The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1922-08-24
CHAPTER III

N~
" Rocky mountains in the distance. In
lis pocket were a few hundred dol
ars; in the bank in Indianapolis a
lew thousand, representing the final
proceeds Of the sale of everything that
had connected him with a rather
dreary past. Out before him
Three weeks had created a meta
morphosis in what had been a plod-
ding, matter-of-fact man with dreams
which did not extend beyond his led
gers and his gloomy home-but now a
man leaning his head against the win
dow Of a rushing train, staring ahead
toward the Rockies and the rainbow
they held for him. Back to the place
where his father had gone with
dreams aglow was the son travelling
now-back into the rumpled noun
tains where the blue haze hung low
and protecting as though over mystic
ries and treasures which awaited one
man and one alone. 1t thrilled Fair
child, it caused his heart to tug and
pull-nor could be tell exactly why.
The hills came closer. Still closer;
then, when it seemed that the train
must plunge straight into them. they
drew away again, as though through
some optical illusion, and brooded in
the background, as the long, trans
continental train began to bang ove
the frogs and switches as it made its
entrance into Denver. Fairchild went
through the long chute and to a ticket
window.
"When can I get a train for Ohadi?"
The ticket seller smiled. "You can't
get one"
But the map shows that a railroad
runs there"
IRAN there, you mean," chaffed the
clerk. "The best you can do Is to
get to Forks Creek and walk the rest
of the way. That's a narrow-gauge
line, and Clear creeks been on a ram
page. 1t took out about two hundred
feet of trestle, and there won't be q
train into Ohadi for a week. Stranger
out here?"
+ "Very much of one"
an a hurry to get to Ohadi?"
Eyes"
Then you can go uptown n hire
a taxi-they've got big cars for noun
tain work and there are good roads
all the way. It'll cost fifteen or
twenty dollars. Or"
Fairchild smiled. "Give me the other
system if you've got one. I'm not ter
ribly long on cash-for taxis."
Certainly. No use spending that
money if you've got a little pep, and
1t isn't a matter of life or death. Go
up to the Central loop-anybody can
direct you-and catch a street car for
Golden. That eats up fifteen miles
and leaves just twenty-three miles
more. Then ask somebody to point
lut the road over Mount Lookout.
Uachines go along there every few
hinutes-no trouble at all to catch q
tde. You'll be in Ohadi in no time
Fairchild obeyed the instructions,
and in the baggage room rechecked his
trunk to follow him, Tightening his
travelling bag at the anne time until
IT carried only necessities. A lunch.
con-, then the street car. Three quar-
tiers of an hour later, he began the
fve-mile trudge up the broad, smooth
carefully groomed automobile high
way which masters Mount Lookout. A
rumbling sound behind him, then hi
stepped to one side, a grimy truck
driver leaned out to shout as hi
passed:
want a lift? Hop on! CAM
stOp-too much grade"
A running leap, and Fairchild seat
= ed himself ON the tailboard Of tn,
truck, swinging his legs and lookin,
out over the fading plains as tn,
truck roared and clattered upwar,
along the twisting mountain road.
Upward, still upward! The tow
below became merely a c~heckerboar,
thing, the lake a dot of cleaning sill
yer, the stream a scintillating ribbol
stretching off into the foothills.
turn, and they skirted a tremendou
valley, it's slopes falling away in shee
descents from the roadway. A DARK
ened, moist stretch of road, fringed b
pines, then a jogging journey owe roll
ing table-land. At last came a voic
from the drivers seat.
ssTurn off up here at Genesee noun
balm. Which "a do you go?"
, Trying to get to Ohadi." Fairchil
shouted it above the roar Of the en-
CINE. The driver waved a hand fol-
ward. s.+~ y r.
Keep to the main road. Drop OF
when 7 make the turn"
'aTnanks for the lift"
'Aw, forget It"
The truck wheeled from the mai
road and chugged away, leaving Fair
child afoot, making as much progress
as possible toward his goal until goo,
fortune should bring a swifter mean
of I6coInotion. Suddenly he wheeled
Behind him sounded the swift droninl
" d motor. cnt-out open, as il rushet
Forward along the road--and the nois'
stoid~a story OF speed.
Ear AT the brow OF d steep hill 4
appeared seeming 70 hang III spac,
q ii instant before Iaaping down
Ward. Rushing. plunging. once skid
yFing da1gernusIy ut q small curve, Il
Rade the descent, bun1ped over
tr1dge. wan Iost for 4 second iii TIL
pines, then I'D toward him, 4 81,
tOurfng Win mail. resoIutl
EEnre eiinsfng q m uheeI Then
NiIlh 4 report Ilka \ keyolYer SiaCf. thl