The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1922-12-09

arm went QulChiy ooooe
and he lifted her against him as ne
literally carried her through. "hen
they reached the other side, the arm
still held its place-and she did NOT
resist. Some way, after that, the
stretch of road faded swiftly. Almost
before he realized 1t, they were at the
outskirts of the city.
Grudgingly he gave up his hold up
on her. as they hurried for the SIDE
walks and for the sheriff's office. There
Fairchild did not attempt to talk-he
left it all to Anita, and Bardweli, the
sheriff, listened. Taylor Bill had con-
fessed to the robbery at the Old Times
dance and to his attempt to so ar
range the evidence that the blame
would fall on Harry. Taylor Bill ana
Blindeye Bozeman had been caught at
work in a cross-cut tunnel which led
| to the property of the Blue Poppy
mine, and one Of them. at least. had
admitted that the sole output OF the
| Silver Queen had come from this thlev-
| ing encrOachment. Then Anita COM
| pleted the recital-of the plans OF the
Rodaines to leave and Of their depart
ure for Center City. At last, Fairchild
spoke, and told the happenings finch
he had encountered in the ramshackie
house occupied by Crazy Laura. 1t
was sufficient. The sheriff reached
for the telephone.
mo need for hurry" he announced.
"YOung Rodaine can't possibly make
that trip in less than two hours. We've
got plenty of time-hello-Central?
Long distance, please. What's thatf
Yeh-Long Distance. Want to put In
call for Center City" A long walt,
while a metallic voice streamed over
the wire into the sheriff's ear. He
hung up the receiver. Blocked" he
said shortly. 1.-The wires down."
"But there's the telegraph"
"It'd take half an hour to get the
operator out of bed-Office is closed
Nope. Well take the short cut. And
we'll beat him there by half-hcdr! ]"
Anita started.
"You mean the Argonaut tunnel?'
|
to get motor ready for US to shoot
straight through. We can make 1t at
thirty miles an hour, and the skip in
the Reunion mine will get us to the
surface in five minutes. The tunnel
ends sixteen hundred feet under
ground, about a thousand feet from
Center City," he explained, as he noted
FairchiId's wondering gaze. "You stay
here. I'll be getting my car warmed
up to take us to the tunnel"
A humping sound came from with
out. Harry entered with his two
charges, followed shortly by Bardwell
the sheriff, while just beneath the Of
fee window motor roared in the
process of warming up"
A moment more and a steel door
changed upon the two men, while the
! officer led the way to his motor car
There he looked Quizzically at Anita
Richmond, piling without hesitation
into the front seat.
"You going too?"
II certainly am" and she covered
her intensity with a laugh, there
! are a number Of things that I wan
| to say to Mr.. Maurice Hodaine-ant
I haven't the patience to waltz
Bardwell chuckled. The doors o.
the car slammed and the engine roaret
louder than ever. Soon they wer'
churning along through the driving
: snow toward the great buildings o
the Argonaut Tunnel company, far a
the other end Of town. There mel
awaited them, and tram motor. to
J gether with its operator. The fou
pursuers took their places on tn
|. benches of the car behind the motor
t The trolley was attached. Then ciat
I tering over the frogs, green light
: flashing from the trolley wire, tn
e speeding journey was begun.
= Three miles, four, five, while AMT
i Richmond held close to Fairchild a
9 the speed became greater and tn
sparks from the wire above threw thei
green, vicious light over the yawnin
stretch before them. A last spur
e slightly down-grade, with the motto
0 pushing the wheels at their creates
velocity; then the cracking OF elet
n tricity suddenly ceased. the mote
6 slowed in its progress, finally to stol
L A greasy being faced them and Bare
+ well, the sheriff, shouted his mission
g "Got to catch some people that al
r making a getaway through Cente
y lefty. Can you send US up in the skip
= eyes. two at q time"
e "All right" The sheriff turned 7
Harry. You and I'll go on the frs
2 trip and hurry for the Ohadi roa'
a Fairchild and Miss Richmond will wa
for the second and go to Sheriff MI
It sons Office and tell him what's u
e Meet us there" he said to Fairchil
Is as he went forward.
A long wait followed while Fairchfl
d strove to talk of many things-an
n failed In all of them. Things wei
Is happening too swiftly for them to
t put into crisp sentences by a ina
whose thoughts were muddled by Il
g. fact that beside him waited girl
a whipcord riding suit-the same 81
ID who had leaped from an automobi
e. on the Denver highway and
II It crystalized things for him nome