The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1922-08-04

'sn's sucking the muck out of the
sumpl That means the ole drift II
unwatered."
Then the pumping jobs oyerr'
"yeh. Harry rose. You stay'ers
and dismantie the pumps. 80 we can
send 'em back. Ill 10 TO town We've
got TO buy some stun
Then he started on dowli the trail,
while Fairchild went to. his work. And
he sang as he dragged at the heavy
hose Work was before him, work
which was progressing toward goat
that he had determined to seek, in
spite OF all obstacles. The mysterious
offer which he had received gave evil.
dence that something awaited him. that
some one knew the real value OF The
Blue Poppy mine. and that II he could
simply stick 10 HIS task. II lie could
hold TO the unwnyering purpose 10 win
In spite OF all the blocking pitfalls
that were put In his path. some day.
some time. the reward would be worth
It's price.
More. the conversation with Mother
Howard on the previous morning Ind
been comforting; Il had given WON.
ans viewpoint upon another woman's
actions. And Fairchild intuiiiyely he
lleved she was correct
A shout from the road. accompanied
by the roaring or n motor truck. an
nounced the fact that Harry was max.
Ing his return.
Five men were with him. 10 help him
carry IN ropes. heavy puleys. weights
and large metal shaft bucket then
to move out the smaller OF the pumps
and trundIe away with them. leaving
the larger one and the larger engine
for single load Al last Harry turned
to his paraphernalia and rolled up his
sleeves.
"Ere's where we work /" he an
nounced. TITS us for pulley aud
bucket arrangement until we can get
the 'oist 10 working and the skip 10
running Zip me cave a few timbers."
II was the beginning Of a three
days job, the building Of a heavy stag
lne over the top OF the shaft. The afiix.
Ing Of the great pulley and then the
attachment OF the bucket st one end.
and the skip. loaded with pig Iron. on
the other. Altogether. II formed .
sort of crude, counterbaIanced elc-
vator. by which they might lower
themselves into the shaft. with various
humpings and deIays--but which
worked successfully. nevertheless. To
gether they piled into the, big. iron
bucket Harry Iugglng along spikes and
.timbers and sledges aud ropes. Then
pulling away 1T tho cnbie which hello
the weights, they furnished the neces
cary gravity 10 travel dow inward
An eerie Journey faced otiscne side
by the crawling rope 81 HE skip ~ y
|Rtraveled along the rusty old track on
its wafersmke<f ties On the ethrf b,
the stisI dripping tiiubers Of the aged
shaft AMI its broken. rptting ladder,
While the carbide lanterns cast sl,nd-
ows about. while the pulley above
crcaked and the eroded wheels Of the
akip squcaked and protested Down
ward--a hundred feet--and they cob
llded with the upward-bound skip. to
fend on from It and start on again
Tie air grew colder. more moist. The
catbides spInttered and fiared.
A slight bump, and they were az the
| bottom. Before them the drift tun.
! mel. damp and dripping and dark'
awaited, seeming TO throw back the
| fare OF the carbidcs as though q
shield the treasures which might iie
beyond. Harry started forward step
| then pausinE. shifsed his cnrblds md
laid . hand On hIs companIoa's shoul'
Vf[A II l - ~