The Holbrook news., 1922-12-08

"Sheriff." said he as calmly as pos sible, you have a perfect right to give that sort of view. That's your business-to suspect people. However. some sort of an accident happened at the mine this afternoon-a cave-in or an explosion that tore out the roof of the tunnel-and am sure that my partner is wandering among the hills. Will you help me to find him" The sherifr wheeled about in his chair and studied a moment. Then he rose.
 Guess I will," he announced. "It can't do any harm to look for him, anyway"
 Half an hour later, aided by two l deputies who had been summoned from their homes, Fairchild and the sheriff left for the hills to begin the search for the missing Harry Late the next afternoon, they returned to town, tired. their horses almost crawl ing in their dragging pace after six teen hours of travel through the drifts of the hills and gullies. Harry had not been found. and so Fairchild reported when, with dropping shoul- ders, he returned to the boarding house and to the waiting Mother How ard. And both knew that this time Harry's disappearance was no joke, as It had been before. They realized that back of 1t all was some sinister reason, some mystery which they could not solve-for the present, at least. That night, Fairchild faced the future and made his resolve.
 There was only a week now until Harry's case should come to trial Only a week until the failure of the defendant to appear should throw the deeds of the Blue Poppy mine into the hands of the court, to be sold for the amount of the bail. And in spite of the fact that Fairchild now felt his mine to be bonanza, unless some sort of miracle could happen before that time, the mine was the same as lost. True, 1t would go to the highest bidder at public sale and any money brought in above the amount of bail would be returned to him. But who would be that bidder? Who would get the mine-perhaps for twenty or twenty-five thousand dollars, when 1t now was worth millions? Certainly not he. Unless something should hap pen to intervene, unless Harry should return, or In some way Fairchild could raise the necessary five thou sand dollars to furnish a cash bond and again recover the deeds of the Blue Poppy, he was no better off than before the strike was made. Long he thought, finally to come to his conclu- sion, and then, with the air of gam bier who has placed his last bet to win or lose he went to bed.
 But morning found him awake long before the rest of the house was stir ring. The first workers on the street that morning found Fairchild offering them six dollars day. And by eight o'clock. ten of them were at work in the drift of the Blue Poppy mine working against time that they might repair the damage which had been caused by the cave-in.
 That day and the next and the next after that, they labored. Then Fair child glanced at the progress that was being made and sought out the pseudo foreman.
 twill 1t be finished by night" he asked.
 Easily"
 "Very well. I may need these men to work on a day and night shift-Pm not sure. I'll be back in an hour"
 Away he went and up the shaft, to travel as swiftly as possible through the drift-piled road down Kentucky gulch and to the Sampler. There he sought out old Undertaken Chastine and with him went to the proprietor.
 My name is Fairchild. and I'm in trouble" he said candidly. "Pve brought Mir. Chastine with me because he assayed some of my ore few days ago and believes he knows what it is worth. I'm working against time to get five thousand dollars. If I can produce ore that -uns two hundred dollars to the ton, and if I'll sell 1t to you for one hundred seventy-five dol lars a ton until can get the money need. provided I can get the per mission of the court-will you put 1t through for mel"
 The Sampler owner smiled.
 'If you'll let me see where you're getting the ore" Then he figured a moment. ''That'd be thirty or forty k~, ,A r.- that as fast as you could bring it in here"
 But a new thought had struck Fair child-a new necessity for money.
 ''I'll give 1t to you for one hundred and fifty dollars a ton, providing you do the hauling and lend me enough after the first day or so to pay my men,"
 "But why all the excitement-and the rush?"
 My partners Harry Harkins. He's due for trial Friday, and he's disap- peared. The mine is up as security. You can see what will happen unless I can substitute a cash bond for the amount due before that time. Isn't that sufflcientT'
 'It ought to be. But as I said. I want 10 see where the ore comes from"
 You'll see in the morning-if I've got it," answered Fairchild with a new hope thrilling in his voice. "All that I have so far is sn assay of some drill scrapings. I don't know how