The Holbrook news., 1922-12-22
CHAPTER XVIII


 or why he was doing it, Fairchild seized Anita in his arms and, raising her to his breast as though she were child, rushed out through the cross cut and along the cavern to the fis- sure, there to find Harry awaiting them.
 "Put Ger in f1rstl' said the Cornish. man anxiously. 1.-The farther the safer Did you lear anything more?"
 Fairchild obeyed, shaking his head in a negative to Harry's question, then squeezed into the Assure, edging along beside Anita, while Harry followed.
 "What's doing, Harry?"
 "Nothing. That's the funny part of it!" The big Cornishman had crept to the edge of the Assure and had stared for a moment toward the cross-cIt leading to the stope. "If 1t was con- ing, it ought to lave showed up by now. I'm going back. You stay ere"
 A long moment and he was back. almost creeping, and whispering. as he reached the end of the Assure.
 Come 'ere-both of you! Come 'ere!"
 What is it?"
 "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 wom- an following him. In the stOpe the COrnishman crawled carefully to the staging and, standing on tiptoes, pressed his ear against the vein above him. Then he withdrew and nodded sagely.
 "That's what it isl" came his an- nouncement at last. "You can lear it v
 But what?"
 "Get up there and lay your ear against that vein. See if you ear any thing. And be quiet about it. Tn scared to make move, for fear somebody Il 'ear me-"
 Fairchild obeyed. From far away, carried by the telegraphy of the earth and there are few conductors that are better-was the steady pound, pound, pound of shock after shock as 1t travelled along the hanging wall. Fairchild turned, wondering, then reached for Anita.
 "You listen," he ordered, as he lift ed her to where she could hear. Do you get anything?"
 The girls eyes shone.
 q know what that is," she said quickly. i've heard that same sort of thing before you're on an- other level and somebody's working above. Isn't that it, Mr. Harkins?"
 Harry nodded.
 'That's It," came tersely. Then bending, he reached for pick and, muffling the sound as best he could be tween his knees, knocked the head from the handle. Following this, he lifted the piece of hickory thoughtful ly and turned to Fairchild. Get your self one," he ordered. Miss Richmond, I guess you'll lave to stay ere. I don't see low we can do much else with yOu."
 "But can't I go along-whereve you're going?"
 There's going to be a fight" said Harry quietly. And I'm going to knock somebody's block off !"
 "But-Fd rather be there than here. I-I don't have to get in 1t. And I'd be scared to death here. I wouldn't if I was along with you two, because I know" and she said it with almost childish conviction-"that you can whip 'em."
 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 bliz- gard, 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 it in alti- tude and less than furlong 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 same. It was easy 10 make conclusions.
 (TO BE CONTINUED.S