The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1922-07-20
(Continued from last issus)

two amt cutters, are your
900, us?" Harry bristled.
"Yes, you. If you are, get your
selves piece Of paper and write to
Denver and take the offer. If you
ain't--keep on fighting
II believe you're right, Mother How
ard" Fairchild had reached for the
letter again and was staring at it as
though for inspiration. "That amount
Of money seems to be great deal.
Still, If a person will offer that much
for a mine when there's nothing in
sight to show its value, it ought to
mean that there's something dark in
the wood pile and that the things
worth fighting out. And personally
speaking, I'm willing to fght'
II never quit in my lifew Harry
Strengthened in his chair and his mus
tache stuck forth pugnaciously. Moth
er Howard looked down at him,
pressed her lips. then smiled.
NO." she announced, Except to run
away like whipped pup after you'd
gotten a poor lonely clearinghouse
ACcper Ill lOSe WIFI yOu
Mother 'Oward. I'll
But the laughing, gray-haired wom-
an had scrambled through the door
way and slammed the door behind her,
only to open it a second later and poke
her head within.
,"Needn't think because you can hold
up a dance hall and get away with 1t,
you can use cave-man stuff on mel"
she admonished. And in that one SEN
tence was all the conversation neces-
sary regarding the charges against
Harry, as far as Mother Howard was
concerned. She didn't believe them,
and Harry's face showed that the
world had become bright and serene
again. He swung his great arms as
though to loosen the big muscles Of his
shoulders. He pecked at his mus
tache. Then he turned to Fairchild.
"Well," he asked, "what do we do?
Go up to the mine-just like nothing
'ad ever 'appened?'
Exactly. Wait until I change my
clothes. Then We'll be ready to start.
I'm not even going to dignity this let
ter by replying to it. And for one
principal reason" he added-"that
I think the Rodaines have something
to do with It,"
"'ow sor
II don't know. I'll be ready in q
moment"
An hour later they entered the
mouth Of the Blue Poppy tunnel, once
more to start the engines and to re-
sumo the pumping, meanwhile strug-
Cling back and forth with timbers from
the mountain side, as they began the
task of rehabilitating the tunnel where
It had caved in just beyond the shaft.
Hour after hour they toiled, until
the gray mists hung low over the
mountain tops, until the shadows
heightened and twilight fell. The en-
gines ceased their chugging, the cough
ing swirl OF the dirty water as 1t came
from the drift, far below. stopped.
Slowly two weary men logged down
the rutty road to the narrow, winding
highway which led through Kentucky
gulch and into town.
Tha: night Fairchild did not lie
awake to stare about him in the dark
ness. His eyes closed wearily, yet
with wholesome fatigue. Nor did
he wake until Harry was pounding
on the door in the dawn Of the morn
ing.
Once more the pumps: once more
the struggle against the heavy tim
bers; once more the "clunk" Of the
ax as it bit deep into wood, or the
pounding Of hammers as great spikes
were driven into place. The timber
ing Of the broken-down portion Of the
tunnel just behind the shaft had been
repaired, and Harry flipped the sweat
away from his broad forehead with All
action of relief.
mot that it does any particular
good" he announced. But it's room
we'll need when we start working
down below. and we might as we'll
ave It fixed up"
He ceased suddenly and ran to the
pumps. A peculiar gurgling sound had
come from the ends Of the hose, and
the flow deprecated greatly; instead
Of the steady gush Of water, a Shiny
silt was coming out now, spraying and
splattering about on the sides Of the
drainage ditch. Wildly Harry waved
d mOnstrous paw.
"Shut 'em OFF," he yelled to Fair
child in the dlmness of the tunnel.
"It's sucking the muck out Of the
sump! That means the ole drift is
unwatered."
''Then the pumping Jobs over?"
"Yeh:" Harry rose. "You stay ere
and dismantle the pumps, so we cat
send 'em back. I'll 60 to town. We've
got to buy some stuff"
Then he started of down the trail
while .Fairchild went to his work. An,
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