it,"
Cole Cody chose to drive her wild.
He tossed his key ceilingward, caught
it and played with it, and he laughed
at her.
$50 that's it, is it?" he jeered at
her. "a strong box with two locks,
and you've got a key for one, and
are going clean crazy like Pandora
and Blue Boards wife, trying to
burglarize it! And no can do-with-
out the other key! Mine! Well"
and he never spoke more drawing
", there's no hurry, is there? How
about waiting until tomorrow? May
be it might be best to wait until
my wound heals over! That's an
ideal"
And he tossed his key again,
caught il and showed it back into his
pocket. And he could have sworn
that he heard Aunt Jenifer giggle!
Ann Lee opened her hand and
showed him a key very much like
his own. She tossed it up, just as
he had done, and caught it; she held
it between her thumb and finger
and sneered at him. And how little
Ann Lee, when she put her mind to
il, could sheer!
''Here, before witnesses, she
said, and her voice sounded as
though she had just taken 1t out OF
cold storage, iced all over, IF you
like Wen try to open the box and
see what we can find. It might be
fun-for mel Or, if you like to hang
on to your old key, I'm Just ready
to 60 get an AK and a cold chisel
and bust this little box wide open!
Then, whatever I find belongs to
me. To do with, Mr.. Cody" and
now her voice grew intolerably
sweet, 'iust whatever darned well
pleased"
Don't get Aunt Jenifer wrong.
She wasn't an old lady at all, really.
Her age, to be sure, no one but
Aunt Jenifer knew, but any man
could tell by the spring IN her step
and the gleam IN her eye and the
eternally slim youngness of her
body, that she wasn't day over
sixty, and perhaps not even much
above forty-five. Just one of those
elusive ladies'. The thing is, be her
years what they were, from the day
she was fifteen until right UP to now,
she had faithfully kept a daryl
Ann set the box down hastily, and
shot her key into the proper lock.
When the mechanism gave its salts
fed responsive click, she looked up
at him triunphantly. Little Ann Lee
could crowd lot Of things into one
swift glance: I've done it, Mister
How about you? Just four-iushing?
Cole Cody wondered, himself
Well, here was the time to find out
about things. With Ann watching
his slightest move, as though she
suspected him of being able to &C.
complist any weird sort of sleight-
of-hand, not trusting him; with both
the lively Aunt Jenifer and the sar-
n