The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1922-12-30
CHATTER XVIII

CHATTER XVIII
Hardly realizing what he Was doing
or Why be was doing II. Fairch!Id
sei1ed Anita in his arms and. raising
her to his breast a. though she vers
. child. rushed out through the cross
cut and along the cavern to the rs
sure. there to ind Harry awaiting
them.
Put 'ef in 6rst!~ said the Cornish
man anxloasiy. The farther the safer.
Did you ear anything more.-
Fairchild obeyed, shaking his head
in q negative to Harry's question. then
squeezed into the fs&urs. edzine along
beside Anita. while narry followed.
Whats doing. Harry
Nothing. That's the funny part Of
~" The big Cornishman had crept to
the edge Of the fssure and had stared
for q moment toward the cross-c7t
leading TO the stope. IF II was com
Ing. 1t ought to ave showed mp nv
now. I'm going back. You stay ere
A long moment and he was back.
almost creeping. and whispering. a.
he reached the end Of the hasure.
Come 'ere-both Of you! Come
'ere,-
-what Is itr'
''Sh-h-h.h-h-h. Don't talk too loud.
We've been blessed with luck already.
Come ere"
He led the way. the man and WON
an following him. In the stope the
Cornishman crawled carefully to the
staging and. standing on tipto.s.
pressed his ear against the vein above
him. Then be withdrew and nodded
sagely.
That's what II b- came his an
at last. you can ear IT,"
But whatr'
Get up there and lay your ear
against that vein See II you ear any.
thing. And be quiet about IL I'm
scared to make q move. for fear
somebody II ear me-"
Fairch'!d obeyed. From far away.
carried BY the telegraphy Of the earth
and there are few conductors thht
are better-was the steady pound,
pound. pound Of shock AFTER shock a.
b travelled along the hanging wall.
Fairchild turned, wondering. then
reached for Anita
you listen" he ordered, a. he lift
I'd her to where che could hear. do
700 get anythingr'
TIE siri's eyes shooe.
quickly. Tive heard that same sori
of thing befors-when you're on an
other leve, and somebody's working
above. Isn't that II, Mr.. Harkinsf'
Harry nodded.
That's It," came terseiy. Then
bending, he reached for q pick and.
mufIlinG the sound a. best he could be
tween his knees, knocked the head
from the handle. Following this. he
lifted the piece Of hickory thoughtful.
~ and turned to Fairchlld. Get your
self one" he ordered. "AIiss Richmond.
I guess you'll ave to stay ere. I don't
SEQ 'ow We can do much else with
you"
But can't l g alons-wherever
you're goingl"
there's going to be 4 Tight" said
Harry quietly. "And I'm going 70
knock somebody's. block OFT"
"But-rd rather be there than here.
IL don't have to get in II. And I'd
be scared to death here. I wouldn't II
/ was along with you two. because
know" and she said It with almost
childish conviction-''that you can
whip EN-"
Harry chuckled.
"Come along. then. I've got a 'unch,
and I can't sye It now. But It'll come
out ir the wash. Come along"
They started up the mountain side.
skirting the big. gullies snd eddnS
about the highest drifts, taxing ad.
vantage Of the cover Of the pines, and
bending against the force Of the Bills
sard, which seemed to threaten to
blow them back, step for step. No
one spoke; instinctively 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 1t in alti.
tude and less than a furiong away.
And the metal Of the Silver Queen
and the Blue Poppy. now that the
strike had been made, had assayed al
most identically the zane. It was
easy to make conclusions.
ITO BE CONTINUED.)