Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1922-08-18
THE CROSS-CuT

ing woman In his arms. "Even n won
did run me Off and wouldn't 20 back
to Cornwailv
Red.faced, she pushed him swoy
and slapped his cheek playfully: n
was like the tap OF light breeze
against granite. Then Harry turned.
Ave you looked Mt the miner"
The question brought back to Fair.
child the happenings OF the morning
and the memory Of the man who had
tralled him. He told his story, while
Mother Howard listened. her arms
crossed, her head bobblng. and while
Harry. his big grin still on his Inns,
took In the details with avidlty. Then
the grin faded.
Les go up there" he said quietly.
This time the trip TO Kentucky
gulch was made by skirting the town
soon they were on the rough. narrow
roadway leading into the mountains.
A long time they walked, nj last to
stop In the shelter OF the rocks where
Fairchlld had Swallowed his pursuer,
and to glance carefully ahead. No
one was In sight. Harry jabbed out
n big finger.
""That's It," he announced. straight
a'eadw
They went on, Fairchlld with a grip
ping at his throat that would not
down. This had been the hope OF his
father--and here his father had met
what? He swerved quickly and
stopped, facing the bigger man.
| Harry" came sharply. II know
that | may be violating an unspoken
promise to my father. But simply
can't stand It any longer. What hap
pened here? There was some sort Of
| tragedy"
| Harry chuckled in concealmcnt.
Fairchild thought, of something he
did not want to tell him.
| II should think sol The timbers
gave way and the mine caved inl"
mot that My father ran away
from this town. You and Mother
Howard helped him. You didn't come
back. Neither did my father. Even
tually II killed him"
"So?" Harry looked seriously and
studiously at the young man. "E
didn't write me ofen."
"He didn't need to write you. You
| were here with him-when II hap
pened."
NO" Harry shook his head. 81
was in town. What's Mother Howard
told your
"A lot-and nothing"
IL don't know any more than she
does"
But"
"Friends didn't ask questions in
those days." came quietly. II might
ave guessed IL I'd wanted to-but
didn't want to-"
"But II you had?"
| Harry looked at him with quiet, blue
eyes.
"What would you guess?
Slowly Robert Fairchild's gaze went
| to the ground. There was only one
| possible conjecture: Sissle Larsen had
| been lmpersonated by a woman. Sis
sic Larsen had never been seen again
| in 0hadl.
II would hate to put II into
words" came finally. Harry slapped
| him on the shoulder.
"Then don't. 1t was nearly thirty
years ago. Let sleeping dogs lie Take
look around before we go into the
| tunnel"
They reconnoitered, first on one
| side then on the other. No one was in
sight. Harry bent to the ground, and
finding pitchy pine knot, lighted II.
They started cautiously within, blink
ing against the darkness.
The outlines OF rusty "hoist," with
Its cable leading down into slanting
hole in the rock. showed dimly before
them-a massive, chunky, deserted
| thing In the shadows. The tlmbers
were rottlng; one after another, they
| had cracked and caved beneath the
weight of the earth above. giving the
tunnel an eerle aspect. uninvitlng,
dangerous. Harry peered ahead.
ut amt as bad as II looks" came
after n moments survey. ITS only
right ere at the beginning that It's
caved. But that doesn't do us much
| good"
"Why not?" Falrchild was staring
with him, on toward the darkness of
| the farther recesses. "If II isn't caved
in farther back. we ought to be able
TO repair this spot"
But Harry shook his head
1--WE didn't go into the vein ere"
| he explained. 1--WE figured we 'ad To
ave a shaft anyway, sooner or later.
You can't do under'and Stopping in
mine-go down on vein, you know.
You've always got TO go up-you can't
get the metal out II you don't. That's
why we dug this shaft-and now look
| nj ltw
He drew the flickerlng torch to the
| edge of the shaft and held II there.
staring downward, Farchld beside
| him. Twenty feet below there came
the .gllstenlng reflection 81 the naring
flame. Waterl Falrchild glanced
toward his partner.
~ don't know anything about H." he
said at last. "But should think that
would mean trouble"
"Plentyw agreed Harry lugubrlous-
~. THAT Shafts two 'unnerd feet
deep and there's drift running off II