The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1917-02-17
CHAPTER XIII.
Another Gard or Two.

Another Card or Two.
few minutes later Hardy came out
of the cabin. Though grave, he was
| cool and alert. He at once walked up
to Dupont, who sat putting at his pipe
on the top of the mine-dump.
"Redbear seems to be quiet he
said. where is your daughter?"
Dupont pointed vaguely down the
mountain-side. ''She went off with Mr..
Van, to try to smooth down his fur.
You riled him considerable, Cap
Il regret that it was necessary to
reprimand you"
"All right. Cap. I don't bear no
grudge. Mebbe now you'd like to take
a look at the mine''
YES" crisply agreed Hardy.
Dupont rose and led him into the
mouth of the tunnel. There he I'M
locked 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 Ore-bOdy that formed
the roof and one wall of the tunnel.
walk quiet, and don't talk loud"
he said. 1--WE amt done no timbering
yet. Drove in this drift to the foot of
the shaft fast as 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. timbered 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 as
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 a little slither of ore fell
on the floor of the tunnel in front of
Dupont. Instantly he sprang forward,
with a 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 mass
Without stopping to look behind them,
the two men FASTENED stealthiIy 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-
bied down behind and in front of the
| fugitives and even on their heads.
Panic-stricken, they broke into a run.
| 1t 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,
and pulled out his bandanna to wipe
| off the sweat that was gathering in
beads on his forehead
''UghI'' he grunted sfDon't never
/ see me in there ag'in till it's timbered"
Rather close CALI remarked
Hardy.
You're a cool one" muttered the
ASiuSIs anu ne SCOWiou. Nom q un
| CHEN. JUS my luck! If 1 hadn't
sung out, you'd "a got smashed under
that first DROP
Il shall not forget it, Dupont
"Me. neither. Stead of being rid of
you, here you are ready as ever to
clean US out-and done itI"
You do not regret saving my life"
asserted Hardy.
well, mebbe not. Just the same,
it's mighty hard luck on US. Here we
went and blocked out all that there
ore-three hundred thousand dollars
as good as in our pockets-not to
speak of all that's down under and
fother side the shaft. For all we know,
it runs clean through the mountain
and down to China ~
THAT does not alter the situation"
said Hardy
''Mebbe it don't, and then ag'in-"
Dupont began to scratch his head.
| Yes, mebbe it don't. and then, ag'in.
mebbe it does. Just you take a look
at it this way, Cap. Suppose that new
treaty goes through, the tribe don't
git nothing out of this mine. and we
don't. neither. Just some lucky bum
beats us TO it. and the government saws
it's hisn- Is that fair and square?''
You have acted outside the law"
said Hardy. You must take your
chances with other locators'
How about the tribe7" queried Du-
pont Don't you care nothing about
their interests? Must supposing You
and me and Mr.. Van took hold of this
here proposition for the tribe and split
| even with them on the proceeds. I call