The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1922-08-04

self one" he ordered. Miss Richmond,
I guess you'll ave to stay ere. don't
see 'ow we can do much else with
you" a.,
"But can't I go along-wherever
you're going?"
There's going to be a fight" said
Harry quietly. "And I'm going to
knock somebody's block OFT"
"But--Td rather be there than here.
IL don't have to get in it. And I'd
be scared to death here. l wouldn't IL
was along with you two, because
know" and she said it with almost
childish conviction-"that you can
whip EN-" 81 ,. =. -
Harry chuckled.
"Come along, then. I've got lunch,
and can't sye it now. But It'll come
out in the wash. Come along" -
They started up the mountain side,
skirting the big gullies and edging
about the highest drifts, taking ad-
vantage Of the cover Of the pines, and
bending against the force Of the bllz-
card, which seemed to- threaten to
blow them. back, step for step. No
one spoke; fnstinctively Fairchild and
Anita had guessed Harry's conclu-
sions. The nearest mine to the Blue
Poppy was the Silver Queen, situated
several hundred feet above it in alti-
tude and less than a furlong away.
And the metal Of the Silver Queen
and the Blue Poppy, now that the
strike had been made, had assayed al
most identlcally the same. 1t was
easy to make conclusions. -,
They reached the mouth of the ST.
yer Queen. Harry reconnoltered a
moment before he gave the signal to
proceed. Within the tunnel they went,
to follow along its regular, rising
course to the stope where, on that
garish day when Taylor Bill and
Blindeye Bozeman had" led the enthu-
siastic parade through the streets, the
vein had shown. It was dark there
no one was at work. Harry unlocked
his carbide from his belt, lit it and
looked around. u
1T amt coming from 'ere" he an
nOunced. ''It's-" then his voice
dropped to a whlsper-"'what's that p
Again rumbling had come from a
distance, as of an ore car travelling
over the tram tracks. Harry. extin-
guishad. his light, and drawing Anita
and Fairchild far to the end of the
okopo Aottauod than, ond Ljc,uo1f o,.
the ground. A long wait, while the
rumbling came closer, still closer :;
then, in the distance, light appeared,
shining from side Of the tunnel. A
changing noise, followed by clatter-
ing sounds, as though of steel rails
hitting against each other Finally
the tramming once more-and the
light approached.
Into view came an ore car, and be-
hind it doomed the great form Of Tay.
lor Bill as he pushed it along. Straight
to the pile Of ore he came, unlocked
the front Of the tram, tripped it and
piled the contents of the car on top
Of the dump which already rested
there. With that, carbide pointing the
way, he turned back, pushing the tram
before him. Harry crept to his feet.
"We've got to follow = he whispered.
TITS n blind entrance to the tunnel
som'eres." .t;$t
They rose and trailed the light along
the tracks, flattening themselves
against the timbers Of the tunnel as
the form Of Taylor Bill, family out
lined in the distance, turned from the
regular track. opened a great door in
the side Of the tunnel, which, to all
appearances. was nothing more than
the ordinary heavy timbering OF a
weak spot In the rocks, pulled 1t far
back, then swerved the tram within.
Then, he stopped and raised a port
able switch, throwing 1t into the OPEN
ing. A second later the door closed
behind him, and the sound of the tram
began to fade In the distance. Harry
went forward, creeping along the side
Of the tunnel, feeling his way. stop
ping to listen now and then for the
sound Of the fading ore car. Behind
him were Fairch:)d and Anita, follow
ing the same procedure. And all three
stopped Mt once.
The hollow sound was coming d.
rectly to them now. Harry once more
brought out his carbide to light It for
q moment and to examine tho tim
bering.
ITS a good jobl" he commented.
"You couldn't tell 1t five feet Off ~
'They've made a cross-cutr This
time It was Anlta's voice, plainly an
cry in spite of its whispering tones
mo wonder they had such a wonder
full strike" came scathingly. ''That
other stope down there"
Amt nothing but a sailed propo-
sition," said Harry. They've cement
ed up the top Of 1t with the real stuff
and every once in while they blow a
lot Of 1t out and cement it up again
to make 1t look like that's the real
vein."
And they're working our mine !"
Red spots Of anger were flashing be-
fore Eairchild's eyes.
Continued In next issue