The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1917-02-08
CHAPTER XIII.


Another Card or Two.
A few minutes later Hardy anne Oui
of The cabin. Though grave, he was
''"l and alert. lie at once walked NJ
20 dupont. who sat pulling AT his pipe
Oh The top Of the mlne-dump.
"l.edbenr seems TO he quiet" he
said. "Whcre Is your da~ughter?"
Dupont pointed vaguely down the
mountaln-side. "Slie went or with Mr..
Van, to try to smooth down his fur.
You rilcd him considerable, Cap"
II regret that 1t was necessary to
reprlmand you"
"All right. Cap. | don't bear no
grudge. Mebbe now you'd like to take
Il look ut the mlne."
"Yes," crisply agreed Hardy.
Dupont rose and led hlm into the
riouth Of the tunnel. There he I'M
locked n heavy tool chest and took
out two candles. These were needed,
for though the tunnel ran into the
mountain side less than three hundred
feet, its twisting course along the ore
vein soon shut out the daylight. Du.
pont noticed his companions dubious
look at the soft oro.body that formed
the roof and one wall of the tunnel.
walk quiet, and don't talk loud"
he said. ave amt done no tlmbering
yet. Drove In this drift to the foot of
the shaft last us We could git the lazy
cusses TO work, SOS we could figure
what we had to count on"
Hardy made no reply until they
came to the end of the tunnel and
stepped out into the dim daylight OF
the shaft bottom. He looked up the
big, square. timbcred well. and re-
marked: "You sank this first, then
drove In to meet IT,"
"Yep. Wanted to make sure the
vein didn't pinch out nowhere. Nogen
and Mr.. Van both figured we got three
hundred thousand dollars Of ore us
good as blocked out"
"Ah," said Hardy, and he signed to
Dupont to lead the way back.
They had gone twenty-five or thirty
PAGES when Il little sllther of ore fell
IN the floor Of the tunnel In front of
Dupont. Instantly he sprang forward.
with n whispered cry: Jump
quick! !"
Hardy leaped after him, barely In
time to clear the ton or more of ore
that dropped from the roof In n mass.
Without stopping to look behind them,
the two men FASTENED stealthily down
the slight slope Of the tunnel, their
candles appraised and eyes fixed on the
soft, raw ore-body above them. At any
moment the entire roof might cave In
and bury them. The shock of the first
fall loosened small quantities Of ore
all along the passage. Fragments drib-
blcd down behind and In front Of the
fugilives and even on their heads.
I'anlc-strlcken, they broke into Il run.
IL was none too soon. AS they dashed
around the turn that brought them to
the outlet, the entire roof behind them
came thudding down.
Safe outside, Dupont shook the
fragments from his hat and clothes,
ana pulled out his bandanna to wipe
Off the sweat that was gathering In
beads on his forehead.
ugh" he grunted. Don't never
see me In there ag'ln till it's tlmbered."
Rather close CALL" remarked
Hardy.
You're II cool one" muttered the
trader, and he scowled. "Nom dun
chen Just my luck! If hadn't
sung out, you'd "a got smashed under
that first drop"
II shalt not forget II, dupont"
Me, neither. Stead Of being rid of
you, here you are ready rs yer to
clean us out-and l>done I'll"
You do not regret saving my llfe,'
asserted Hardy.
"Well, mebbe not. Just the same,
us mighty hard luck on us. Here we
went and blocked out all that there
| ore-thrce hundred thousand dollars
as good us in our pockets-not- to
speak of all that's down under and
| t'othcr side the shaft. For all we know,
II runs clean through the mountain
and down to Chinav"
"That does not alter the situation
said Hardy.
"Mebbe II don't, and then ag'in-'
Dupont began to scratch his head
"Yes, mebbe II don't, and then, ag'in
mebbe II does. Just you take n look
ut II this way, Cap. Suppose that new
treaty goes through, the tribe dom
glt npthing out Of this mine, and we
don't. neither. Just some lucky bun
beats us to 1t, and the government says
It's hisn. Is that fair and square?"
"You have noted outside the law
said Hardy. "You must take your
chances with other locators."
"How about the trlbef" querled Du'
pont. Don't you care nothing abouI
their interests? Just supposing yor
and me and Mr.. Van took hold of thli
here proposition for the tribe and spill
even with them on the proceeds. cal