The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1922-12-23
CHAPTER XVII.


mountains had failed. This
But FuirchIld suddenly realized that
now was not time for conjecturing
upon the past. The man on the bed
was unconscious. incapable of helping
himself. Far below. "a whlte-haired
woman, her tOothless jaws uttering
one weird chant after another. was
digging for him a qulckllme grave. In
the Insane belief that she was hiding
In accomplishing some miracle OF In
mortality. In time-and Fnirchild did
not know how long-an iii-visaged.
scnr-faced mnn would return to help
her carry the inert frame OF the un-
conscious man below and bury 1t. Nor
could Fnirchiid tell from the CONVEX
snt!on whether he even intended to
perform the merciful net of killing the
poor, broken being before he covered
1t with acids and quick-eating lime In
Il grave that soon would remove all
vestige Of human identity forever.
Certainly now wns not time for
thought; 1t was one for action!
And for caution. Instinct told Fair.
child that for the present. at least.
Rodaine must believe that Harry had
escaped unalded. There were too
many other things In which Robert
felt sure Rodalne had played n part,
too uany other mysterious happenings
which must be met and COPIED with,
before the man OF the blue-white scar
could know that finally the underling
was beginning to show fight. that at
| IoS la 81, ho<y 81,
Fairchild bent and unlnced his shoes,
taking OF also the heavy wooden
socks which protected his feet from
the biting cold. Steellng himself TO
the ordeal which he must undergo, he
tied the laces together and slung the
fOOtgenr over n shoulder. Then he
went to the bed.
As carefully as possible. he wrapped
Hurry In the blankets. seeking to pro-
tect him in every way against the
cold. With a great effort. he lifted
him, the sick mans frnme huddled In
his arms like some gigantic baby. and
started out OF the eerIe, darkened
house.
Tile stairs-the lnnding-the hall
Then query from below:
| us thut you. Ioudy?"
The breath pulled sharp into Fair
chIld's lungs. He answered In the
best imitation he could give Of the
voice of -Snulnt Rodnine:
Yes. 10 on with your digging.
Honey. I'll he there soon"
"And you'll kiss meg"
| Yes. Just like kissed you the
night our boy wns born"
| 1t was sufficient. The chanting be-
gan again. accompanied by the swish
Of the spade as II sank into the earth
and the Guiding roll OF the clods as
they were thrown to one side. Fair
child gained the door. A moment more
and he staggered with his burden into
the protecting darkness Of the night
The snow crept about his ankles,
seeming to freeze them at every
touch. but Fairchild did not desist. His
original purpose must be carried out
II ROdaine were not to know-the ap-
pearance that Harry had aroused him
self sufficiently to wrap the blankets
about him and wander OF by himself.
And this could be accomplished only
by the pain and cold and torture of q
barefoot trip.
Some way. by shifting the big frame
Of his unconscious partner now and
then, Fairchild made the trip to the
mnin road and veered toward the
pumphouse Of the Diamond j. mine.
running as It often did without at
tendance while the engineer made a
trip with the electric motor into the
hill. Cautiously he peered through
the windows. No one was there. Be
You'd lny warmth and comfort-and a
telephone. Fnircllild went within and
placed Hurry on the floor. Then he
reached for the phone and called the
hospital.
"Hello!" he announced In a husky.
disguised voice. "This is Jeb Gresham
Of Georgeville. I've just found man
lying by the side OF the Diamond J.
pumphOuse, unconscious. with a big
cut In his head. I've brought him In
side. You'll find him there: I've got
to go on. Looks like he's liable to die
unless you can send the ambulance for
him"
| "We'll make It a rush trip" came
the answer. and Fairchiid hung up the
phone, to rub his half-frozen. aching
feet a moment. then to reclothe them
in the socks and shoes, watching the
entrance Of the Diamond ]. tunnel us
he did SO. A long minute-,then he left
the pumphouse. made few tracks in
the snow around the entrance, and
walked swiftly down the road. Fifteen
minutes later. from hiding place at
the side OF the Clear creek bridge. he
saw the lights Of the ambulance as 1t
swerved to the pumphouse. Out came
the stretcher. The attendants went in
search of the injured man. When they
came forth again, they bore the form
of Harry Harkins. and the heart of
FaIrchild begun to beat once more
with something resembling regularity.