The Holbrook news., 1922-10-20
I THE CROSS-CUT

"Sam took 1t back" he announced. And l took part of the money and paid 1t out for rent on these pumps. We can keep 'em as long as we want em. It's only costing about fourth of what 1t might of. Drowning's s worth something" he laughed again. Fairchild joined him. then sObered.
 Tt brought Rodaine out of the bushes," he said. "Squint threatened us after they'd hauled you down town [ on the rail-"
 Harry winked jovially.
 "Ain't 1t just what I expected? It's better that wye than to ave i'm snoop- in around"
 They chuckled together then; 1t was something to know that they had not only forced Squint Rodaine to show his enmity openly, but 1t was some thing more to make him the instru- ment of helping them with their work. Harry looked down the hole, stared intently at nothing, then turned to the rusty hoist.
 "'Ere's the thing we've got to fix up now. This ere chiv wheels all out of gear."
 "What makes your face so red?' Fairchild asked the question as the be-mustached visage of Harry came nearer to the carbide Harry looked up.
 Mother 'Oward almost slapped 1t off" came his rueful answer. "For not telling Ter what I was going to do, and letting Ger think I got drownded But low was to know"
 Fairchild absently examined the en- zines and pumps, supplying water to the radiators and filling an oil cup or two. Then he turned swiftly, voic- ing that which was uppermost in his mind.
 "When you were here before, Harry, did you know Judge Richmond?"
 "Yeh." Harry paved his mustache and made a greasy, black mark on his face. "But I don't think I want to know i'm now"
 "Why not?"
 "'E's mixed up with the Rodaines. How much?
 'They own 'im-that's all."
 There was silence for a moment. It had been something which Fairchild had not expected. If the Rodaines owned Judge Richmond, how far did that ownership extend? After a long time. he forced himself to a statement.
 q know his daughter. She sold me ticket to a dance," Fairchild care fully forgot the earlier meeting. ''Then we've happened to meet several times after that. She said that her father had told her about melt seems he used to be a friend of my own father"
 Harry nodded.
 "So e was. And a good friend. But that was before things 'appened-like they've 'appened in the last ten years. Not that I know about 1t of my own knowledge. But Mother 'Oward-she knows a lot"
 But what's caused the change? What-r
 Harry's intent gaze stopped him.
 "'Ow many times lave you seen Judge Richmond?"
 q haven't ever seen him."
 "You won't-if Mother 'Oward knows anything. 'E ain't able to get out. IFS sick-apoplexy-a stroke. Rodaine's taken advantage of It."
 How"
 "'Ow does anybody take advantage of somebody that's sick? 'Ow does anybody get a old on a person? Through money! Judge Richmond 'ad lot of it. Then e got sick. Ro- daine, e got old of that money. Now Judge Richmond as to ask i'm for every penny he gets-and e does what Rodaine says"
 But a judge" Judges is like anybody else when they're bedridden and only 'arf their faculties working. The girl. so Mother 'Oward tells me, is about twenty now. That made Ger just little kid, and motherless, when Rodaine got in is work. She ain't got thing to sye. And she loves Ger father. If e don't die pretty soon, you'll see wedding '"
 You mean-?"
 Shell be Mrs. Maurice Rodaine. She loves Ter father enough to do It. after Ger wills broken"
 Again Robert Fairchild filled an oil cup, again he tinkered about the pumps. Then he straightened.
 How are we going to work this miner" he asked shortly. Harry stared at him.
 "'Ow should I know? You own 1t !'
 "I don't mean that way. We were fifty-fifty from the minute you showed tsHsHsHsHsGs4sHsHeAeGsGsGs